h1 style="page-break-before: always;"strongspan style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 24pt;"Ascension [MCU / Celestial Grimoire]/span/strong/h1
p class="19"strongspan style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"By: Hmmaster/span/strong/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Caught in the grip of a deal with a tricky fey spirit, a normal teenager from our world must put on the performance of a lifetime, to take on the role of a hero./span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan must fight to keep the Celestial Grimoire from every god, alien, and villain he encounters, for if something like this falls into the wrong hands, it could spell doom for every multiverse./span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Status: ongoing/span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Published: 2021-12-29/span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Updated: 2023-01-23/span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Words: 137522/span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapters: 28/span/p
p class="24"span class="15" style="font-family: Cambria;"Original source: /spana href=" threads/985633"uspan style="font-family: Cambria; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" threads/985633/span/u/au/u/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Exported with the assistance of /spana href=" /"uspan class="16" style="font-family: Cambria; color: #0000ff;" /span/u/a/p
p class="25" style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_nav_xhtml"/aspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Ascension [MCU / Celestial Grimoire]/span/strong/h2
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_introduction_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Introduction/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_1_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Prologue/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_2_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 1/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_3_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 2/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_4_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 3/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_5_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 4/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_6_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 5/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_7_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 6/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_8_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_9_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 8/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_10_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 9/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_11_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 10/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_12_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 11/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_13_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 12/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_14_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 13/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_15_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 14/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_16_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 15/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_17_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 16/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_18_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 17/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_19_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 18/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_20_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 19/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_21_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 20/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_22_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 21/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_23_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 22/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_24_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 23/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_25_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 24/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_26_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 25/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_27_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 26/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_28_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 27/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="25"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_1_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Prologue/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thunder shakes the chamber's walls, threatening to topple one of the old-fashioned light fixtures. The raging weather is audible even over the sound of the orchestra's attempt to crescendo into the next scene, distracting many from enjoying the moment. The crowd tenses in reaction to the storm's sudden impact, and I cannot help but latch onto the armrests./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not like storms, especially ones that have /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"thunder-snow/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm surprised they didn't cancel the show," I mutter to my right, thankful that I have an aisle seat to my left. "I should have stayed at the hotel."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can they not turn up the heat?" my aunt whispers next to me, her arms clenched over her chest as she shivers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Woman, can you please stop for once?" her husband Dave asks too loudly next to her, earning a look of indignation from the elderly couple in front of us. "The insulation in these old buildings could use some work."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hushes him with a forceful glare, showing that fiery spirit that I love so much about aunt Sandra. She tries to return her attention to the stage, but whatever immersion I had in the play is lost./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Leg shaking with boredom and nerves, the air feels like it's getting colder by the minute. The balcony seats are too damn small for someone who isn't a petite elderly woman, and it takes focus to blot out the literal pain in my ass to hear the actors put on what I'm sure is the performance of a lifetime. The lauded wedding preparations of two famous ancient Greek figures continues unabated, despite the terrible storm raging around the theatre./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The rest of the audience seems to be enjoying the experience, but I just cannot wait for a moment so I can slip the fuck out of here. I enjoyed the first half-hour, I truly did, but this is starting to feel like torture! It's not even the play at this point, but that too has become a bit boring. I've seen this in so many iterations before. Anime, books, movies…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The movie's better. Stanley Tucci's awesome. Hell-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan!" Sandra admonishes next to me, while Dave chuckles beside her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Suite Life /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"episode was better."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is Broadway! You should be grateful for the experience!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She has a point, and I have enough respect for the arts to let my annoyance slide. At least in this moment. Pulling off my glasses long enough to clean them with the too-white button-down shirt that the trip forced us to wear, I almost miss the scene transition./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can't believe you'd say that…" my aunt mumbles under her breath. Her dark eyes alight with the entrance of the four lovers once more, a confusing mix of actors standing amidst the paper Mache trees. It's rather elaborate for a stage production, and I have to wonder if they have different styles for the forest scenery based on the season. Branches barren of any leaves, amid the darkest part of winter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A chill runs down my arms, almost like a light breeze caressing my skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I dig the effects," Dave mutters. "That really does look like a donkey."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The actor on stage bumbles around like a fool, the head of an ass strapped to his neck. Some in the audience laugh, somehow, as though this joke has not been told thousands of times before. Another rumble of thunder throws off the acoustics in the room, and someone in the orchestra skips a note from surprise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The only thing this play's missing is a little bit of modern," I explain with a conspiratorial smile, trying to ignore the pit in my stomach at the sound of the storm. "The four lovers are /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"not /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"in a complicated enough net. It'd be so much spicier if it were gayer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imagining Lysander bumbling his way into a foursome nearly brings a tear to my eye./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That I can agree with," Sandra says with a giggle, though she doesn't look away from the stage, captivated by the actors' rhythmic pattern of speech./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It really puts the bottom in Bottom…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shushes me with a blush rising to her cheeks, before she pulls her jacket ever closer. Her eyes alight with wonder at the show./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I really cannot focus on it like she can./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few of my classmates were lucky enough to sit together rather than with their accompanying chaperones, and occasionally I can hear them whispering in reaction to the play. I doubt a significant chunk of them truly care about the play at all, but I can't say that I don't relate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A jock group sits two rows down from me, their exuberance noticeable even with their relative silence in the theatre. I think they'd rather be anywhere than here, because I heard them talking animatedly about their hotel afterparty with "all the chicks" while we were in line to get into the auditorium. I have to hope their room is nowhere near mine, because I cannot handle my aunt and uncle getting pissy. They'd never think to invite me anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One girl I barely know from my Trigonometry class - Makayla, I think? - brings out her phone and ruins the whole darkened theatre. A few groans from the adults taking this thing way more seriously is all it takes for her to shut the damn thing off. Teenagers are stupid, and it takes one to know one!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The familiar music cue draws my attention, despite the sound of the thunder. Before I can shift to catch the only reason to be excited for this play at all, I feel someone tap on my shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Please, come with me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up to see an incredibly attractive usher looming over me. Tight red vest, dark sleeves that fit in all the right places, long legs with well-shined shoes. His facial hair is tidy, perfectly enveloping his lips. If he notices me looking him up and down, he's kind enough to not say anything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd never be this bold back in my hometown, but the confidence of being on a trip thousands of miles away in a far more liberal city? It's a nice feeling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Is something wrong?" I whisper, looking toward my aunt for assistance. Both Sandra and Dave wave me off, unconcerned by the usher./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Come with me, sir."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The college-aged man offers a hand to help me up out of my seat and then gestures for me to head up the stairs to the back of the auditorium quietly. As soon as we pass through the double doors, it's evident just how terrible the storm outside truly is. Snow and ice coat the outside streets, ruining any ability to discern details about the streets beyond. Lightning flashes outside, flickering the entire room with odd light, and the resulting thunderous boom reverberates the glass-framed doors./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Excuse me, but this is really weird. And the storm looks bad." The air is even more frigid in here than it is in the auditorium. "I should get back to the sho-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Two more ushers join him, though the others do not remotely hold a candle to Mr. Tall, Blonde, and Handsome. He shines with perfect teeth, a benefit that must truly help in a job like this where you must work with the public. Must be nice to be conventionally attractive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I apologize for the inconvenience, Logan." The mention of my name from a complete stranger throws me for a loop. "But your teacher, Ms. Clarkson, has arranged for a select few students to meet with the cast, during intermission. You are one of those students!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes nearly bulge out of my head. "Uh… what?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something like that would be absurdly expensive. Way more than my tiny southern high school could afford. How and why?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan, if you'll make your way through those doors," the hot usher points toward the end of the hallway where a female usher waits with a smile on her face, hands clasped in front of her, "the crew will get you set up for your meeting. Trust me, you/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" don't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" want to miss it!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink, shock still forcing me silent. The wind batters against the glass doors leading out into the busy New York streets. The music of the play changes as the scene transitions once more, one step closer to the beginning of intermission./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uhh," stalling, I clear my throat. "Who else from my group will be there?" It feels out of character that my English teacher would favor one student over another - she's usually fair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, a handful. They'll be arriving shortly. Our team is on top of it!" The usher places a warm hand on my shoulder as he beckons me toward the end of the hallway. "Your reservation can be given to another student, Logan, but you'll never get a chance again. Seize it!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Slowly, a grin forms on my face. He's right - as much as I was disliking the show earlier, it was far more for the theatre's amenities than it was for the show itself. These seats are dreadfully small. And yeah, the play has been done to death, but getting to see a few famous Broadway actors? That feels much cooler!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The female usher - a redhead truly covered with freckles - opens the door with a tight smile and beckons for me to head into a hallway that the public likely does not see. It's darker than the rest of the lobby, but no warmer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Is the heat busted?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The usher does not answer immediately, a forced smile coming across her face. "Oh, yes, but a solution is on its way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Shouldn't they cancel the show for the night? Let people get home before the storm gets worse?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No sir, the company is very proud to have never had to cancel a show, barring some pretty clear global issues."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't think I've ever been in a winter thunderstorm before, but this feels like an ongoing danger. Or maybe my Southern senses are just wrong about what constitutes a threat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She passes through another set of double doors, stopping just inside. "This is as far as/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" I /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"go. Keep moving straight then down the stairs, and the crew will be expecting you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The interior as I press on a bit more nervously without an escort continues to get bleaker, more empty. A rack of costumes lay abandoned in a hallway, just outside a room marked for storage. A partially open dressing room reveals no one, though it looks like it'll be used any minute now from the state of it. Make-up still lies opened, the room smelling of the stuff./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where's… the crew? Ms. Clarkson? I pull out my phone to shoot a quick message, but the battery is dead. Why is the battery dead? I swear I charged it!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of stairs beckons me downward, and the sounds of the play get louder. A breeze thickens, and my glasses fog with the rapid change in temperature. Hair stands on end, and I pull my suit jacket closer around my form./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Descending the stairs finally reveals the stage decorations, makeshift trees and bushes shoved close together to make room. This area must be directly backstage, because the orchestra and the projected voices of the actors could not be louder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But there's no crew member waiting for me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What kind of Broadway play doesn't have four stage managers running around everywhere? Where're the sound techs to make sure the mics are working? The actors waiting in the wings for their entrance into the next scene?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The more I walk and explore, the colder the area becomes. Fake snow builds up in little piles beneath trees, like cotton pillow stuffing in little swirls… Wait… no, that's real snow. The wind blows, and there's gotta be an open window or something back here. Maybe even a open hole in the wall, letting the storm inside the auditorium, because none of this makes /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"any/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" sense./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Even the trees look to be… real?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What roots that poke up from the snow banks seem to extend into the ground of the stage, which feels less like wood and more like solid earth the more I step. The humidity changes, and with it, the scents of a forest ensnare my senses. The tree branches in reach/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" feel /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"real too, like they used bark to decorate this instead of some other material./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I've been drugged./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The usher must have done something. Maybe he hit me with a needle when he took my hand, and I didn't notice? My fingers shiver as I check my palms, but there's no sign of any blood. Whirling around to make my way back, and I only see more trees, more of this false forest stretching behind me. The wind flurries, bringing with it fresh snow to almost burn against my cheek./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Every inclination to be quiet backstage fades, and I cup my hands over my mouth, ignoring the fact that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"my breath is visible!/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" for a moment. "Help! Anyone?!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I rush forward through the trees, listening with surprise at the real crunch of snow beneath my shoes. The ice bites at my face, stings at my eyes, and I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"really /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"wish I had worn that scarf that Dave offered me. I don't know where I am going, but I am hopefully getting closer to the exit./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Someone clears their throat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My head snaps toward the sound, where a young /spana href=" . "uspan class="16" style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff;"boy/span/u/aspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" of about eleven in a greenish tunic perches in the branches of a dead oak. With auburn hair cut short and nearly the same shade as his rosy cheeks, he lounges lazily. Damaged leaves rest in his hair, but a pair of horns rest on his forehead. The tip of his nose has a bit of frozen snot, but he doesn't make any effort to get rid of it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello," a singsong voice declares./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, hello," I say with a bit of relief. Someone else must know what is happening, weird costume be damned. "Are you one of the actors?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy turns his head slightly, revealing /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"pointed ears. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I have played many roles, so you could say that." His accent is clearly English, but there's a lilt to it that does not quite compute. "I have worn many a hat."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right, okay. So, could you tell me what the hell is happening? Because I really am at a loss here. It's like this building's holding some kind of botanical garden, which doesn't make sense on so /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"many /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"levels." I'm grasping at straws for any errant explanation that can make this make sense./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy giggles. "Lost you are, 'tis plain to see."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, I guess, but this building's not that big. I've been walking for minutes back here, all to meet the cast of a play that I don't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Perhaps you're focused on the wrong things," he says, leaning forward. He shakes some of the snow away from the shoulders of his tunic, a look of disgust on his face. "After all, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"you're/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" facing a death so icy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shiver far more at his words, his tone than at the biting wind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What… ," panic clouds my mind, and I whirl around so fast that I nearly stumble into the inches of snow beneath my feet, "the fuck?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A dire problem you face," the boy says, showing no signs of frostbite despite the thin layer of clothing he wears. "Has someone dosed you without a trace?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod nervously, fervently, feeling my fingers begin to go numb. "Yes! Maybe I ate something weird, or maybe it's a dream-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy giggles again, though not with a single bit of mirth. Eyes darken and cheekbones sharpen. "A little dream to meet your end. Will you break or will you bend? Devour your soul the ice intends."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wait! "I don't want to die… !"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Over the endless howl of snow in the air as the blizzard deepens, the crashing of a distant tree hitting the forest floor takes his attention. A frown fills the boy's lively face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is too much for a dream, too much for a nightmare. I fall to my knees./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Now, now," he says with a smile. "Do not give in. There be plenty more to begin."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can barely feel my flesh. What's the point? Not a single bit of this is real - it cannot be real. Just costumes and a bad heater. A bad trip - maybe those jocks did it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can get you out of here. Away from the snow, you'll disappear."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes snap up to see his cherubic face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He pauses to consider the storm for a moment, watching the ice sting at my skin and seeming to admire how it clings to his too-thin fingers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's something I want in return. About the worlds I will learn."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What choice do I have but to listen to this rhyming kid? Maybe he's got some shelter, or even a campfire back there somewhere. Can sit in the warmth for long enough that help comes, that one of the crew finds me. Ms. Clarkson and the rest of the students, they'll find me. Sandra, Dave - they'll come for me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, sure," I bark./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His smirk deepens. "Something about you caused all this." He collects some snow from a tree branch and tosses it into the air. "You spread ice like a frigid abyss."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What are you talking about?" I force out through chittering teeth. "You think I did this? What the hell?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""'Tis a mystery to me as well. If I knew, there'd be no story to tell."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"More trees begin to fall in the distance, and the boy groans loudly. He leaps from the tree branch to land softly, gracefully, next to me. He stands atop the snow, somehow, and twists his hand in a circle. A flash of jade light, and something heavy lands in his grip: a frayed leather-bound book./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot - this cannot be happening./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voice seems to emanate from everywhere at once, not from the position of the boy in front of me. That name on his tongue sounds dreadful, like a cat mewling in excitement over its prey. My stomach lurches in fear, but I do not have the energy to run. I would fall all over the ground just trying to stand, for my legs are far too numb./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Take the book from my hands; be whisked away from these lands."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He bends down to place it in front of my eyes, closely in reach. The front of the tome is bare except for a deep purple hue, with imperfections in the leather from many, many, many years of use. It is difficult to take my eyes off of it: whatever it is, it almost feels more real than anything else. Like it has more substance, more weight than the environment around it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Gingerly, my grip closes around the book./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy giggles with glee./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something hard falls from between the book's pages. A blue crystal crashes into the snow, exuding its own frosty-layer of light. /spana href=" . "uspan class="16" style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff;"A symbol of a six-pointed snowflake/span/u/aspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" drifts across its form, almost shifting in its strange glow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The crystal draws me in, and I place it squarely in my palm. A vibrant rush floods through me, and for a moment, the world feels warmer. No, that's not right - the lack of heat stops bothering me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do you know what that is?" the boy asks, eyes fixated on the crystal clutched in my hand. An intense, alien curiosity spreads across his face. For just a second, he looks exactly like a little boy seeing the world for the first time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My extremities leave the snow-covered forest first, a terrifying feeling that slowly washes up my entire being. Clutching the ancient book and the crystal closer to my chest, all sensation ceases as reality fades from being./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Perks /span/p
p class="29"a href=" /a/VDDwF"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Warehouse/span/u/au/u/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"1 - Electricity (10)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"2 - Plumbing (10)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"3 - Heat / AC (10)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"4 - Local Network (30)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"5 - Shelving (0)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"6 - Terminal (10)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"7 - Robots (20)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"8 - Housing (20)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"9 - Food Supply (10)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10 - Free Space (30)/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I've been on a deep dive into a couple of these stories using the usual Celestial Forge rules. I found out about the Celestial Grimoire rules and decided that I had to try it out, because magic is kickass./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'll be using the 2000 words = 100 CP rule and will roll randomly to choose. If I roll it, I buy it if I have enough CP. The SI will receive their rewards when next they sleep. Generally, I will be treating the perks fairly conservatively, but there may be exceptions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Speaking of rewards, there is in fact a perk unlocked outside of the free Cosmic Warehouse based on the word count from this chapter, but you'll find out what it is next chapter, once the ol' MCU rolls around./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As for the ice crystal, some of you will undoubtedly recognize it. This is an additional boon I gave the SI, to give him some quicker utility./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Dec 29, 2021 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_2_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 1/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The warbling, twisting, wrenching feeling ends as abruptly as it began. Reality reorients as my senses return, and the overload is almost enough to make me faint. The only reason I don't? The vomit that spreads across the park bench. The leftover remains of Joe's famous New York pizza./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Alarm forces me to my feet - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oh, God, that was too fast /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"- when I realize that a near forest still envelops me. A few differences slowly make the panic go away, as I take a few seconds to adjust. No signs of snow, and more signs of spring. The breeze is chilly but not frigid, and the trees are beginning to bloom with new growth. Where did the last few months go?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A paved path sits beneath my feet, and that really is a wooden park bench containing my vomit. The chorus in the distance is not of birds and squirrels, but rather a discordant symphony of car alarms and car horns. On the edge of my sight, just past the trees on all sides, are the massive walls of skyscrapers on all sides./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How did I get to Central Park? In the spring?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How did that boy do any /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"of that?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The book clatters to the pavement, and it's a wonder of craftsmanship that no pages go flying. The azure gemstone stays in my palm, thankfully, but I'm starting to rapidly wonder why I'm trusting any of this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A breeze carries the voices of lovely afternoon jogs, barking dogs as they play, the excited cheers of Ultimate Frisbee. Distantly, a police siren howls to life, its strange echo reaching even hear, deep in the park. A tour guide leads her troupe past me, and only a couple of her charges bother to look in my direction as I scramble to pick up the too-large book./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As they pass, I clear my throat and try to collect my thoughts. I overhear a woman whisper into a man's ear: "Wouldn't it be nice if we could get Johnathan to read like that?" His reply trails off before I can hear it, but I take a long look at the big purple book. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Thank you, random lady, for the assist./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There are probably hundreds of pages, and this crystal was lodged inside it only moments ago. Whatever this book is, the boy wants me to have it. Somehow, holding onto this was doing him a favor, and a terrible feeling wells in my stomach./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What else was I supposed to do, conscience?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There were two options, as far as I could see them: take the book or die. Maybe a third option was there, somewhere, but try thinking while you're freezing to death./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take a seat, head in my hands, the book and the gem discarded for a few moments./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Mom always said to make a list. When you're in a stressful situation that involves a complex problem, make a to-do list and try the worst first, to get it out of the way. Other problems will come and go, but they won't be quite as bad because you took care of the one you dread the most./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"So, firstly, the book is the worst part of this. The inside has got to have answers, and while pilfering through a book this large is a time-consuming task, I'm almost certain I can find something to ease my worries. And yet, that elf boy practically dangled it in front of me. Nothing about that is trustworthy, Legolas be damned./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Despite any real reason that I can perceive, the gemstone does not have the same uncertainty as the book in my head. Something about it feels… normal, for lack of a better word. Familiar. Like it belongs. Somehow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Secondly, I should really check the theatre. A glance at my wallet reveals that I have aboouuut forty-five dollars and some change, so getting to it on the subway should not be difficult. My phone is dead, so I can't call my aunt or anyone else from the school trip to let them know where I am, or that I'm coming./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"God, did someone else on the trip go through what I just did? Were those ushers legit about Ms. Clarkson's offer for a cast meeting? Thankfully, none of my closer friends were on this trip, but it's still difficult to not grow fond of people you've known since you were five years old./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thirdly, the freak weather. Did the season change or can there be days this warm in the middle of winter in New York City? That doesn't explain the trees, so… /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Was I in a coma?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"To avoid thinking, to avoid getting locked in a cycle of negative thoughts, I gather my things and start walking to the subway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sorry, Mom, but I cannot follow your advice this time./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The train ride to the theatre was thankfully just short enough that I was not tempted to pull out the book on the way. Not that I could have read anyway - it was too packed with people to get the massive book out. They had no idea how rude they truly were, caring not one iota for the sixteen year old kid traveling alone and going through an existential crisis./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One lady was especially awful, showing off the classic New York attitude toward strangers. She refused to give me her phone when I asked to borrow it, looked me up and down, and then said, "Screw off." The negativity surprised me enough that I didn't bother asking anyone else for the rest of the trip./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Emerging onto the street, I take a deep breath of cleaner air. The theatre is only a block away, but throughout the short walk, it becomes increasingly difficult to focus, much less to breathe. A nervous energy fills my heart, a faint bit of hope reflecting in my thoughts. Sandra and Dave will know what to do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I round the corner onto Broadway, a street packed to the brim with people. Some are waiting in line for the shows that will begin in an hour or two, while others are merely stopping to take pictures of the famous theatres, billboard ads, or both. Times Square is only a few hundred feet away, which I imagine is even worse to walk by foot. The tourists disrupt the human foot traffic every time, forcing busier locals to break from their flow or risk losing the grip on their bags or bumping into others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The theatre comes into view, and my heart sinks. The marquis displays a different title: /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Camelot. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I didn't even know there /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"was/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a play about this, but it does not surprise me. Arthur has been told and retold almost as much as any of Shakespeare's plays, in as many mediums./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Excuse me?" I say as I push myself to the front of the line./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, watch it!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Get in the back and wait your turn!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I look at the disgruntled couple in front of the ticket window. "I'm sorry, but I need to ask a questio-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We don't care!" the woman shouts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Caitlyn, he's just a kid…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take a step back and look toward the line, knowing that it'll be probably twenty or more minutes just to get to the front. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to buy a ticket, I just need to ask a question to the nice lady right there." The nice lady in question is an elderly obese woman wearing the vest of an usher, standing in the box office. Her frown is incredible. "It won't be but a second, I promise."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't give them time to argue, slowly encroaching on the box office window. "Ma'am, I thought you all were performing /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Midsummer Night's Dream/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clerk frown deepens. "We are not. To my knowledge, we have not."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Collecting my thoughts about/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" that/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" revelation, I gesture to the marquis. "But I thought… wait, what day is it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This will answer if I have any missing time. The thought that I might have woken up from a coma or something is terrifying, though how I managed that in the middle of Central Park is its own concern./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She looks at me like I sprouted a second head. "Son, do I need to call someone?" I shake my head initially, more at the confusion than the actual suggestion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, a nuthouse," the man in the front of the line groans. "You've had your fun, kid, now scram."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, I-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you're not looking to purchase a ticket," the box office teller says after a moment, "then I'm going to have to ask you to leave."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I step back, annoyed that I didn't get the answers I wanted. The lady switches on her customer service attitude, and she can sound quite pleasant when she is not threatening to call security./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Are a Sandra and Dave McCutcheon around?" I ask again after a moment, though the lady does not initially answer. "She," my voice breaks, "they wouldn't have left until I got back."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man still waiting for a ticket grips my shoulder roughly. "Kid, you need to move."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I try to spin out of his grasp, which is not difficult - it was a threat, not a serious attempt to hold me. "I just need answers! Nothing is making any sense." Desperate, I turn to the ticket booth again. "Can you call someone for me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man starts to argue, but his probable wife seems to have a concerned look in her eye. "Sure, just give me a sec."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The box office lady sighs audibly, and/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" already /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"the rest of the line is starting to riot./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Caitlyn, you don't need to-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes, I do." She pulls out her phone. "What's the number?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man - Mark, I think - tries to settle down the crowd behind him, though his scowl makes it difficult to convince anyone. Caitlyn types the number as I give it, thankful that I remember their numbers well enough. Carefully and gingerly, the blonde woman offers the phone as it rings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My foot taps, my body sways back and forth, until finally, an unfamiliar masculine voice answers, "Hello?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh… are Dave or Sandra McCutcheon around?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man on the other end snorts. "You've got the wrong number." The line disconnects. I stare at the numbers, certain that this is the right one. Flipping to the date display before I hand the phone back, and I gasp./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The twenty-sixth of March in the year 2012./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Almost two full years have passed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hands white as a ghost and shaking, I start to hand the phone back to the woman, before remembering something. Dialing my mother's number yields a similar result, only this time the number is not in service./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I… think I need to sit down."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She takes the phone from my grasp, but her eyes study my face. Mark pulls at her shoulder to beckon her to move, but she resists for all but a few seconds. Turning on her heel, she follows her husband into the theatre, allowing the line to move forward./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I walk away. Directionless. Confused. Scared./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Numbly, I follow the pedestrian lights, walking alongside a crowd of lucky tourists and disgruntled locals as they cross the street. They don't have to walk around with these thoughts running around in their head, questioning everything they believe and feeling utterly and totally alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Why would they have changed their numbers?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Do they not want me to find them?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Spotting a small café after walking for who knows how long, I push through the door and find the nearest available seat, planting the book and the crystal firmly on the table in front of me. My head droops into my arms. Tears freely flow./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In my dreams, a dark winter spreads across an quaint forest. Ice coats the leaves so heavily that they shatter on the forest floor, becoming nothing more than nature's detritus. Snow blows in thick sheets, obscuring most details and wiping away evidence of autumn. Small forest critters die in droves from frostbite, hypothermia, or become little frozen statues buried under the snow. The sounds of a natural wood die to the encroaching winter./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In the midst of the forest rests a lithe, youthful figure. Green wings unfurl from his back with magic, glowing with particles of light that are then carried into the blizzard. He pushes his hands together, stretching out his limbs, and then allows his wings to take him into the storm. The roaring winds overtake his solemn words: "All right, kid. You play keep away. I'm hiding from the seeker."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not know how long I slept there, in that position, but someone carefully nudges my arm. "Hey, are you all right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A twenty-something blonde with a kind smile leans over me, her nametag reading Beth. She offers me a tissue./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""My manager told me to come over. Said you hadn't paid, so you couldn't stay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull the tissue from her hand and wipe my tired eyes, barely listening as I face yet another unkindness today./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do you…" she pauses. "Never mind. Stay right there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She returns to the distant front counter, and I blink, aware for the first time that the sun has set./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A moment later, a cup of iced coffee drizzled in syrup slides onto the table. "You seem like a caramel kind of guy." Beth, the waitress, returns with a smile. "Have you eaten a meal yet?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I couldn't take it, I didn-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She waves me off. "Don't worry about it. On me. I recommend the barbecue chicken sandwich plate. We might not be a true barbecue place, but our sauce is to/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" die/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" for!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, sure. And a coke?" It feels dirty allowing this woman to offer so much to a stranger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Coming right up. Whatcha reading?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I stare down at the purple leather-bound tome, surprised at the banality of the question. "Oh, that, it's uh… for a project."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, you should probably get started on it then," Beth says with a smile. "I don't know what you're going through, and it's not my place to butt in. But I have found that working on something sometimes can take my mind off of it." She doesn't give me time to respond, returning to her duties./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking a sip from the coffee, I finally open the book. The first page with writing I can read appears to be a poem. Addressed to me. A message from the boy./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grimoire Message /span/p
p class="31"span class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;"[img: /spana href=" . "uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;"]/spanu/u/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Puck!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Shakespearean fairy who set everything in that play into motion. A Celtic trickster spirit. Someone who should not be real - no offense intended to the ancient Celts. Magic, elves, fairies! None of it could be real./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This all has to be a joke. Yep. Or a dream. Anything but a magic fairy taking away two years of my life. He wants me to get ready to fight. Fight who?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Intrigued at the intricacy of the longest nightmare ever or the greatest practical joke ever told, I turn the page of the book, ignoring the frequency of purplish runes arranged into shapes that I cannot read. Are they Celtic, like Puck? Or in another language?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The longer I stare at the symbols, the more clear they appear to be. Blinking, the symbols shift into familiar English script before my very eyes, like pouring water onto a watercolor painting and then trying to piece together the details. I bite down on my lip hard, trying to prove that it's just a dream, but it just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"hurts. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Paragraph upon paragraph in the next few pages describes a space - no, a chamber - that can provide for the needs of the owner of the book. Food, water, shelter - any where and at any time, even boasting of modern amenities like wifi. The purpose, beyond a place to live, is to be a place to work, to perform research, to build, and to create. All one needs to do is to place the Key into the doorknob of any door, one that it says in fine print will work only for the owner of the Celestial Grimoire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A grimoire…? I remember!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of my favorite shows growing up was /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Charmed/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;". Mom and I used to watch reruns religiously, though I realize now that it was more for me than it was for her. She was just so excited that I was excited. In /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Charmed/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", a grimoire is a witch's book of spells, like the Book of Shadows. A tool they used to craft potions and to write spells, all to protect San Francisco from a bunch of evil creatures./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This book, this Celestial Grimoire, is a spell book./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I read on to the apparent end of this section, drinking the last sips of my iced coffee with fervor. Thank you, Beth, for the distraction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""To create the Key to the Cosmic Sanctuary, the owner must spill a drop of their own blood into the runic array below. Arcane forces from the Cosmic Beyond will shape the essence of life within the blood into a Key, attuned to the soul of the owner."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ah, damn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Blood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That is never a good sign, not when magic in fiction is involved. The two Dragon Age games are some of my favorite games of all time and heavily feature the drawbacks of their version of blood magic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, I/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" really /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"want to test it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pulling my pocket knife from my pocket and making sure no one's watching, I carefully prick my finger beneath the table./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Shit!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"God, that stings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Carefully, I place the end of my index finger into the center of the runic circle, trying to look casual. Doing this in public is… not smart, but fuck it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The center of the page bends slightly, the paper almost seeming to swirl like a whirlpool. Crimson blood spreads along its winding paths, while the center becomes like a darkened abyss. Something bulges upward, like a finger trying to force its way through a piece of paper. A second passes, and then it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"rips/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" into reality with a sound I can only describe as a faint/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" hiss./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A blood-red skeleton key rests in the center of the runic circle, and the parchment behind it looks like the spell never happened. Not even a bloodstain left behind. The key looks almost faintly wet with blood./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wow./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A book of spells. A real one./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I just performed a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"spell. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Key sits where it sits, and yet, I can feel it. On some metaphysical level, I understand that this Key is mine, created from part of Me. It is an extension of myself, my being, and it takes little effort to recognize its presence./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How cool is that!?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have to test it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Standing up and carefully picking up all my things, even the empty cup of iced coffee, I head toward the nearest bathroom door. The Key in my grip pulses, wanting to be used, and my level of excitement grows as well./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The men's bathroom on the first floor of this café is a dummy bathroom, a method to protect against homeless people. The bathroom is real, of course, but what makes it a dummy bathroom is the coin slot that supposedly charges you $1.25 to use the bathroom. The real bathrooms are on the upper floor, and if you're determined enough, it's not like anyone is stopping a homeless person from using it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All I need is a second to confirm. To confirm if this thing does what it says that it does. It has a fully stocked kitchen at all times! Even the idea that I might never have to pay for food again is quite worth it. It might give me a reason to actually learn to cook./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Key twists with anticipation, moving almost like a thing, as it approaches the lock on the door. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Something /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"happens that is hard to comprehend. But the skeleton key that definitely would not have unlocked this door has succeeded. I push the door open a crack and then grin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Just beyond the door is /spana href=" . ?width=1024s=ea0542e45603bd15098154334aa688e47f5e2b9a"uspan class="16" style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff;"the spitting image of the entrance hall to Hogwarts/span/u/aspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;". An elaborate seal with four crests decorates the space between two rising staircases, while lanterns and braziers of fire grant the place light. Each of the four House animals are depicted in the seal: the lion, the snake, the eagle, and the badger. Even with a glance, I can tell this place has been twisted exactly to my liking. I cannot wait to see the Great Hall!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"So long as this door remains open and the Key remains in the lock, the Hogwarts castle - or at least, part of it - is mine. I don't have the luxury or the time to explore the place, though, as I'm still in a public café. Closing the door just as quickly as I opened it, I pull the Key from the lock and place it in my pocket, excited to test it later. The Great Hall, the common rooms, the bathrooms, the classrooms? All could be possible within my own pocket dimension./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I return to the table, where a barbecue chicken sandwich plate is waiting for me. I wave at Beth, and she smiles back at me. Taking a moment to chow down on delicious food, I re-open the Grimoire, turning to a new section to see what else this longest-dream-in-human-history can cook up. The longer it goes, the more vivid it becomes, the more likely I am to believe that it is real, and damn if this is not hard to believe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But there's nothing on the next page. The page after that is entitled, "Chapter One - Benevolence," but there are no contents to that chapter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In fact, as I flip through the ancient tome, pages upon pages are blank. Empty. Devoid of detail, beyond the fading parchment that composes it. What good is this thing if it doesn't have more? There are twelve chapters in all, with chapters for destruction, illusion, modus, source, among others, but only two of them catch my attention./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Two sections, however, contain information: Chapter Four - Making and Chapter Nine - Transformation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The piece in Chapter Four is a detailed ritual of how to split your soul into smaller, independent fragments that can do your bidding. These "minions" are magical in nature and have the ability to "channel their natural arcane essence into offensive bolts of energy" should the need require. Whichever wizard composed this section claims they are weaker than the caster, so any attacks they do create lack "true power," whatever that means. But they are "more than capable of serving the caster's needs in ethereal research, in implementation of rituals, and the enchanting of artifacts."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"So, they're shadow clones, or close enough. A big difference is that they can't move much more than 30 feet away without disappearing. On the other hand, the ritual involved only has to be completed once, and then you can indefinitely create more with a thought and a snap of your fingers. A cubic inch of your body to sacrifice, though, is a hefty amount and far different than the blood I used for the Sanctuary. Could hair or even more blood count?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The second is a ritual that, upon completion, turns me into something else entirely. Something that every DD wizard aficionado has wanted their DM to allow them to do: become a lich. I could exist indefinitely and be immune to most weapons, and I could even look like myself rather than a skeleton./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Unlike the Minion Magic ritual, the one for lichdom requires some significant arcane materials that look like they'd be hard to come by, if I even /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"wanted/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to attempt it. Living forever is a dream, but having to transfer the life forces of others into my corpse in order to start living indefinitely wouldn't be worth it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot imagine being so desperate, no matter what fight Puck intends for me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The rest of the book is empty. So many wasted pages./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hmm. Unless…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Could there be more, just hidden from me somehow? There wouldn't be twelve chapters, but nothing in them. There's gotta be more./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Someone clears their throat nearby, and I glance up to see Beth. "Hey. Thanks for the iced coffee and the food." The Grimoire sits on an empty page, and she looks at it with interest before returning to meet my gaze. "You were right. It did help."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, I'm glad. I came over to let you know we're closing in ten minutes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh. My face drops./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where am I going to go now? The only avenue left to me is to ask the police. Maybe there's a missing persons report out for me, and they can help reunite me with the rest of my family. The system sucks, and police never do their jobs properly, but it should be a simple enough investigation to find them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Where's the nearest police precinct?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her face becomes more concerned. "Oh, um, there's one a few blocks due east. I'll write the address down." Pulling paper and pen from her apron, she jots down something, though it's clear that it's with hesitation. She slides the paper over, which contains an address and her phone number. "Look, kid, you seem like you need help, and I'm sure the police can do more. I don't know what's going on, and I don't want to pry, but if you need something, call me. I can't promise that I'll be able to do anything, but my boyfriend says I'm a good listener." She seems /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"so /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"genuine, the kind of person that only comes around every once in a while./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You… uh," I clear my throat, welling up with emotion. "My name is Logan. Thank you, for today."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're welcome!" She says with a smile, though her eyes don't quite match the happy expression. "We open for breakfast, so we'd love to have you and your parents if you're coming this way." She hesitates on the word parents, probably fishing for an explanation, but I don't bite./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I might, thanks." Picking up my things, palming the azure gemstone that I still know nothing about, I bid Beth adieu. The crystal is cold to the touch, even now, and it's clear that it, too, is magical. What it specifically does is still unknown./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As fun as it is to think about all the magic, it only serves as a distraction from reality. Somehow, in that reality, Puck the goddamn fairy stole two years of my life, in exchange for a magic book. The magic book is cool, but more importantly, where is my family? How am I going to get to the Southeast to reunite with them, with my friends. They'd be finishing up their…. senior year? Why can't I reach any of them on the phone?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, kid!" A voice shouts from a few yards away. A pair of men in their twenties are waving in my direction, apparently. Clean cut, dressed nicely, covered in shopping bags. The streets are still busy with foot and vehicle traffic, but it's not quite as thick as earlier, so I can tell they're looking at me. "Can you come take our picture?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My instincts shout in protest, but they seem nice enough. It helps that they probably have abs. "Uh, sure."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"God, I have more important things to think about than this. I might be a kid stranded in a city with no parents, no aunt and uncle, and no friends. If I really did leave for two years, my family does not have the money to try to stay in New York City for all that time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He hands me his phone and shows me the angle of the picture he wants for he and his buddy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The buddy calls out while in position. "Wouldn't it be really awesome if we accidentally got a picture of him in the air?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yeah, that'd be sick!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My brow furrows. "A picture of who in the air? You want me to take it while you're jumping?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man laughs and gestures toward the building up ahead. A taller skyscraper than most around it, its post-modern design makes it stand out from everything else. The word "stark" rests across the side of it near the top, shining like a beacon with blue light./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tony Stark, little dude!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark Industries./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Anthony Stark./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Iron Man./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh no./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm stranded in a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"whole universe/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" with no parents, no aunt and uncle, and no friends./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_3_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 2/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Good god. This is Marvel./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm in Marvel New York City./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The two guys left me in the street several minutes ago now, while I lean against a wall, staring at the Stark building, trying to piece together exactly what this means./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This place is so dangerous that, on most days, I'd rather be wherever /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Galactus/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" eats first when he comes here. At least the pain and torture would be over quick, as opposed to trying to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"live/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Living here is like trying to pick your poison./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Supervillain attacks? Check./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Any big event could be the site of a rampage. If you hear the mayor is going to give a public address, watch it from the safety of your living room (unless your living room is within like a mile of the event, then you should probably bolt). If you're lucky, one of the numerous superhero teams will show up to bail you out of an attack, people like the Defenders, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fantasy racism and prejudice? Check./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The populace of Marvel is so bad for mutants who look like the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Other /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"that there's a whole society of them living under the sewers, out of sight and out of mind as they fend for the scraps of society above. Despite how closely the X-Men live in the traditional comics, it doesn't seem to change the minds of the normal humans who live and thrive here. It's so bad the X-Men relocated on the West Coast recently, leaving them to fend for themselves /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"even more/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Organized crime? Check./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Despite the paradoxical presence of so many heroes who operate here, Manhattan and its sister boroughs are in a constant threat of turf wars between various gangs and supervillains, all vying to take the crown from the Kingpin of Crime himself. The criminal underworld ensures everyday citizens are caught in the crosshairs of their squabbles, and people like Peter Parker cannot be everywhere at once./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Because Status Quo is God, none of this ever really changes for New York City. It will always be in a state of threat from /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", because ultimately superhero comics and stories are about the best of humanity rising up to save the rest, from threats far and wide that seek out conflict. If you have any financial stability at all, you should leave, and I cannot help but feel sympathetic pity for those who do not have it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"do not have it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sure, I'm not exactly homeless, and I'm not in danger of starving. According to the Grimoire, the "Cosmic Sanctuary provides sustenance for its guests." I could live there indefinitely, in a little pocket dimension tucked away from everyone and everything else, safe from the dangers of New York City and the rest of the Marvel universe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The only problem? I do not have a place to use the Key safely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The door closes, but it doesn't lock while you're inside. Anyone could just walk in. Depending on who they are, they could spread the word about my strange little dimension, and I would find myself in a world of hurt from a long list of baddies who'd want to take advantage of my pocket Hogwarts. The best way to defend against this is to use it without anyone knowing that I have it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd need an apartment that has an interior door. That'd be the best way to do this. No one would reach it there by accident. Problem is that I cannot buy an apartment for forty-five dollars. I doubt in this city that I can find a hotel room for even just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"one/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" night for forty-five dollars./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Money is a necessity. Unless the book decides to give me a dollar-printing spell, I don't have the capital to achieve really any goals I can make, long-term or short-term. I'm not even sure what those goals should even /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"be/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", but the first one needs to be a way to earn cash to establish a place to live. Earning cash with a drivers' license that doesn't fit this reality would be difficult, unless I could find a place that doesn't do a lot of double-checking./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I need to take some risks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Measured risks, in the short-term./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wait… Do car doors work?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't have the specifics nailed down just yet, but theoretically, any door would work. The real question is whether or not the interior of the car would count as "inside the door" or if entering through the specific car door would be the only thing that matters. If it's the latter, then maybe it could be worth it, just for tonight. A residentially parked car overnight could be a way to do this, banking on the hope that they don't have reasons to pack a car full of people for the night. Assuming, of course, that only the door I enter from matters./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hmmm, is a car trunk a door? Trunks are used, but they are not used as often as car doors, so if that could work, then maybe…./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Smiling, I approach the nearest car, just to test it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Key in my palm shifts excitedly the closer it gets to the keyhole, a bit of bloody drool dropping onto the ground before disappearing into the aether. Blinking at /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"that/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" insanity, the skeleton key perfectly fits into the lock. With a twist, the trunk of the sedan opens with a glimmer of firelight beyond. Peaking within, the entrance hall to Hogwarts rests just beyond, waiting for me to explore it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull the Key out as the trunk closes, much to the Key's dismay. Somehow. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"What even is this thing?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The back right door to the car works as well, the familiar display just through the threshold. I leave the key and the car slightly open, stepping back to study exactly what it looks like from the outside. The windows, even for the door I opened, do not reveal the interior of Hogwarts, nor does it shed its light. The /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"crack/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" in the ajar car door does, however, which makes my head spin with possibilities./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This sedan, parked on the side of the street, could be the key to what I need, but even now, the street is too busy to take advantage. Pocketing the Key to the Sanctuary again, I frown./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where else could be a temporary solution? One that doesn't require leaving a key in a closed car door and hoping no one checks it, in Marvel New York City of all places. I'm glad that the experiment /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"worked/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", but I could only do such foolishness in my hometown. Hardly anyone burgles - there's just a ton of meth. My mom always leaves her car unlocked overnight./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Mom… /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nope. Not going to go there. Not now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's not as simple as Hollywood makes it seem to hail a taxi. I sat for nearly ten minutes waiting for an empty one, until finally one stopped for me. Depending on how long the trip truly is, this could make or break my limited crash./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The cab driver turns to look at me in surprise, his mustache thick across his lips. "Kid, where you going?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sliding into the backseat of the cab, I gesture. "There's a construction site a few blocks down, my daddy works there, but he left something when it closed and asked me to get it for him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I did pass by one earlier, and I'm banking on it having what I need for now at least./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He hesitantly studies me, clearly not believing me. I can't blame him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Kid, can't he just get it at work tomorrow?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown, not having thought this far ahead. Trying to think on my feet is hard, and there's a long moment of silence. "Look," I clear my throat, trying to look sad, "it's his wedding ring. Mom's angry, and I don't… want to hear them fight. She… uh, ends up in a bad place."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Three long seconds pass until finally, he relents. "All right, I get it. Been in your shoes before."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm tempted to ask him about it, but decide that small talk is not useful when you're in the middle of a big-ass lie./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We ride in silence, with him occasionally asking me to guide him to the site, before waiting a moment in traffic to put it up on his GPS. It takes very little to feel anxious right now, surveying the streets through the cab window as Marvel New York City begins to enter into its night life. Crime is almost certainly afoot if you know where to look for it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Do I want to look for it?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Not right now, but maybe later and with a better understanding of the Grimoire? If I'm right, then there's potential for all kinds of powers to be at my beck and call. I don't see why else the Grimoire would be basically empty./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Finally, he comes to a stop in front of a closed construction site. Thankfully, this does not appear to be a high-rise or anything like that - if it is, they are not very far into the construction. The place is full of materials - wood, brick, steel and with a not inconsiderable fence covering the outside of the place. I could scale it, but I'd have to be fast./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I make a show of holding up the Key, only partially so that he doesn't question the shape, and then open the door. "Thank you!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Kid, wait!" He gestures to the sign in the dashboard. "You didn't pay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I give him the requested amount - thankfully only twelve bucks for the reasonable distance traveled. By the time that he takes the money, he drives off, leaving me alone on the street./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thank you, New York rudeness, for not wanting to stick around for a stranger, even if they're a teenager./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This area of the street is relatively empty - it's fast approaching eleven at night, if I had to guess, and this is far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the area around Times Square, even at night. Waiting for what feels like the right time, I pull myself up and over the chain-link fence, which takes a bit of time just to keep the large Grimoire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Landing in the soft dust, I brush off my dress pants, stuck in the same clothes that I wore to the show. Back in a universe where the only asshole fairies are homophobic closet cases./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Surveying the area with my eyes, a smile grows across my face. A couple of rows of Porta-Potties, their plastic blue exteriors perfect for what I need. That's probably the first time anyone has ever thought that out loud./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Picking one that is on the end and slightly out of the way from the rest, I open it normally and nearly retch. I clear my throat and grab for toilet paper, pulling enough to jot down a quick, "Out of Order," message with the pen in my back pocket. Last I used it, my uncle and I were writing down some of the sights that we wanted to see while we were on our trip./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd have to take some time. They should still exist in Marvel, right?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I tie the message to the door handle, resolving to see if the Sanctuary has some paper and tape for a better message inside, and then insert the Key into the lock, turning it. The Key's relief is palpable, and the familiar firelight exudes into the dimly lit construction area./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Making sure the toilet paper is tied around the Key, just in case anyone were to spot it in the morning, I slip into the replica of Hogwarts castle, closing the door behind me. It's a bit odd to see the other side of a Porta-Potty door jutting from where the Entrance Hall does should be, but it would have to do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The castle interior is warm and inviting, the smell of a meal wafting through the doors to the Great Hall and into the entry way. It feels like home - how could it not? The only thing missing from the experience is the sound of students running back and forth across the castle, slinging their spells at each other and to practice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pushing open the doors to the Great Hall, I squee. I can't help it, I squee./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hundreds of lit candles float in the air above four glimmering wooden tables, covered in enough food to feed an army of students and their teachers. The House banners float above each table, their respective colors and mascot animals on display for my very nerdy eyes. The staff table rests in the distance, with the tall-backed chair for the Headmaster, as well as their podium. It smells wonderful - there's lobster bisque, pumpkin pie, turkey sandwiches, and anything else you can imagine for a truly inviting meal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The best part, though?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The enchanted ceiling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An intricate display showing the clouds and the stars in the night sky above New York City, as the clouds shift and change. The best part is that it sees/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" through /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"the light pollution. Around the edges, almost like a grand fish-eye lens, there are warped versions of the skyscrapers that tower in the sky above the construction site./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sit at the Gryffindor table even though I'm a Ravenclaw, driven purely by nostalgia. Gathering a plate and really hoping there is not a staff of enslaved house elves making this food for me somewhere downstairs in this plate, I begin to eat some of the bisque, a meal that I think I've never had but greatly enjoy anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My bites get smaller and smaller, mind contemplative. This huge chamber is empty and devoid of the people that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"should/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be here. All those memories while reading, while watching the movies? They all suggest this place feels off. I don't have anyone to share this meal with./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My family would love to see this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A tear rolls down my cheek./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Did they go to see the last movie without me?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Choking down sobs, I push the plate away and drop the book and the gemstone onto the wood in front of me, wanting to study what materials are necessary for the Minion Magic spell. A single tear falls and lands on the table next to the azure gem, and with a bit of surprise on my face, flash-freezes into a tiny icy droplet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Picking the gem up and wiping some of the soup off my chin with a napkin, I study the cold exterior, wishing I knew what this thing was and how it works. It just froze something solid in less than a second. Could it do it again?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wave the gemstone over my glass of authentic pumpkin juice, and a thin layer of ice freezes over the top of the liquid. The crystal flashes with light in my hands, and I can feel a bit of that cold flow through /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"my /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"hand. It travels through my arm and into my chest, and with alarm, I push the stone away, hoping that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" am not freezing to death this time. Not after I had to get out of that forest alive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It rolls to a stop, coating the plate of steak across from me with a bit of frost./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wow. That's… potent? It's hard to judge what this is without more information, so I flip through the book's pages and hope for more./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And there /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Reading the first paragraph after the runic diagrams turn to words before my very eyes, it becomes clearer by the second that I'm getting lost in all the numbers and calculations. Somehow, complex geometric formulas are involved with this section, and no amount of teaching from my ninth grade Geometry teacher could prepare me for this level of intricacy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ultimately, after more than half an hour of skim-reading passes by, this one deals with the basics something called Azyr, more commonly called astromancy or celestial magic. Essentially, it's math-driven magic capable of reading the stars to tell fortunes and to control the elements of the skies. A few spells included involve /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"summoning lightning/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"telling prophecies!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I stare at the pages in awe, amazed this is only one section in the twelfth chapter of the Grimoire, called Modus./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What else can this book bring?/span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Dec 31, 2021 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_4_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 3/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Wow, did you sleep at all?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Blinking and tearing tired eyes away from the secrets to true magic, I clear my throat and look up, tuning out the sound of a honking car horn at nine AM from somewhere nearby. Beth passes a cup of steaming hot coffee onto the table, and its wonderful scent reminds me of home, of afternoons with Mom at bookstores, of mornings before school./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yeah, I got a few hours," I explain. If by a few, I mean an hour, then yes. It's a bit difficult to rest when you're trying to avoid getting caught by a construction crew that needs to use the restroom on site. "Thank you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blonde nods and then gestures to the booth across the way. "Can I sit here for a minute?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Glancing toward the front counter where her manager - a feisty-looking redhead with arms bigger than my head - takes the cash of a customer, I shake my head. "I don't want you to get in trouble."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, no, I'm sure it's fine," she says after a moment, a smile spreading across her cheeks as she sits down in the booth. "I mean, I'm not supposed to, but what even/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" an employee handbook anyway?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right, I can relate." Honestly, I couldn't - I've not had even a summer job between high school semesters before. It would have been helpful, probably, but Mom got us by on a teacher's salary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, so, uh," she says after a moment, hesitating. "I went to bed worried about you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My brow furrows. "Oh, you really don't have to-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, I do," she declares, taking a moment before continuing. "A teenager shows up in tears, falls asleep in the middle of a restaurant without ordering, and then asks me where the nearest police station is before he leaves?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," I say with a stare, blush spreading across my cheeks. "When you put it like that, I guess it/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" does /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"sound a little crazy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's nothing in my life right now that is/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" not /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"crazy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""More than a little," she says with finality. "Where are your parents?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Truthfully, I do not know how to answer that question. There's not exactly a spot on an address line to put in the parallel universe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""They are not… around."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth's face drops with concern, worry, and compassion. "Who's taking care of you?" At my look, she continues, "Maybe a friend from school could let you stay with them, or a distant relative?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Beth!" the manager shouts from the front counter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Give me a minute, Geraldine, this is important!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A sigh escapes my lips. "I don't have anyone," I mutter, the taste of the coffee dying in my throat. "I'm alone in this city." In this universe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You… ," she frowns. "Surely you have friends at school."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Admitting to an adult that you do not /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"have/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" school is challenging even in a more normal situation. Doing so when you have no legal identity to try to even enroll? That's a fat chance./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can learn everything I need to know right here./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's amazing how unimportant it is to learn Algebra II when you can learn /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"heavens/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" math to/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" throw comets/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No school, Beth. No home. No money. No friends, no family."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Geraldine, the redheaded manager, throws a rag onto the front counter with a wet slap./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, honey," Beth slowly breathes out, a strong current of confusion evident on her face. "You have no one? Did the police help you find a place to sleep?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head. "No, but I found a way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Please tell me you went to a shelter," she says, clearly trying to collect her thoughts. "It's okay to admit that you went to a shelter, Logan. There's no shame in going to a place like F.E.A.S.T."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Err, something like that," I admit. "Look, if you really want to help me, talk to, er, Geraldine over there. I need a job."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She glances toward her boss with a nod of her head. "Uh, sure, I can do that." She blinks and turns to me, leaning in and lowering her voice. "Are you in witness protection?" She pulls back, shaking her head. "Actually, don't answer that. Let me talk to Geraldine."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Like a whirlwind, Beth scurries toward the front counter, leaving me alone with the Celestial Grimoire. The book likes open to something that could, to the untrained eye, look like a complex geometry problem. The fact that it is/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" almost /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"that surprises me, but worrying still is the fact that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I'm slowly starting to get it/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The first section that truly seemed to mean something to me is one that describes "opening a channel into the Blue Wind of Magic." A series of careful considerations follow, including several somatic components that are carefully measured to place the caster's body directly in its path. It neared two in the morning when I managed it for the first time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For an instant, a tempered gust flew into my soul, into the core of my being./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For but an instant, I could smell the burning of the stars, could touch the twirling of the cosmos, could hear the whims of fate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For that single instant, all of my worries slip away under the eternal machinery of the heavens./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" can /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"wait to do that again, but I do not want to./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The redheaded manager plops down into the booth, her short curly hair reminding me of my grandmother when she colored her hair. "So, can you start today?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink. "Just like that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just like that. Don't make me regret it, kid." She passes a single, handwritten piece of paper, barely on something that you could call a legal pad. "Look, we'll work on the official paper trail later. Sign that for now, and I'll get you an apron."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How'd you know that I couldn't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She holds up a hand. "Don't ask questions, let's just get you going. You know how to wash dishes?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, sure."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You don't sound too sure of that," she says, standing and expecting me to follow her. "Eh, you're cute enough. When we need you, you can work the floor. Until then, the back."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right, right, okay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I put the Grimoire away into a satchel bag and then follow after her. Somehow, the Sanctuary has a bag for the book but doesn't have a change of clothes. There is nothing worse than the feeling of putting dirty clothes back on after a shower, which is one of those modern amenities that the Sanctuary oh-so-lovingly-possesses./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Geraldine tosses an apron and a restaurant T-Shirt toward me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth grins in the distance and then waves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All right, maybe this won't be so bad./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As we near the end of the shift, I can honestly say that it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"was/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" exhausting. It did not help that I had so little sleep the night before, but hey - learning magic has to take precedence. I was tempted on multiple occasions to practice channeling the winds of Azyr while I washed dishes, but I'd look really silly doing it on the security cameras, and there's a chance that something could go wrong and out me as a wizard./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In a world where Robert Downey Jr. can fly around in a metal suit while Edward Norton wears magic pants, maybe being known in public as a wizard would not be so awful, anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right, kid, not bad." Geraldine counts the cash in the register, barely looking up at me. "Not good either, but dishes stayed clean."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hmm, thanks." It has not quite settled into my mind that this woman is my boss, but it will not be for long. Hopefully, something will replace it, sooner than later. "I'll get better."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, yeah, I know you will." She counts a wad of cash and hands it to me. "Here. Take this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Wait, I cannot-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sure you can, it's half your pay for this period. Just to get you by."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I swallow. "Thank you, ma'am, I ca-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do not say thank you. Keep doing what you're doing to earn it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I beam at her, thankful for any income flow and for her generosity. The fact that she is willing to pay me under the table is a blessing that I do /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"not/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" feel like I have earned. How many homeless teenagers are there in New York City? Twenty-thousand? Fifty? One hundred? And yet, she's willing to do this for me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I will not stop giving my gratitude./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maybe I should buy her a gift? Something simple./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A distant bell rings, one that signals someone has entered the restaurant. All afternoon, I had tuned it out, but this was so close to closing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Three men enter the room wearing thick coats and beanies over reddish hair. They survey the place and lock eyes on Geraldine, who freezes for a moment before clearing her throat. They loom over the front counter with their presence. "What can I do for you gentlemen?" Her hand waves me away, but I am tempted to stay. Something about this feels off…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey!" Beth says after a moment, almost in a half-whisper. "Let me show you how to get ready for closing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I allow her to pull me away, but my attention stays focused on them for a moment, even if I cannot hear what they are discussing any longer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What is that about?" I ask with a barely disguised hiss./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, that's nothing," she says with a constrained smile. "Just a few of our regulars."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Mmm." I lean over to pack away a series of utensils. "Do they always come in looking like a pack of menacing thugs right before we close?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She taps my arm. "Hey! Be quieter!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I thought I/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" was /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"quiet," I say with a frown. "How bad news are they?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Don't go looking for trouble where there is none, Logan." She looks at me earnestly. "You got enough going on."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The three "regulars" take a doggie bag from Geraldine each, before waltzing out of the store like they own the place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maybe Beth has a point./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maybe./span/em/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_5_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 4/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hospital Wing of the Sanctuary is not quite a whole "wing" of the castle, but it does look remarkably like what I remember from the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Harry Potter/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" movies' rendition of Madame Pomfrey's domain. Tall narrow windows shine with vistas that could not possibly exist in the middle of Manhattan, much less the universe. The swirling purple hues flecked with multicolored pricks of light, like the stars of distant and tumultuous nebulas, really put the "Cosmic" in "Cosmic Sanctuary." Every window in this faux castle displays similar ethereal landscapes, while the only "real" view of the outside world is from the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Perhaps that/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" is /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"what lies beyond these windows: a formless void of star-stuff so impossible to understand for the human mind that you could get lost for decades trying to understand it all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shudder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Despite the un-reality just beyond the glass, the rest of the Hospital Wing is remarkably ordinary. Mahogany cabinets full of basic supplies, white-sheeted gurneys with too-tough pillows, and two operating tables on the far side partially enclosed by a wall of curtains. Part of me idly wonders just how magical this room really is, because everything looks rather… scientific. Medical. Perhaps Madam Pomfrey doesn't just use a wand to do everything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That is, until the door leading out into the Entrance Hall closes behind me of its own accord./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Incorporating like mist, the translucent body of a man appears. Featureless, the faintly purple shadow undulates every few seconds, like a living cloud of smoke. A voice echoes not from it but from the whole room, as it points with a lazy arm toward one of the beds. /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;""Sit."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Placing the collected materials onto a nearby table, I move without question, though an inner sense of panic rises in my chest. The gurney is uncomfortable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, hey. I am-"/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary." /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The figure does not move toward the cabinet of supplies to get them. Instead, the cabinet's glass-paned doors open by themselves. A flurry of movement, and then a collection of medical supplies hovers through the air around the translucent figure. A scalpel spins in a haphazard pattern, inching ever closer to my arm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, hey, can we talk about this?"/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There is nothing to discuss. You are the Master of this space. This space understands your intention, and this space shall provide."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But I don't even know what to call you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The bed shudders slightly, and the nearby curtains shake with sudden intensity./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This space needs no identity to provide for its Master."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something pricks me in the back of the arm, and I wince. A syringe activates and pours a glowing blue liquid into the back of my shoulder. It burns, and my torso collapses into a heap on the mattress. My breath catches in my throat, and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oh god. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And then the pain abates, and with it, the feeling of anything in my right arm. It dangles uselessly at my side, even as I try to force myself to sit up. "Hey, that was not-"/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master must complete a ritualistic sacrifice of his flesh. This is the safest way to remove that flesh. This space provides."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, but surprising me with it was not cool."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The translucent figure has no expression on its face - in fact, it has no face, just a light blue mass that is roughly person-shaped. /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;""This space provides the temperature befitting the Master's needs."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sigh at /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this thing/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" not getting the point. The scalpel approaches my numb shoulder. Eyes close in panic, I almost shove myself away, but this/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" is /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"the best way. At least it will not hurt, and I'd rather be awake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not feel the sharp knife cut the flesh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not feel the burning acid cleanse the flesh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not feel the cold potion knit the flesh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A completely painless process, apart from the initial numbing agent./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A bit of muscle, fat, and skin rests in a bowl on a table nearby, crimson blood oozing underneath it. One cubic inch of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That is so much worse to look at than I expected."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But the translucent figure does not answer. It no longer stands in the room, having vanished to wherever it came from. The Hospital Wing of the Sanctuary looks exactly how I found it. The whole experience leaves me with more questions about it than answers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Does that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"thing /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"just exist here? Or does it also provide the food in the Great Hall? I am not sure which I prefer: ghostly figures or house elves slaving away in the kitchens to provide for me. I have not encountered anything intelligent in the Sanctuary until this moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My shoulder feels mostly okay, though that could be the still active traces of a numbing agent at work. Whatever that post excision treatment was, I do not feel a hole in the skin underneath the gauze. I remember Madam Pomfrey could regrow bones through a potion called Skele-Gro - did the spot mostly regrow? I resolve to check with a mirror later./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Slipping out of the door with my supplies and a pile of flesh in tow, I head toward the Grimoire's current position. The castle feels warm but empty, deprived of the students who should exist in a place like this. Why does the Sanctuary look like Hogwarts anyway? Is it for my benefit, or does this place just happen to resemble a movie set of a real place in the multiverse?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I chuckle slightly to myself as I approach the statue of a winged gargoyle in the middle of an alcove. Or maybe Chris Columbus is a real wizard and visited this place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Lemon drop."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The gargoyle's wings unfurl, and a spiral staircase rises out of the floor, the stone steps winding around a gray marble column. Grinning - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"that will never get old /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"- I step up through the landing and into the office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The headmaster's office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Gone are the mementos of a long-lived wizard. The walls and shelves are as bare as the Gryffindor Common Room and its bedrooms, though the four-poster beds really /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"are/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" nice. A nicer place to sleep than the shitty hotel bed outside the door the Sanctuary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Celestial Grimoire lies open on the desk and is, sadly, the only truly magical item in the room. There is no Sorting Hat, no magic portraits of previous headmasters, no Sword of Gryffindor, no cage for a phoenix, no hidden pensieve in the cupboard. A desk and a high-backed chair rest on a dais above the rest, but I cannot help but feel cheated out of just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"looking/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" at Dumbledore's knickknacks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I read through the pages describing the ritual twice more for good measure, double-checking exactly what I need to do and exactly when I need to do it. The materials for this one were simplistic, apart from the cubic inch of flesh, though the reasons behind why this one worked are enough to give me pause: "the emulation of a monster's natural magical body through a tweak of the SOUL and sacrifice of the flesh." Why the Grimoire capitalized that word was beyond my understanding, but I am not going to question it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I draw a chalk outline - I found exactly two sticks of chalk in what must have been the Potions classroom, but could find no more; I have a feeling that I'll need to run to a store or three to stock up on some weirder items one of these days. The chalk line encircles where the flesh will be placed, and requires an extremely intricate design that must be followed exactly to the sigil. This part takes the longest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I place the lump of flesh onto the floor within the circle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking in a deep breath, I step into the diagram where the ritual requires me to stand. Leaning over carefully, I flick the top of my lighter over the wick of a candle. A series of them, perfectly placed and positioned, burn to life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Music begins to reverberate throughout the room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flames ignite and lick along the lines of chalk until they reach the flesh. My heart thrums in my chest as the flames turn dark red, then orange, then blue, then a vibrant white./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Within an instant, the piece of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"turns to ash before the smell of cooked human meat can reach my nostrils. All that remains is the smell of burning wax. A faint breeze billows throughout the room as the fires cease, and the music stops./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking another deep breath, I raise both hands and then /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"snap. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A flicker of white light announces its arrival: a small version of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" stands, perfectly mimicking my posture. Clad with glasses across the nose, the brown-haired minion is two feet shorter and - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oh /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"- about twelve years old./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why are you younger?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why are /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"you/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" older?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, seriously, where was that mentioned?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Your guess is as good as mine. It's not like this has ever been done on a human before," the clone explains. "You read the Grimoire. Whatever that spell is, it's trying to copy something that it says monsters can do, not humans."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hmm. "All right, that's a good point."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Make another one," the clone says. "Maybe it'll happen differently."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clearing my throat, I nod and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"snap. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Another version of me appears, but the result is the same: a twelve year old Logan./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right, this /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" weird," the new clone says./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agreed," the first one says./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink. "Okay, look, uh," I gesture toward the book, "it says that you can emit magical energy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh yeah!" the duo of clones shout at the same time. Both raise their fists toward the wall and thrust them forward, like a mean left hook. Two bolts of white light splash against the stone of the castle wall, though without leaving a mark and without traveling very quickly. For a split-second afterward, the pair of clones almost seem to lose stability in their bodies, wavering like a flame of a candle. Stabilized, both of them shout with delight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ooh, let's try the other thing," the first clone says to the other./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, I don't wanna-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, I have seniority!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Exactly! I have more life to live than you!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For a moment, I feel a bit of whiplash watching the two argue, trying and failing to follow their train of thought. What other thing?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Finally, the first clone throws himself to the ground several feet away from either of us and then /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"explodes/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" in a flare of white light. The force of it blows the small oak chair near the fireplace off of its legs. Upon impact with the wall, the chair collapses into a heap of constituent parts. The wind blows my hair out of my eyes, and my ears pop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The first clone is gone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The second clone remains with a glimmer in his eyes. "Awesome! How much TNT you think that is?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head, reeling from the impossibility of my life. "I don't know, I'm not an explosives expert."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I hope it's a couple tons!" the minion shouts. "What else can we do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He rushes over to the Grimoire and begins flipping through its pages./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As ridiculous as the idea of these minions being younger than even I am is, I think it's just the thing that I need. The first solid power in a world full of superpowered threats. Having expendable minions with a ranged attack option? I don't know how powerful it really is, but it's more than enough to feel safe investigating those thugs at the restaurant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Even if I have to throw twelve year olds at the problem./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, there's something else!" I rush toward the book and take it from the clone, much to his chagrin. "Hey, I was reading that!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, well, unless you plan to do the shadow clone thing and share your memories when you, uh, pop, I need to read it myself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He pouts. "I don't think we can do that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ignoring him, I settle into the headmaster's chair to read, wishing I felt an ounce like Dumbledore./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few moments later, and I cannot help but grin. Another section of the Transformation chapter reveals itself, though this time, I can actually recognize it. It is written in far more technical terms, but this is from one of my favorite video game franchises of all time: the lyrium tattoos of Fenris, from /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Dragon Age/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"According to the Grimoire, these "lyrium-infused brands on the skin are meant to access the nature of lyrium to grow between the Waking World and the Fade. They allow one to walk between them to slip through material objects like a phantom in a dream." If I recall correctly, this means that someone with these tattoos can walk through solid objects and even people, like a lesser version of Shadowcat from the X-Men./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The best part? The Grimoire will provide everything, just like it provided the Key to the Cosmic Sanctuary. A bit of blood in a runic circle on the pages of the book later, and a vial full of processed lyrium appears in a swirl of folded paper, alongside the proper application needles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The worst part? The process is an agonizing twelve hours, with a recovery period of an additional eighteen./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot do this now - I have work in a couple hours. My next off day is later this weekend, which gives me plenty of time to look into the situation. Whatever those three guys want, it cannot be good news. If they are involved in crime, then this will be the first crime I investigate in a world full of superheroes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Things can only go up from here./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fact that I cannot co-opt a group of four twelve year old minions to wash the dishes at work for me is far more upsetting that I would have expected it to be. If they were actual clones and could go more than thirty feet away, I'd absolutely send one of them to go to work for me while I tackle more important matters. Considering how eclectic the spells I've accessed so far are, maybe one of them will give me a power that lets them do that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Regardless, washing dishes is not the most thought-consuming job, no matter how tall the piles get and how easily stressed by the prospect of getting behind that I am. I have plenty of time to reflect on just how annoying this is, and how easy it would be to be able to slip into any bank vault with those tattoos./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Kid."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I perk up from the stack of plates I've set to dry, looking through the space in the divider wall at the face of the cook, Markos. A Latino man in his late thirties, he's not given me much attention since I started. It's only been one and a half shifts now, but still./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, what's up?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He saunters past the corner and over to my station, a wet rag around his neck. "Why'd you ask for a job here?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The tone is friendly, but there's a… something hidden there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, I don't know that many people in the city. Beth has been great, and she helped me out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right, right, I heard about that," he says after a moment. "The last kid who worked here? He didn't have his head on straight. He wasn't working here for the right reasons, and it got him in trouble."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My brow furrows. "What do you mean?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Markos grins and points to the north. "You know this is prime real-estate, right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm not, uh, following."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're only a few blocks away from that blowhard billionaire's new building."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clear my throat, not understanding the tone. "Well, that must be good for business."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And good for kids who spend every minute they're supposed to be working trying to get a glimpse of a dude in a tin suit."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, I, uh, had not really noticed how close the building was to Stark Tower. Have you seen Iron Man?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Markos grimaces. "No, and I don't care to."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot imagine not being excited to see a superhero, much less disliking them. "Well, uh, I think he's awesome."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You would," he rolls his eyes. "Like I said, kid, focus on your work. Rich schmucks like that still need us lowlies to do our jobs to keep getting richer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right." He starts to head through the door to the lobby to go on break, but I call out. "Hey, Markos, wait."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He turns to glance at his watch and then back up at me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Those guys who came in last night, the-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't know what you're talking about."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And with that, Markos leaves, the door closing behind him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Well, if I were not suspicious before, I certainly am /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"now./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The three men did not come to the restaurant all day, even close to closing. Part of me wanted to ask Geraldine about it directly, but the redhead intimidated me, especially as she barked orders. Whatever was going on, she was either directly involved or they had coerced her into doing whatever it was./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Beth," I say finally as I am about to clock out. I am not officially in the system, so clocking out for me is nothing more than a slip of paper on Geraldine's desk as I leave. "Something has been bugging me all day."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh?" she asks, preparing the tea urn for the person who opens in the morning. "You not liking the job?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, no, the job is fine." I lean closer. "Is there anything shady going on here?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth raises an eyebrow, and I can tell that I've offended her. "You mean other than paying you under the table?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cough, blushing. "No, that's not what I mean, but I'm grateful for that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Then what's up?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Those men, last night, right before we closed. They came in and left with to-go bags."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth smiles a little uneasily. "Oh, that?" She pauses. "That's just Sean, Mike, and O'Malley. They're cops, I think, and they come by once a week for Geraldine's famous red velvet cupcakes. She won an award for it back in the nineties, she's very proud!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I peer at her, studying her face, disbelieving. "That's all?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, it's just business. Geraldine loves to keep her regulars like family around here," Beth explains, placing a hand on my shoulder and squeezing at the word 'family.'/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hmm. "You sure?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Promise."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't believe her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth gestures to the front door. "Hey, you want to go for a coffee? I can walk you to your hotel."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, it's kinda far for that-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, I insist. My boyfriend and I love this place down the street." She smiles. "We can get a cab if needed."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, sure!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth gathers her things and I say my goodbyes to Geraldine, and then we slip out of the store and into the nighttime spring air./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I love walks," she explains after a few moments of pleasant silence. "I wish it were safe enough to go on walks every night, but I have to settle for the gym treadmill sometimes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I point toward the sky, thinking back to what Markos said earlier. "Hey, maybe it's a good thing that there's a superhero around to make the streets safer now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She laughs. "The news thinks Tony Stark is a big picture guy. He's too busy fighting some terrorists overseas to stop a purse snatcher."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink, thinking. "Is there anyone else in New York? You know, like Iron Man?" I need to spend more time researching with that terminal in the Great Hall. A full-on touch-screen computer with an internet connection in Hogwarts - how crazy is that?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What, you mean like War Machine?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't help but crack a smile at the idea of War Machine being a thing. "Oh, yeah, or anyone else?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shakes her head. "Not that I can think of."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"So, what? There's no Spider-Man, no X-Men, no Fantastic Four? All of them have a huge presence in New York, but she doesn't think of them? Either she's got the memory of a goldfish, they are not in New York, or they do not exist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is Marvel New York without the influx of heroes around every corner and in every alley./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No wonder the streets are not safe./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_6_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 5/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The night air is cool despite the lateness of spring, and I'm grateful for the navy hoodie and jeans I picked up from a thrift store. They are not in good condition; several moth-eaten holes line the left sleeve, and it looks like someone never got their pants hemmed to fit. But my clothes do not need to be good for what I'm doing here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They're functional, not meant for style./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One day, I can dress in style, like all the greats. Snazzy wizard's robes? A kick-ass trench coat? A skin-tight spandex jumpsuit that/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" somehow/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" covers my wand?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Never the last thing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If there is one thing that the early 2000s X-Men movies did right, it's the more realistic costuming take. A paramilitary leather look is more than a little goofy, but it feels less goofy than trying to copy the strongman spandex trends from the 1930s that could only exist in the era of four-color comics. The leather look feels like something someone /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"would /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"wear to fight crime in the real world. Cops, soldiers, and spies do not wear multicolored spandex, but heroes like the X-Men are basically all of those jobs wrapped into one superpowered bundle. Hell, they're also astronauts sometimes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My dad is big into comics, and that inspired me to get into them growing up. He always rationalized the silly costumes in-universe as a benefit to crisis response. Random civilians in comics know to run in the opposite direction when the dudes in tights that would be too garish for a Pride parade show up. I have always liked the explanation, but I'm not sure it really overrides the out-of-universe reason. And besides all that - sex sells, especially to their primary audience./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Now? I'm contemplating ever having a costume at all. When I pulled a white bandanna tight around my neck to cover the bottom half of my face, I cannot help but think that anonymity is the greatest superpower. Changing "hero" outfits each night or even after each crime that I stop? Would that not be the perfect way to stay under the radar? The perfect secret identity. After all, if someone wearing the same get-up were at two or more crime scenes, then that's a pattern and suddenly the police are looking for a dude in that costume./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would not fool the truly determined. Eventually, there'd be reports of a potential vigilante who switches costumes to stay hidden. But, that extra layer of security sounds helpful, all the same, if only from the standard cops. I really don't want some guy arresting me for some nonsense like property damage./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is my first night out, and my targets? The three men from the restaurant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They came in earlier tonight for just as long as they did earlier this week, and strangely enough, did actually pick up red velvet from Geraldine. It was way too good to be true, so I followed them. I slipped into an alley to access my Sanctuary from a dance club's fire door, changed clothes, and then headed after them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Luck was in my favor tonight: they didn't take a cab. Instead, the three of them walk together, doggie bags in hand, whistling and carrying on /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"just/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" loudly enough about the start of the Mets' season that I can hear them, even from several yards away and trying to stay out of sight. It is to my benefit that the streets are relatively busy, though they are far from the crowds of earlier in the day./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They eventually come to a stop, just outside a hole-in-the-wall pub. Laughing and carrying on, they slip inside, with the one called Mike taking a final look outside before the door closes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Even if I wanted to go in there, I doubt they'd let a sixteen year old just walk in. No, the safer thing is to stay out and maybe see what I can see from outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An alleyway rests at an odd angle from the front of the building, but it's the most obscured place I can hide. Garbage bags, bird shit, and who knows what else rests behind my perch; the place smells exactly as disgusting as you'd expect. I lean against the brick, letting the shadow of the building cover me, while I pull out my phone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The thing has no service. I don't think I can afford a phone plan, but I don't need it to have data if I can snap some pictures and connect to my Sanctuary's wifi. It's still strange to think of Hogwarts having wifi, but it's not the real deal anyway. Not that it exists, anyhow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"'Course, I didn't think that Marvel, Puck, or magic spellbooks existed either./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take pictures of every angle of the building that I can, winching every time that a car rounds the corner and briefly reveals my position with their headlights. Zooming in to look through the windows reveals nothing, except that the three probable thugs have likely headed deeper into the building. They don't seem visible from this angle at any rate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Could the place be a front for criminal activity? An HQ for a gang? Maybe an opium den? One stop shop for human trafficking?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Or… maybe just a pub?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not know how long I stayed out there trying to do a poor man's stakeout, but the longer that I stayed, the sillier I felt about the whole thing. Realistically, there have to be nights where figures like Spider-Man find no crime, but narratively, there's always crime afoot because no one would read a superhero book where Spider-Man just tours New York at night./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't know what I expected, exactly. Trying to do this carefully with the resources that I have is not particularly easy. A spell or a magical item that would let me spy on them, perhaps, like a scrying mirror, would be helpful. Several of the spells for Azyr could be useful, including one that allows me to project my spirit outside of my body, but it's not something that I understand yet. At best, I'm close to being able to portent my general odds of success. I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"am/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" confident that I could escape a direct confrontation and maybe even take them out with a mass of disguised twelve year olds, but are they even really doing anything wrong? If I burst in there and interrupt some perfectly fine gentlemen, then all I'm going to do is anger some innocent folks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The only way to find out is to take a risk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Superheroes are risk takers. Every single one of them, powers or no powers. They put themselves in harm's way for the sake of others. The others, in this case? The first group of people who bothered to be kind in a city that is known for its anger toward outsiders, especially homeless street kids. Geraldine did not have to stick her neck out to pay me under the table. Beth did not have to sweet talk her boss to agree./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whatever they are doing, it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"has /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"to be something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree, but I won't know until I can confirm it's the wrong tree. And to get that confirmation, I have to take a risk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But I do not have to be stupid./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking a deep breath, I slip out of my hiding place and into the street, grateful to know at least one piece of information: a secondary location. One sitting in the midst of Hell's Kitchen, only minutes away from the restaurant by foot. The fact that this Irish pub rests in Daredevil's neighborhood should be confirmation enough that I'm on the right track. I just have no idea if Matt Murdock exists./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Which would be worse? That Affleck! Daredevil exists or that he doesn't exist at all./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He winces when Master - or should it be Prime? - screams./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The first touch of the enchanted needle exudes the corrosive substance called lyrium directly into the bloodstream. It crawls just beneath the surface of the skin, branching like roots into and beyond veins, arteries, and capillaries. Faintly, Master begins to glow with ethereal blue light, shining a pallor onto already too pale skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The creepy ghost is nowhere to be seen, though the needle continues its work into Master's skin. As the elder of them screams, he turns to his three compatriots and tries to look away, matching their energy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is really bad."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I didn't think that I - errr we were a tattoo guy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Master, in a daze, weakly shouts, "Will the p-peanut gallery shut the fuck up?!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The four minions understandably listen to Master, but it takes very little time before one of them feels the urge to comment again. "How long is this going to take?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The better part of two whole days."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, that sucks. Why'd he make us?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Maybe he just wants better company than the phantom."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's not really a phantom, is he?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Better than the ghost of Madame Pomfrey. I imagine he'd be embarrassed to be naked in front of her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The others nod in agreement, feeling the same thing secondhand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Master screams again, writhing in the sheets of his gurney. The sheets tighten around his wrists to stop him from moving, while sweat clings to every inch of skin. The vibrant blue needle dances across Master's bare torso, and fresh wet cloth wipes at the skin behind it to clean away the faint amount of blood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the minions shifts in surprise, glancing toward the Grimoire. "Hey, this says that lyrium is super dangerous. Prone to exploding."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Nah," another clone says as he reads over the first's shoulder. "This is the processed stuff. See? It says the stuff came directly from the dwarves."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is from Orzammar? Like… it's really from there?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think so. I mean, why couldn't it be?" The clone points toward Master. "We're not from here. I guess the Grimoire is not either. We're dealing with magic stuff from other universes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An alarmed look rises on the clone closest to Master's twisted face. "Hang on. We're not accidentally bringing the Fade here, are we?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"None of the clones have a direct answer, and that worries them all more than if they did./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The one standing over the book's resting place nods toward the vibrant purple expanse just beyond the windows of the Hospital Wing. "Hopefully not anymore than we are bringing the Winds of Azyr. That's just as dangerous as lyrium and the Fade."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nothing reaches my senses beyond the constant throbbing pain at the surface of my skin, in the tightness of my muscles, beneath the core of my bones. No sounds, no sights, no smells. At some point, the pressure of the hospital bed escaped my notice, and I am adrift in a cloud of agony./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Conscious thought falters as soon as it starts, and all sense of time fades under the racing of my heartbeat, the shock of my nerve endings./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This place exists to ease your pain."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A stirring within the deepest recesses of my stomach lurches forward, the sensation of my need to vomit a life raft to avoid thinking of the pain everywhere else. As the liquid spills onto the floor, a stab of pain like a knife through the neck sends me howling obscenities into the room./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This place exists to ease your pain, yet you must endure."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voice of the phantom fades, and with it, the natural flow of cause and effect./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lose myself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For how long, none shall know./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No great power comes without pain, for it is an obstacle that the Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary must overcome."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A distant woman laughs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A thrumming energy vibrates like a second heartbeat./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary seeks to impose his morality on this plane of existence." /span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"The phantom says nothing for a moment, and then his voice hums, coming from every direction./spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" "This is an ephemeral struggle compared to the dangers, the resistance, the disappointments that Master shall face on this plane of existence." /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A cough that I come to realize must be my own forces me to choke on bile./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master must endure."/span/strong/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth glances toward Geraldine, even while she barely listens to the orders of the assistant manager. Her hands moving on autopilot to clean tables, she steels her nerves and clears her throat. "Ma'am?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The redhead shifts for a moment and then continues her business. "Yes? I really need to finish up these phone calls in the office. Jeffrey Haskins wants an update on our contribution to the parade next month."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yeah, I'm sure that's important," Beth replies, before clearing her throat again. "Can we talk privately for a moment?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This about your kid?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's not my kid," Beth declares indignantly. "He just doesn't have anyone else."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Geraldine huffs at that. "I don't buy that for a second."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't see why he'd lie-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, you know better than that." The woman shakes her head. "Clean those coffee pots, will ya?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth bristles when Geraldine takes the four steps toward her office. "I wasn't quite done yet, ma'am."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Look, I get that the kid's a bit of a sob story." Geraldine sighs. "He's doing a decent enough job to stick around, but he's too nosy for his own good."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth frowns. "I don't know why that would matter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The manager rolls her eyes and lowers her voice. "You and I both know how things have to go around here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do they?" she asks, jaw set. "Do they have to?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Geraldine pulls the phone headset to her ear, shooing Beth from the office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Excuse me?" Beth glances toward the front counter, where a handsome blond man in his late twenties stands a little awkwardly. "Do I order here or somewhere else?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She puts on her best customer service smile, trying and failing to not think of the situation any longer./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A throbbing headache and an increased and uncomfortable sensitivity to the skin are all that remains./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nearly two days later, and a network of white-blue lyrium tattoos map my entire body, starting from the base of the chin and working their way down and across my extremities. The mirror in the bathroom displays the intricate designs in a way that would definitely make Moaning Myrtle blush./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Putting on clothes takes some effort. The moment the fabric touches the skin, a twinge of pain rises. The Grimoire made it clear that the sensitivity would return to mostly normal eventually, but the first few days afterward would be fairly difficult. It sucks, but I cannot go to work naked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How I'll explain this at work is difficult. A sixteen year old kid clocks out for a weekend and comes back with tattoos that have already largely healed, with nary a scab. Beth is gonna freak./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not bother to open the bathroom door as I leave, instead walking right through it and into the hallway on the other side. The sensation is a bit like stepping into and then out of a tub of water, without ever getting wet. The rush of knowing that I can do that now as easily as breathing feels /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"awesome/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"To work, first./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And then?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I raid an Irish pub./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Jan 23, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_7_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 6/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The last few years of Steve's life have been more than surreal. If he had any idea when he left the streets of Brooklyn that day that he'd be where he is now, he might have done things differently./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Might./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The hustle and bustle of the city has changed significantly since his last visit. A flash of memory brings a smile to his face - Howard had taken him drinking once during leave. It had taken Steve hours to get over the guilt that he wasn't traveling with the rest of his troop to the front lines, but he couldn't deny the logic that even the best of the best need a break. The hustle of someone who fights for others never stops, no matter how much tequila Howard had to give him that night just to match his metabolism./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, the hustle and bustle for him/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" have/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" stopped./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He has been recovering in body and mind from the ice for the last several months, and only recently has he been cleared to leave his isolation cabin. Movies, books, music, television, sports channels - some of that helped him get through all that, helped him acclimate, but none of it helped as much as those long conversations with Peggy. He itches to call her again using his weird brick of a phone, but their last conversation had ended abruptly when her nurses took over./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The hustle of a solider may have stopped temporarily for him, but war itself has not ended. The news never stops now - twenty four hours of it, round the clock, detailing the fight against terrorism and other conflicts around the globe. His therapist recommended that he turn off the news channels, but it has become a vice. His mother always said it's important to know what is going on around the world, even if it hurts. Every headline detailing the latest American casualty has a vice-like grip on Steve's heart./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Is it hurting Steve to sit in comfortable outdoor seating, leisurely sketching a futuristic, towering skyscraper? Shouldn't he be out there, fighting the good fight? The Axis powers were defeated long ago, but it would be foolish to think that his skills could not be useful elsewhere. Hell, even Howard's legacy - a son that established the very building Steve is sketching now - is using his skills to make a difference./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony is a bit of an enigma to Steve. He doesn't know Howard's son personally, but it is difficult to watch CNN and not hear of the exploits of the Iron Man stopping terrorist insurgents and arms dealers. Would Howard be proud? Steve has to think so. In another life without the ice, Steve might have even been a mentor to the boy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His jaw tightens, wistfully thinking of times long gone. Music, baseball, the beginning of some radio drama around the fire…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few years ago for Steve and decades ago for the rest of the world, he had little but the ill-fitting uniform on his back and a desire to live up to the legacy of his own father during the first World War. Joseph Rogers was a man who made a difference, a man who was more than a name on a list of casualties. Steve could not even remember the man from his early childhood, but his mother's stories painted a wonderful picture./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Now, he sketches Stark Tower, wondering how he can create a legacy like Howard, a legacy like his own father./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When Steve thinks about it, maybe Tony is not an enigma to him at all. Is that not what Tony's doing?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Johnny?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A scrawny kid with dark hair, glasses, and an odd series of tattoos stretching up from the neckline of his shirt and towards his chin guffaws. Dressed like one of the staff of the cafe, he approaches Steve's table excitedly. "Is that really you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry, but I think you've got the wrong guy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The kid's brow furrows. "Chris Evans?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Who?" Steve says again. "Son, you okay?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, right," the kid replies after a moment of hesitation. "Um, yeah, I think I'm fine. If you don't mind, could you clear something up and tell me your name? You look like someone I used to know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve surveys the area quickly. S.H.I.E.L.D. suggested that he keep a low profile where possible, but he did not see the harm in at least the first name. "My name is Steve."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The kid stares at him, blinks, and then says meekly, "Rogers?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He must not have been able to control his facial expressions, because the teen lights up suddenly and swiftly. "Whoa. Captain America!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the other patrons reacts with interest, but Steve just waves them off and shakes his head. "Son, you…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Don't worry, I'll be quiet," he says in a whisper and then sits down across the table from him. "I have something to show you. I'm hoping that you can help me with it, because you're the first hero that I've met."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hero?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He is not used to being called a hero. Peggy made him listen to one of his radio plays, where that word appeared regularly and often. On some level, he understands where it comes from, but the thought makes him uncomfortable. He didn't do any of it for recognition./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, yes," the boy says. "My name is Logan. Something has happened to me recently, and I wonder if you can help me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He nods hesitantly. "If I can, I will try."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy leans back and takes a deep breath. Checking to see if anyone is watching, Logan's finger tattoos faintly flash with white-ish blue light and then he drops his hand through the table, like the table itself is not even there. He repeats the motion as Steve's eyes watch with surprise, until finally the boy's hands rest on the table again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's a neat trick," he says finally, not sure what exactly he is seeing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's no trick," he explains. "It's magic."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve glances toward his smart phone and thinks of Tony and his flying suit. Is this some high-tech trick of the future that Fury has neglected to explain to him? Or could the boy be telling the truth?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Magic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve remembers a magic show that he and Bucky saw during sixth grade. His mother had to scrounge up money for weeks to afford tickets, and it had been amazing. All tricks, but amazing all the same. Steve can still remember the delight of the crowd after the magician turned a rabbit into his lovely assistant and then back again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes, magic. Real magic. Spells, rituals, incantations," Logan says. "Have you encountered anything like it before?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He is at a bit of a loss. "I can't say that I have."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Not that he had not seen his fair share of strangeness. Red skulls for faces, cosmic cubes, men who could heal within minutes from tank-busting rounds, laser guns?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Disappointment fills the teenager's face. "Really? I thought superheroes run into all kinds of stuff."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve bristles. "I'm a soldier, not a superhero." Or at least, he was. Steve clenches his fist, wondering where his life will lead, what role he will have in this era./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," the boy finally says after a long moment. "I was hoping you could point me to someone who knows more."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve studies the teenager's long face, unsure of how to respond. "How did you recognize me, son?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As soon as the question leaves his lips, he cannot help but consider the potential explanations. Perhaps a security leak at S.H.I.E.L.D. - could someone have shared confidential information about his revival from the ice? From the partial face tattoos, this teenager likely has had it rough - no one does that to themselves and is a well-adjusted person. Maybe he could even have been sent by someone to target him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan takes several moments to finally clear his throat. "How could I not recognize you? There's a WWII museum about Captain America and his Howling Commandos."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve blinks, thinking back to a museum trip that Peggy offered once. He thought it was a joke at the time and brushed it off. But, well, her health would not permit a trip anyway. "Hmm. I didn't realize that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan turns excitedly. "So, how are you alive and looking this good? Did some mad scientist build a time machine? A magic spell gone wrong? Did that serum make you immortal?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve's fist tightens against his jeans. "No, not exactly. You seem remarkably unfazed to be talking to me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The teenager beams. "Hey, I'm just glad that you're here. The world needs people like you." He pauses, not allowing Steve a moment to collect his thoughts. "So considering that you're not being swarmed by everyone on the street, have you not made your identity public? Do you still have the suit, the shield?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If Steve were not a bit uncomfortable before, he can feel tension rising in his chest. Truth be told, he doesn't know where either of them are. Somewhere locked away in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s vaults, probably. He'd been understandably concerned about that, until Fury's people helped him contact Peggy. Learning that she essentially founded the damn organization herself? He wasn't concerned anymore./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do you mean by public?" the man finally asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Doesn't the world need its Living Legend?"Logan asks without skipping a beat. "You haven't been Captain America since the forties."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He considers how to answer that and settles on a partial truth. "I haven't been around much since then." He glances toward his watch and then back toward the boy. "If you'll excuse me, I've got to run."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy looks confused. "Hey, maybe I could come with yo-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What?" Steve asks, turning to look at the kid./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, it's just, you're the first person with powers I've met. Shouldn't we… stick together?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve tries to ignore the pout on the boy's face, but he cannot help it. "Most I can promise is to reach out to some folks I know. Maybe they can get you the help you need." Something occurs to him, and he hates to admit that it wasn't the first thing he considered. "Are those powers of yours dangerous?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy studies his own hands for a moment, tracing the designs of the tattoos that encircle his fingers with his eyes. A long moment passes. "I don't know. I don't think so?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Every sense of threat analysis he'd learned in the army runs through his mind. Whatever they are - magic or no - Steve needs to follow up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"S.H.I.E.L.D. would know what to do./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That was the most awkward conversation of my life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pace back and forth in the Sanctuary, staring at the Headmaster's owl-shaped podium in the Great Hall. On its surface, a computer terminal rests, complete with access to the Internet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If I had known that I'd meet /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"the/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Steve Rogers, Marvel's own Boy Scout, I would have tried a different approach entirely. As it is, I'm pretty sure he just thinks I'm some weird kid who doesn't understand social cues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Which…. fair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I probably don't./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It doesn't help that I hermit even more than usual lately. Every hour spent outside of work is either time to sleep, to eat, or to study the Grimoire. All in preparation for tonight's raid./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hell, I should have asked Steve for help./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If these guys were really up to shady business, then having a super soldier at my side would be wonderful./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But everything about that encounter was confusing. Why would Marvel recast Johnny Storm as Steve Rogers? He certainly looked the part - he filled out every inch of that tight shirt, and his hair was the perfect shade of blond. But now I'm wondering, yet again, why there's no Fantastic Four?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The only thing I've learned about the Fantastic Four is an online archive from the New York Bulletin detailing the construction of the Baxter Building during the 1980s. No mention of their names or news reports about cosmic rays. The terminal in the Great Hall of the Cosmic Sanctuary was able to run the Internet better than I'd ever anticipated, but it didn't pry into secrets any better than an average computer in the outside world. Ooh, maybe they're classified! A government secret, or something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That still wouldn't explain that there was no Latveria and seemingly no Viktor von Doom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All that said, this was an encounter with a real superhero. One that apparently has not suited up since his crash in the Arctic Circle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is all a bit strange, honestly. As amazing as it is to meet Steve Rogers, I cannot help but feel that the whole thing is off. Have I somehow ended up in a version of Marvel where basically no one is a hero? Or one where no one is a hero yet? It feels empty, somehow, and lonelier too. A quick search later, and there's no knowledge of an X-Gene either, nor any of its associated heroes. No Avengers, no S.H.I.E.L.D. - who /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"was/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" real? Who will suit up? Anyone?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pushing the thought out of my mind, I realize from the illusion of the setting sun overhead in the Great Hall that it is time. Adjusting my dark blue hoodie and faded jeans, I pull a bandanna over my mouth and then head toward the exit, slipping into the streets. Waiting several minutes for night to finally arrive, I press against the outer wall of the pub and allow my physicality to slip into the Fade for but a moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The lyrium tattoos ignite with a slight flare of pain, but it recedes the moment my body materializes properly on the other side, crouched behind a thick wooden table covered in a ratty-looking white tablecloth. I've phased into a back room directly behind the pub, and if not for faint light from neon beer signs pouring in from a high window that connects to the front room, I might not able to see at all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull my phone and take pictures without using the flash, not daring to turn on the light and attract any unwanted attention. The place smells worse than my dad's beer breath, and the floor sticks nearly as badly as any aisle in a movie theater. I doubt they have anything incriminating only a few feet from the public front of the place, but this was the easiest place to enter, and I could sort through the pictures later. Checking under tablecloths and studying the contents of storage shelves, it all seemed very up to code, if a bit filthy. Perfect for some hole in the wall pub./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's gotta be more to it than that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A short hallway bends toward a flight of stairs headed up, and that seems the only way forward without looking through the walls toward another room. Wistfully, I wonder for a moment if this is what it was like for Fenris from Dragon Age. The elven warrior used these same lyrium-based tattoos to get vengeance on slavers and free slaves. In a way, Fenris was a bit of a superhero in a medieval fantasy setting. I doubt that I'll find something like slavery during this investigation, but anything close to drugs, money, a ledger, a trail to follow? That seems likely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I creep up the stairs slowly, thinking that Fenris could probably acrobatically avoid touching the stairs at all and slip through the ceiling to end up on the second floor. I'm nowhere near that agile, but there's not a superhero alive that doesn't know a bit of parkour. If anything, learning how to fall after a hit could save my life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, I tiptoe as carefully as I can, prepared to dash through the wall to my right at the first sign of trouble in the hopes I can avoid injury. I don't feel confident enough to phase through bullets or something insane like that, but maybe one day./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The second floor opens into a hallway that leads toward several doorways and another stairwell heading up. Carefully, I activate my lyrium tattoos to slip just my head through the first door, revealing something akin to a break room with a long wooden table, a flat screen television playing baseball, and little else. Pulling back and then repeating that trick with the rest, each of these rooms is thankfully unoccupied, with only one containing anything of probable interest: an old-fashioned office complete with a desk and a wall of screens showing six different security camera feeds./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh, duh. Cameras./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I should have thought of that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I flare my soul and create a younger spawn of myself dressed in the same outfit. With a splash of white light, he appears already leaning against the desk, holding a hand to his hip. "Yo, boss, what do you need?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's probably footage of us," I suggest, pointing to a screen showing the very hallway we just entered. "I didn't think to look."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Rookie mistake."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Like you'd have done it differently."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I might have!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just do it!" I hiss, pointing toward the desktop computer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clone rolls his eyes, sits in the rolling chair behind the desk, and activates the computer, only to be met with a login screen. "Huh. At least basic security. They're not complete morons."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Any chance of being lucky enough that the password is written down somewhere in here?" I ask, wishing that I did not have to sometimes have conversations with myself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clone starts to look, but I flare my soul once more and create another copy, sending both of them to check every nook and cranny./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"After two minutes, nothing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"After one minute? Visitors./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The second clone shoves into my shoulder and points, whispering, "Look. We've got company."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"On the security feed for the fourth floor hallway, two men dressed in long overcoats step into the space from one of the adjoining rooms, and the camera picks up barely enough detail to see one of their faces contorting in a smirking sneer. There's no audio feed, just visual, and they're heading for the stairs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Should we hide?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, boss, should we?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I force my soul back into one, feeling the two clones vanish in less than the span of a heartbeat. Snapping a short recorded video of them on the screen with my phone, I take a solid breath and then hide in the back corner, knowing that I can simply slip backwards through the wall from this position or even through the floor if they come into this room. From this angle, I can still see some of the computer screens, but this is the best hiding place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For a moment, I consider opening myself up to the Winds of Azyr, to feel their calming touch and predict whether I will make it through, but even those predictions are not precise and are better cast under clear skies, outdoors. Realistically, there is much I still need to study for even the basics of Azyr, and I'm starting to get the impression I may never be a master. Even still, some of its spells have some use. At the rate I'm going, it'd be two or three weeks before I have most of them down./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hear them approach loudly from the stairs, laughing with thick New Yorker accents. One of the screens briefly illuminates them as they step onto the landing and head toward the break room down the hall. I hear the taller of the two say, "We got that girl up there completely at our mercy. Nesbitt's gonna love it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A girl./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At their mercy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I push myself to my feet, hands shaking but heart resolute./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The trip to the stairs involves passing their door normally, so instead, I push through interior rooms and their walls to avoid passing by the threshold to the break room. Landing on a stair with a faint glow of white-blue light, I stalk up the stairs as quietly as I can, wishing I knew more about how many of them there were between me and that room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I bypass the third floor entirely, stepping onto the fourth floor landing and heading directly to that door, keeping my eyes and ears peeled for anyone that may be around./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Closed and locked means nothing to me anymore./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Phasing through the wood with my head first, the smell of body odor and other filth fills my nose. A brass bed lies in one corner, and a young woman leans against it while halfway on the floor, dressed in nearly nothing. A thick sheen of sweat covers every inch of exposed skin, and her head lolls back on her shoulders, her auburn hair wild and matted behind her. Three syringes litter the room and one lies in her hand, only half expunged, and her bare thigh shows evidence of the rest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, hey," I say as I slip the rest of the way inside, my eyes already locking onto the closet door only a few feet away. "You're safe now. I'll get you out of here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, no!" she whimpers, pushing herself away from me. The young woman giggles hysterically, maniacally, and I lean down over her. "Get away, get away. I already-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ma'am, you need to listen to me," I say with more authority in my voice, but this woman is too far gone to listen to anything that I have to say./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A snap of my fingers generates three clones - two to pull her up and one to watch the door, while I fish the Key to the Cosmic Sanctuary from my pocket. It almost seems to leap into my grasp, begging to be used, which is more than I can say for the victim of these men. For all I know, she's well on her way to an overdose - I have to hope that the Phantom can help her quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Once the clones finally wrangle her into their grasp, I pull open the closet door, revealing the innards of the Sanctuary just beyond them. The clones lead her and myself inside, until finally, the door to the outside world closes behind us./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Feb 6, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_8_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 7/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The two minion clones and I heave the semi-conscious redhead onto the hospital bed. Her face is a mess of running make-up, sweat, tears, and a bit of blood pooling from bruises along her cheeks and left eye. The Phantom of the Hospital Wing is nowhere to be seen, but its presence is felt. The blankets and sheets on the bed begin to move of their own accord, to hold her down gently and to wipe away some of the dried vomit along her lips./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Is there anything more you can do?" I ask the room, getting impatient. I don't know what more I expected, necessarily - I've never tried to detox someone and don't even know the first thing about how it would work./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary has access to the services of this space."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"the Master/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" wants you to share."/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This space is limited in what it can accomplish unless the Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary is the patient of this space."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great. So the Phantom can only really perform medical operations when I'm involved. "Why?"/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Medicinal magic from this space can only be provided to the Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I roll my eyes, wishing that I had gained some healing spells somewhere. Even just a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"cure wounds /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"or a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"protection from poison/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" would work wonders here. There has to be something like that in the book, somewhere. It's all just a matter of where it can be found, and if my connection to the Celestial Grimoire continues to grow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can you at least keep her calm and give her water?"/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This space shall provide such."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clones and I share a look of equal disdain before I look toward the exit. "Keep her here, don't let her leave." The Phantom does not make its direct ghostly appearance known, but the double doors leading into the Entrance Hall open of their own accord. The hospital bed containing the woman whose name and story I still do not know moves several feet back and away from any of the strange windows, and the thick curtains draw themselves and block out most of the ethereal purple light coming from the space beyond./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'll be back, ma'am. I promise."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steeling myself and dispelling the cloned minions, I carefully walk toward the Entrance Hall doorway, which perfectly matches the inside of a closet door. Slowly, I push the door open a fraction of an inch./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes lock onto the stupified expressions of a man trying to tear the Key from the doorknob. It lurches backward like a crimson snake, biting with its teeth and ripping part of the man's finger clean off. He cries out in pain, and I shove the door forward hard. The edge clocks him in the jaw and sends him skittering back a couple of feet, nearly to his knees./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What the fuck?!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""My question to you exactly," I mutter, popping two clones into existence on either side of him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The shocked man reaches into his belt and pulls a gun as quickly as he can. I dive to the floor and hear, but do not see, the two clones firing their blasts of white magic into the man's left and right shoulder. He falls to the ground in a heap next to me, eyes wringing with pain and shirt sleeves sizzling from esoteric damage./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sucks, doesn't it?" I ask, pushing myself to my feet and kicking his gun into the far corner of the room. He groans. "What did you want with this woman?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He doesn't answer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Two twelve year olds kick him in the shins, and he screeches in agony./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I feel the connection to Azyr flow, tapping into mathematical formulas that can predict and simulate the very weather of the heavens. My mind races with information that could not possibly be fully understood without years of study, but for me, I cheat. Electricity builds between my fingers like a thunderstorm, arcing from one point to another with all the potential of a lightning strike./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What the hell?" he barks out, eyes widening in terror./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is barely more than what a Taser can do, but he doesn't need to know that. It's the only offensive spell I have managed because it is the easiest to produce: a short range bolt of electricity that can easily take down a mortal man. It even has a funny name: T'essla's Arc./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tell me what you're doing with this woman!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The door to the hallway bursts open at that moment, and a clone moves at the same time to fling a white bolt of its own essence. The bolt splashes against the next thug, and he doubles over as though he'd be hit in the stomach with a bowling ball. The sudden movement knocks the second thug behind him off his balance, but his cries of indignation are cut off when the arc of electricity meets him on the chest. He falls to the ground like a sack of potatoes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tell me, now, or all of your friends will get it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I snap my fingers and generate four more of me, creating a veritable wall of flesh to look up and over this injured man./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't know what the fuck you are," the man spits, "but you're not getting noth-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A clone stomps on his groin, while another snap-kicks into his head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Once more, lightning arcs between my fingers. I kneel down next to the groaning man and hold the energy just before his eyes. I can probably manage one more of these before I need to cool off for a while./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You have two choices," I say, enjoying the serenity that comes with the blue wind of Azyr. "One: you tell me now and avoid this. Or two: you tell me after this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hear shouting coming from down the hall, and the clones meet my eyes for a split-second before they throw themselves into the hallway. Gunshots begin peppering my eardrums, even as flashes of white light brighten the darkness coming from the door./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm not telling you nothing!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I let the lightning loose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man screams in agony, the skin of his bare neck cooking under the onslaught. The smell is horrid, but the sound is far worse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're probably the most stubbo-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A minion of me falls to the ground just outside the open doorway, blood pooling from a circular open wound in his forehead. My eardrums ring from the nearness to the sound of gunfire, and then the clone pops out of existence with little more than a fading white light./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man below me is unconscious./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can sense there's still fighting just beyond the door, but the clones are losing. I send three more into the doorway to engage the enemy, feeling a slight pang of guilt. They are not real, but they… look young./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take a deep breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My best option right now, given that I don't know who else is out there, is to run, but I can't just leave the Key in this random closet door. It would stay here until I can get the woman out of there, which would leave these men with access to the Sanctuary, the Grimoire, and anything else hidden inside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Using it was probably a bad idea./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But how else was I supposed to get her out of harm's way? I cannot phase through walls and other objects while also carrying another person. Sneaking her out in this state was nearly impossible - she can barely think, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"if/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An idea comes to mind quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pat the man below me down and smile when I feel it. A flip phone is in my hands within an instant, and my fingers dance across the number pad./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""9-1-1, what is your emergency?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I heighten my voice as much as possible. "Hey… I can hear gunfire! Someone's hurt. We're on 47th and 10th." I hang up, hoping the authorities would arrive quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I need to wrap up here. Get this woman out of my Sanctuary and somewhere safe to wait for paramedics, people who can actually detox her system. Take down as many of these guys as I can to keep the police safe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A calming breath exhales through my nostrils./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tattoos activate and carry me into the next room, passing through the wall and into a small kitchenette. Dangling over the threshold leading into the hallway is a single unconscious man, a ripped hole in his jacket from one of the minions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wish that my minion ability did not have such a steep range limit - I could send a dozen or more throughout the building to clear the whole thing out, while I sit in relative safety. Instead, I have to be too close to the gun-toting action to feel safe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My voice - higher-pitched than normal - cuts through the din of battle just around the corner. "There're more coming!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The sound of one of them choosing to explode stresses my already ringing eardrums. Powering through, I carefully lean around the corner, crouching first to try to be out of normal eye level. The last thing I need is a hole in the head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Three of these thugs lie prone in the immediate vicinity, while two more are up ahead in fisticuffs with the remaining two minions. Shouting from downstairs proves there/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" are /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"more coming, so I fall prone and prepare my tattoos again. Sinking my torso through the floor in order to get an angle on the room below me is a difficult prospect, if only because getting the right posture to avoid falling prematurely is hard. After nearly losing my balance once, I finally manage to poke my face through./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An empty storage room, filled with boxes upon boxes of who knows what. It smells faintly of charcoal and urine, though why could be anyone's guess in New York City. Twisting my head to reorient my ears to poke slightly through the ceiling, I can still faintly hear the sound of fighting from the fourth floor, but it sounds clear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking a deep breath, I let myself fall and then abruptly cut the connection to my tattoos, allowing me to land carefully near some crates. This room is bigger than I expected - it looks like each of the third-floor rooms, at least on this side of the central corridor, leads to a wide space for storage. It is filled with who knows what, and exactly the kind of place I should check for illicit goods./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If I had time, I would./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, the police would have to handle it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I snap my fingers to generate three new minions and send them up the stairs, hopefully pinching the reinforcements between two groups. The second they round the corner, they shoot bits of their own essence as globules of white magic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck, there's more of them!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What even are the fuckers?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't know!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of them manages to peg the leg of one, sending the thug barreling down the stairs and screaming in pain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If I had some extra durability or perhaps mastery over that shielding spell from Azyr, I would feel comfortable engaging with them directly. Instead, I need to play it safe. I snap my fingers and generate a minion next to me. "Warn them off." I am starting to get tired, anyway - whatever power or magic that I am using to create these minions is bound to run out eventually./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I should really test my limits before I go out again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Damn. That feels like a really obvious thing that I should have realized./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minion dashes up the stairs to join the rest. "None of this is going to stop until you put down your weapons and turn yourselves in to the police for your foul misdeeds."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fat chance! We're the bloody Kitchen Irish. We own this city!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sean, is that thing a kid?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minion does not let that disturb him. "I don't care if you think you own the state. Justice is coming for you!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bullets pepper the air overhead again, and the clone tumbles down the stairs before dissipating into white light./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Three more minions join him at the snap of a finger, and all three are aiming to do the same thing - blow themselves the fuck up. I crouch behind the wall and turn away to avoid the flash in my eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The resounding shock wave vibrates the floor and the nearest windows. Bits of debris from some of the topmost stairs that are now ruined cloud the air like dust, and the screams of anguished thugs reverberate throughout the hallway. I climb the stairs carefully after waiting several seconds to see what they will do next, if any of them are in a position to move after that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I snap pictures of their faces while in unconscious pain, just to ensure there's evidence of which of them were here. While taking the time do that, the building has quieted significantly - perhaps that is all of them. Whomever the Kitchen Irish were, they seem fairly small fry compared to their boasting./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Own the city my ass. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hurry back to the top of the fourth floor stairwell and back toward the closet, heading into the Sanctuary with one goal in mind: get this woman out of here so that the police can send paramedics to detox her. Putting her here was smart, if only because she was not in harm's way, but there were other options. All this really did, this time, is ensure that I would not have an easy way out, not without leaving the open entrance to the Cosmic Sanctuary in the middle of a gang headquarters./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hospital Wing opens for me as I approach, and the woman still lies in a half-conscious state, a floating cup of water trying to enter her mouth safely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right, police are on their way with paramedics. I'm getting you out of here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The bedsheets and blankets relent to allow her more freedom of movement, and I snap two more clones into existence to help her get out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agh!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A pang in my chest and in my head forces me to my knees, and the minions nearly destabilize as the pain throbs. After a moment, it dulls finally, and the wavering forms of the minions solidify./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Okay, so I'm approaching the limit of how much I can do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be too good to be true to be able to endlessly spawn those minions without any sort of drawback, outside of the range. They don't pack a huge punch on their own as is - nothing they can do is going to do much more than knock an average guy out cold with a solid hit. Start throwing aliens, robots, killer animals, etc. at them? They'd be useless./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minions that I do have left help me to carry the girl to the Entrance Hall, but before I open the door with her outside, I check carefully once more. The room beyond is empty./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull her outside and then pull the Key from the lock. It latches onto my finger, wrapping around it almost like a slimy finger, before returning to its usual state./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stay in here!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The closet door opens again, revealing an actual closet this time, full of clothes and other usual goods. There's enough room for her to hide uncomfortably, but it will have to do. I push the girl inside and close the door, the sound of police sirens getting closer my cue to leave. "Be careful!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Feeling my tattoos burn to life, walls, doors, and furniture are no obstacles for my escape. The moment the night air touches my skin, nearly half-a-block away from the action, I breathe a sigh of relief./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I need to rest, to recuperate, and to study, before I attempt anything like that again. One gang hideout has been raided - likely one of several, just from the same gang. Whomever the Kitchen Irish are, they have dealings with Geraldine back at the cafe. Is she one of them? A front for them? Do they have something on her? One less hideout in the area available to them is bound to put pressure on the rest, but maybe - just maybe - they'll leave her and the rest of the city alone./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_9_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 8/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Frigid air billows across every inch of my exposed skin, snowflakes biting like like needles against my cheeks and lips. Thick flurries make it difficult to see beyond a few inches in front of my face, though vague shapes of dead deciduous trees fill the space just beyond the periphery./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I push forward then double back, thoughts and confusion filling my thoughts. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"How did I get here?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blizzard blasts the forest with such intense cold that I can hardly move, forced to put one foot in front of the other in careful, controlled movements. My feet thrust deep into snowbanks that grow taller by the second, and frozen liquid seeps through my flannel pajama pants. I may as well be nude for all the good this is doing me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Howling winds steal my voice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello! Help!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nothing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agony begins to seep into the soles of my feet, into my ankles, into my hips and waist. I fall to my knees, barely sticking up from the snow while I struggle to survive. How long before hypothermia take my fingers and toes? Before I'm no longer a man? Before I could moonlight as Voldemort?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A glint of light fills the space between my fingers, and something slightly warm slides into my palm. I grasp onto it like it is my last hope and open my hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Resting on my palm is a familiar icy-white crystal, the symbol of a snowflake etched in a darker blue. It pulsates with an intensity that cannot be ignored, and with every second that passes, the feeling of the cold against my skin ebbs away. I grab it tighter, desperate for quicker relief, and the snow /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"bends /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"away from me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blizzard howls. The snow falls. The cold seeps./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But it does not reach me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A small shielding aura envelops my body, concentrated power exuding from the crystalline stone. I experimentally wave it to the right, and snowbanks roll away from me under their own accord, exposing the dead forest floor. The pattern of the falling snow itches to follow my whim, ignoring the will of the storm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But it lasts a moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The wind reasserts control of its ice, and the power from the crystal returns to a dim, dull glow keeping only some of the cold ferocity at bay./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" knew /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"you could accomplish this feat, 'fore the ice seeks to steal the seat."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar voice echoes throughout the forest, carried loftily and unnaturally by the wind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sitting in the bough of a nearby tree is a young boy with the sparkling wings of a fairy and the ears of an elf. Dressed in greens and whites, his rosy cheeks belie his shared exposure to the cold. The carcass of a partially skinned rabbit - the product of a hunt, I guess - hangs from his waist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Puck?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fey spirit leaps from the tree and lands amidst the forest floor, touching softly upon the snow without sinking. The flurries dust him over and over, his shoulders covered in white./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This frost seeks to ruin all, for it answers to her call."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"More important questions fade, and my eyes blink. "Wait - who's her?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That time will come soon, for speaking her name can lead to doom. We must stay hidden from her scries, for you now possess her greatest prize." Puck gestures, and a flurry of greenish-yellow magic coalesces into an image of the Celestial Grimoire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So this/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" she/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" wants the book?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Puck nods and closes his fingers, forcing the illusion to vanish. "The Celestial Grimoire is the best of her intelligent designs, able to pierce the veil between distance spaces and times."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My brow furrows, the wind stinging against my cheek even with the protective magic of the crystal in my hand, whatever it is. "Why are you telling me all this now? Why didn't you tell me when we met?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Puck glimmers with a smile, fairy wings fluttering for a moment. "'Twas first a whim that brought me to you. Now, I see you have promise to change my view. Stepped into harm to save another soul - perhaps a hero is your perfect role."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Frustration builds in my chest. "So now you give a shit? Because I beat up some unprepared thugs?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fairy sighs, wings aflutter. "Only someone with the will to fight could possibly stand against her might. One day, she will come and-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The storm rages to a higher and higher intensity, wind threatening to down a nearby tree. Puck glances up toward the sky, where the clouds begin to part. With swift fingers, he draws a single fig leaf from a pouch attached to his belt./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You must leave Avalon behind, for this ice can threaten even my kind. The storm of her wrath shall grow, until all but you will stand alone. She will come for you and your book, until she can take what I took."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With preternatural speed, the fairy pokes the leaf onto my forehead. My stomach lurches from its position, like the world's worst reaction to an elevator's change in speed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Become a hero, and magic you'll learn. Fights you'll face while her darkness yearns."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His words trail off, while my mind reels, trying desperately to understand the impact of his words. With each of Puck's syllables, the surroundings fade like water poured onto a wet canvas. Colors bleed until all returns to white, whiter than even the brightest snow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I gasp, fingers latching onto the post of my four-poster bed. The ceiling of the castle's bedroom - the only one, even if it would be neat if all four common rooms and their towers were present - looks uninvitingly dull. The room is quiet, and the heavy weight of the thick spellbook rests on my chest, a bit of drool coating the side of my pillow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Just a dream./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Or… a vision?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't think about this today. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Going through my morning routine amidst the spacious accommodations of a pseudo-castle is a melancholy. I itch to snap my fingers, just to have something to talk to, but… well that won't do. Twelve-year-old me is not an engaging conversationalist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lean against the teachers' table, enjoying the Great Hall's bonafide Fruit Loops. I have dragged Dumbledore's owl-shaped podium into reach, because atop it rests the terminal that can access the Internet just beyond whatever strange pocket dimension this seems to be. Despite my predilections to spend hours and hours online, I have not actually spent much time looking this thing over. Studying magic has taken that space up in my day - the Grimoire lies tantalizingly at my side even now, waiting for me to open it and see if anything new has appeared, but I need a moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I tap the screen, watching magic and technology interface together to simulate a state of the art computer. In fact, it might be better than state of the art - the fact that it's touch-screen alone means it's better than any computer I've ever had before./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A browser opens, and fingers dash against the keyboard. News websites, public forums, social media - anything that may reveal more information about the aftermath of what happened to that girl and the pub. It is a frustratingly slow process, which likely means that it's not going to hit mainstream news or I'd have found something already. Minutes bleed into half an hour, earning me a cold bowl of half-eaten cereal and a mind that cannot stop thinking about Puck and whatever the fuck that meant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That little elf doesn't deserve my attention right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The headlines all read the same - nothing about me, nothing about the woman. My vision focuses on the lines of lyrium running down my fingers. A less useful Shadowcat: at least Kitty can do rescue operations. If I could have taken her with me, maybe I'd know she was safe, or at least know more about where she is now. I only stayed long enough last night to see the police arrive. She's probably in police custody by now, so that at least assuages my worries./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I spend another half-hour searching websites for local New York papers, but nothing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scanning the huge, empty dining hall, I grimace. The keyboard shifts into view again, and another website appears only a moment later. Going through the registration process is easy, even for someone who doesn't legally exist, which is convenient enough for now. A few minutes later, and a phone number appears - a moment more, and my smart phone finally has the ability to be used for calling. It's through an app for burner numbers and it needs wifi, but it will do. Much cheaper than buying a phone plan./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar set of numbers ring./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My heart skips a beat, and then disappointment settles into the pit of my stomach./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A woman's voice, but not… not my mother's./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello?" the poor woman says again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, no- wrong number."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hangs up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A tear wells in my eyes, stinging slightly against the more sensitive lyrium tattoos that run toward the base of my cheek./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not bother to call anyone else in my contacts, yet I cannot bring myself to delete them. A monument to my past - a way to remember them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Celestial Grimoire rests just inches away from the forgotten breakfast, within arm's reach. A thick stack of scratch paper and parchment rests within the pages, the remnants of the hour of Azyr studying I got in before I fell into a deep slumber. Pulling the scattered pages from their position and then opening the book, I settle in for a busy morning, brow furrowing at the complex series of diagrams./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some part of me knows how these work, at least in brief, but context is missing and it makes truly understanding what I am reading, what I am doing, difficult to master. There's no quick cheat to Azyr, unlike the tattoos or the ritual for my minions. Even still, even without becoming an apprentice to a master diviner of the Heavens, I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"am/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" getting it - T'essla's Arc is proof enough. I simply need to put in the time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nothing in high school geometry could have prepared me for /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"arcane /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"proofs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I flip further in the section for more Azyr spells, but something feels off- oh! There's something else stuck in the pages./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A thin silvery-blue mirror catches my reflection. Circular in shape, the runic markings of the Celestial Grimoire dance around its edges, condensing most strongly around a single ruby crystal at its apex. I meet my own gaze within the reflective surface, and as I pull it from between the pages, it begins to hover a few inches from my hand before finding a stopping point, anchored to the air above my hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Grimoire's pages reveal its secrets, and oh boy this thing is useful. I'll never have to commute home again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull the ruby from its socket and place it carefully on the ground at my feet. Twisting the mirror in place three times counter-clockwise and then seven times clockwise, I tilt the mirror's face down to capture the ruby's position. Now, the surface loses its reflective powers, instead showing the gem's position no matter the angle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Picking up the ruby and placing it back into the socket, I dash excitedly across the room. With a careful exhale, I press my finger to the gemstone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A flurry of light and sound pulls me from one place to another nearly instantly. A flicker of blue magic deposits me above the place where the ruby gemstone once stood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A magic mirror that can always teleport me back to a specific point, one that has been prepped properly. It should work across any reasonable distance - a few hundred miles, apparently - and I'll always be able to get back to where I want to go. It does not work in both directions, and it looks like it won't work to bring me back to the Sanctuary if I'm not already in it. The mirror itself can appear and disappear to my side at will, so at least carrying it around is not difficult./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This could really help me escape some dangerous situations. Mid-firefight with a gang of thugs that I can't feasibly take down otherwise? I can get home. Too close to a nuclear explosion? No more danger for me. The latter feels unlikely to happen, but I'm running around in a universe that runs on narrativium. If some villain or villains really want to nuke New York City, then it'll be because some story arc needed it to happen that way./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Which… is unsettling, to say the least./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take a dive through the Celestial Grimoire, just in case anything else new has appeared. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"No, no, no - oh, there is. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes widen./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This…. this would make all of it easier. All of it. Learning Azyr, studying the Grimoire, remembering details in an investigation?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I must have it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Reading this passage involves some truly esoteric information. An acknowledgment of one's infinitesimal place in the universe. An understanding that an even more miniscule place for one exists in the infinite multiverse. A goal - to learn all that exists, existed, and will exist. An ambition - to learn all that exists, existed, and will exist in/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" every /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"place and time. The pages end with a slow descent of thought, a deepening of knowledge, a furthering of one's own mind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With each word I read, my body droops into exhaustion. Each syllable of thought drives the mind into paralysis. Into incapacitation. Into slumber./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My forehead falls hard onto the parchment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For a moment, just a moment, it almost feels like my head falls further, slipping into the pages./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And then consciousness fades into nothingness as sleep takes over./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A knocking sound at the door slowly pulls me from my dreams. It takes a moment for my clarity of mind to return, crystal clear and better than ever before./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I push myself from the Great Hall, from the Grimoire, wondering idly if all that was successful. A flash of memory slowly expands into detail that I could not have thought possible, almost like I can picture the exact wallpaper designs of the living room decor from the house of my childhood. That's better than before, so it must have worked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The knocking continues distantly, and I slip through the door to the Sanctuary, pulling the Key from the lock. The hotel room door shakes again as someone raps their knuckles against it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Coming!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The knocking stops as whomever it is takes the time to wait./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Brushing at myself carefully, I slowly open the door a bit just to check./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The worried face of Beth meets my gaze, her blonde hair tied back in a knot. "Logan! Where have you been?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Today's my off day-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shakes her head and gestures for me to let her in. "No, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"yesterday/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" was your off day. You missed your shift today."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull back the chain and allow her inside, the woman carefully pacing back and forth. "Wait- I thought I was off on Saturday."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You were," she explains with a confused look. "It'll be Monday in two hours." At my expression, her face softens, and her eyes study my bare torso. "Logan, are you all right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh? Yeah, I'm okay. Sorry for the no shirt, I just woke up."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Am /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I okay?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Did I just lose almost two days to the book?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Geraldine is pissed, Logan." Beth sits on the chair next to the hotel bed. "Where were you today?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I overslept," I answer, hoping that I'm not lying. It's true, but hard to explain. "Stayed up late last night."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth purses her lips, looking toward her watch. "That's more than a little worrying." She takes in a deep breath. "Look, I don't know how to say this properly, so I'm just going to say it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can feel a pit in my stomach drop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You don't work hard enough. You come into work distracted, like your mind is on ten million other things."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She holds a finger to stop me. "I am more than okay knowing all of that - you're staying in a hotel, you're not finishing school, there're no parents. I understand all of that." She puts a hand on my shoulder and her lips extend to a tight frown. "But then… then you come to work with all these tattoos. I don't know where they came from, I don't know how they're so intricate - you're so young! And you're not getting paid enough for them - I couldn't afford anything like that either. So, I'm worried. Everyone at work is worried. Hell, Markos thinks you're some skinhead druggie."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I look away from her and take a seat on the edge of the mattress, fingers gripping at the blanket just for something to hold./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There is so much I wish I could say. Every story that I've ever read says bringing others into the fold is dangerous - keeping up the secret identity, keeping up the masquerade is important. It keeps others safe, allows the hero a piece of normalcy to cling to despite all the chaos./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, it would be so easy to simply walk to the bathroom door and show her the Sanctuary, the Grimoire. She would understand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But I can't. And she wouldn't./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Don't shut me out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes flicker up to meet hers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You need someone to care for you," she says carefully after a moment. "To listen to your struggles and act as that role model you're missing. Whatever you're going through," she takes in a deep breath, "you can't do it alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hesitate, mind reeling of crystal clear memories of family, of friends, more than a universe away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I appreciate you coming here, Beth, saying all this. You've been kind to me, kinder than I deserve."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She sighs. "C'mon, you deserve kindness. Someone in your situation, that's the least someone can do."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I smile half-heartedly. "I wish I could tell you everything."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth looks away for a second, contemplating what to say next. "All right then. Find a therapist. Send me the bill."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, no, I couldn't ask you to pay-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shakes her head. "You need to talk to someone. If whatever is going on is distracting you enough that you cannot do a job as simple as dishwashing without losing focus, then it's a big deal. It has to be. And big deal problems require big deal solutions. Be honest with someone, Logan. If it cannot be me, then it needs to be someone. I don't mind helping you pay for it, but-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Please, let's just move on." She purses her lips. "Is Geraldine going to let me come back?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm sure she will, but she's not going to forget it. The woman holds a mean grudge."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Good to know," I say with a sigh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The conversation lulls for a few seconds, and Beth eventually stands. "I need to head out, my boyfriend is waiting for movie night. You want to join us?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head. "No, no third-wheeling for me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She rolls her eyes and smiles. "All right, fine. Do something fun. And please, take a shower." Walking to the door, Beth stops just before leaving. "Call me if you need me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wave in acknowledgment, and she slips out of the room. As the door closes, I drop onto the hotel bed, a lot running through my mind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have a way to make money. I don't have to worry about food costs - the Great Hall provides food. The Sanctuary itself provides any electrical needs, any water needs. The only thing that my job really does is provide an extra door between the outside world and the bloody Key to the Sanctuary. And ultimately, I need that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But I could work somewhere else, one day. A job that allows me to take advantage of my unique resources. Even my most recent ability - an awakened mind, capable of remembering perhaps every detail I ever read? That could make me better at any research job out there, or maybe I could go to school somewhere and earn any degree that I want. Doctor, lawyer, engineer? Any major white collar job could be in my grasp. I'd need a form of ID first, of course, but I'm feeling more confident than ever about that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But none of those would make me as fulfilled as what I did the other night, saving that woman./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"To do that more effectively, I need to do more research, to read more of the Grimoire. To figure out who Puck is talking about and what Puck even himself wants./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And… Beth is right. I should talk to someone. This is a lot. Too much for one person. How do/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" any /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"heroes really do it?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A Rarefied Mind = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Feb 21, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_10_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 9/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fresh scent and taste of coffee is brilliant. A dark, soothing roast that slightly scalds my tongue, despite the deliberate drowning of cream and sweetener. It's surprisingly good for an office like this, and focusing on the cup has helped me get through the awkward first few minutes of this conversation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So, Logan - in our last session, I feel as though we did not make progress."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up at Ty Burrell, near perfect memories of Modern Family's first season running through my mind. Except here, the man is not an actor - here, the man is a therapist, holding a notepad as he leans backward in his desk chair, ready to listen to whatever will spew out of my mouth next. His work environment says a lot about him - disorganized chaos.. Doctor Leonard Samson is not a name I recognize from the comics, but considering that Captain America and Iron Man look like actors, I'm willing to bet he's someone important. I just wish I knew/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" who. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, well, it's week two," I reply. "Don't these things take time?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Typically," the man says as he clears his throat. "You seem fairly intelligent for your age. How are your grades?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot help but frown. My grades back home were good - great, even - but this is not the first time that Samson has pried further into where I came from. In fact, him agreeing to see me at all is weird - what kind of therapist does business under the table like this? Without asking for insurance up front?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fine," I say noncommittally, earning a neutral stare. "Why did you agree to meet with me again?" Samson did not mention it last time, and I'd remember if he did. Perfectly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles. "I meet with patients of all ages and in many unique and troubling situations."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He said that before, too. Why he bothered to take on a client who can't even give him insurance, a driver's license, or anything is more than a bit confusing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's my job to read people. Their faces, their body language, how they present themselves," Samson says after a moment, a slight tapping of a pen to paper punctuating each syllable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do you read about me?" I ask, genuinely curious but feeling a bit silly. Meeting with a therapist is a mistake if I cannot be honest about everything, and so this feels almost like a waste of time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Doctor Samson takes a long drink from his own matching cup, looking me over from behind the lenses of thick glasses. "You mentioned, Logan, that you're feeling overwhelmed, like you have too much on your plate. Quite frankly, the exhaustion is clear as day on your face, like the thick bags under your eyes. You're barely wearing something more than pajamas, and I'm not convinced that you showered before comin-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I did!" My face reddens, and I don't know why he's complaining about the clothes. These are comfortable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fair enough," he relents with a raising of his hand. "How much sleep did you get last night?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I swallow. "Not a lot."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The spell snaps into existence as the blue currents of Azyr pass through me and then flow high into the sky, almost instantly. The flare of the Winds are likely visible on the horizon for people in the distance, but it fades as fast as it appears, like a powerful bolt of lightning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes shine with renewed power as the stars twinkle above Manhattan, glimmering for a long few seconds and cutting through the dulling pollution from the city's nightlife. They glitter in a pattern - understandable only for those who have studied the stars like an astromancer - before a single westerly star appears to burn ever brighter. I know what that entails - the object I seek is to the west and is moving quickly./span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"The voice of the newscaster from earlier today plays in my mind once more, aided by the enhanced memory recall. /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Breaking news tonight out of the NYPD and - somehow - not the tabloids. Unknown assailants attacked a police transport carrying a local woman into protective custody, and the assailants have captured her. Two officers are injured, a third dead. Sources suspect this is the latest plot in the story of New York City's gang violence problem. The woman, Suzanne Harrow, is the heiress to the Harrow Unlimited fortune. She is notorious for her presence in the Manhattan party scene, and The Inquirer speculated last week that she may have been missing from the public eye since the first week of April. There are no further details available at this time, but the NYPD ensures that their search is ongoing."/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That was her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman I saved. Nearly two weeks ago./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The heiress to some minor trade company. Local college student at NYU. Apparently a target for the Kitchen Irish, a gang in Hell's Kitchen with its own checkered past./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And now, she is in danger again. Presumably from the same goons./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The divining spell from Azyr locked onto her location. Admittedly, this is risky because the spell is not meant for people, but rather for objects. Realistically, the spell could be a false positive or perhaps just wildly incorrect, but I have to try. It's the best way I could find her, without breaking further into the new library in the Sanctuary. Thanks to an enhanced memory, learning Azyr has become significantly easier, and more of its tools are at my fingertips. I must try to find her, before these gang members get whatever it is that they want./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pulling the hoodie tighter around my head and the bandana around my face, I drop through the rooftop of this building, allowing lyrium to force my body out of sync with the Waking World. I cut the connection just as I reach the bottom, hearing a gasp and the sound of a shopping bag hitting the floor./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A woman darts away from me, nearly running into a rack of clothes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sorry! Didn't mean to spook ya!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Not giving her time to call security on what may as well have been a ghost to her, I run straight for the nearest wall and into the street. Nothing is a deterrent for me as I sprint right through a packed tourist bus, lyrium faintly radiating light in my wake. I don't hear their panicked cries for help or for terror, running right for the corner store and continuing west./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd find her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have to find her./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pulling myself back to the present, I clear my throat. "Why do you help people?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That seems to surprise Samson. He puts the coffee down onto the table next to him and steeples his fingers in his lap. "Where does this question come from?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just something on my mind lately," I say simply, trying - and probably failing - to not show how I'm feeling. Not to a trained professional./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I help people because I believe it is my calling," the doctor says with a sincere smile. "It is what I have always wanted to do, even from your age. Firefighter, police officer, soldier, teacher - I wanted to be lots of things, but at the root of each one? Helping people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I bristle a bit under this, but I'm not sure why. He seems to notice my reaction and scribbles on his notepad, only adding to my discomfort./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It should not bother me, really. I've spent much of my life hearing people talk about the call from God to do certain things, to build livelihoods, to support their community or their family./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Have /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I been called?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Did God "work in mysterious ways" to punish the little gay boy and force Puck to steal me from my life, all so I can play hero in an entirely different and previously fictional world?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Okay, maybe it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"should/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" bother me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How did you know therapy was the right way for you to help people? Why not the other things you said?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dr. Samson pushes his glasses up, a movement that I do frequently to center myself and re-focus. "I blame my freshman year psychology teacher. Made me realize that serving someone's needs does not have to involve throwing your life on the line." He looks at me pointedly. "But enough about me. Logan, am I wrong in presuming that this is something you want to do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes widen. "Throwing my life on the line?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blanches. "No, no, I simply meant to ask if you wish to have a career that will allow you assist others."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A career?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Can superheroism be a career?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How do the teams like the X-Men get paid? If memory serves - and it does, but I haven't read every X-Men comic - funding for the team came directly from Xavier's fortune and later came from Warren Worthington's rich inheritance. But does Wolverine get a paycheck from Charles every month? Or do they all work pro-bono?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I think back to the doctor's suggestion about putting his life on the line. In a real world situation, would superheroes actually accept working for free? There's no narrative reason of trying to inspire the audience to better their communities by working for free in a real-world situation. The "ideal" hero receives nothing in compensation for their good deeds, for putting themselves and their lives in harm's way. It feels right to me to be closer to the ideal, but that ideal clashes with reality doesn't it? It's not like police officers work for free./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I look back up at him sheepishly. "Sorry, was just thinking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""About a career?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In the spirit of honesty, I nod./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If something like God called me here to a higher calling, then would it be wrong to accept money to follow that calling? If I could even get someone to pay me, anyway - not like last night./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The touch of Azyr that flows through my chest, that softly caresses the back of my neck, that lightly trails along the edge of my wrists, guides me through every city street between here and their location. The closer I get, the stronger the feeling appears to be - I'm nearing her, I'm sure of it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A realization forces me to stop on a dime, halfway through a broom closet that shares a wall with the outer perimeter of this complex./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Traffic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh man, they're stuck in New York traffic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That explains the stopping and starting, the slow trickle of speed, the shifting in the feeling of the cosmic skies above./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I am nowhere near fast enough to keep up with traffic normally, but I have an advantage - I do not have to go around buildings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Combine that with a busy New York street, and…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, Logan, you got this," I mutter under my breath, before launching myself into motion once more, exhaustion accumulating with each minute of forced running, far beyond my limits./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm surprised I'm still conscious./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Throughout the mad dash to find where they've taken her, my presence has certainly been noticed. There will no doubt be people talking about this tomorrow, tonight, and everything in between. I'm not doing it for that, though, so the whole prospect gives me discomfort./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Finally, I break through onto a main thoroughfare, filled with dozens of vehicles of all shapes and sizes. Realistically, someone of her size could be stashed in any trunk or floorboard, but I make a point to check the vans first - street violence always involves big vans./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The first one simply shocks a Puerto Rican family, the little boy shouting in excitement in the far back seat. I mumble an apology and check the next one, and then the next, and then the next. Snapping my fingers and splitting my soul, six versions of a younger me pop into existence, staying within range and checking for any signs they can access, without sticking their heads in trunks like I am. Not for the first time, I wish my minions got to inherit my tattoos, if only because it would add to what I can do in this moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey! What the fuck are you doing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A voice shouts toward me, barely audible above the din of the city streets. My eyes meet the gaze of a ginger man sitting in the driver seat of a nearby truck, and what is likely his wife and child are cowering in the passenger seat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Looking for someone important," I explain carefully, already thinking of the incantation for T'essla's Arc should it become necessary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You wouldn't happen to have noticed anything strange about any of the cars around your truck?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man scoffs. "No way. Whatever you are, scram. You're scaring my family."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can see the terror in their eyes and realize that he's right, so I slip away from view and shift away to check one by one, periodically checking the stars above to sense if something has changed. One tourist group have noticed the stars and point emphatically toward it, talking in hushed but excited tones about the visible stars above New York City./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is far more high-profile. A D-list celebrity. Gang activity. A fledgling superhero poking into cars like a phantom because he has no better options to find someone quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Luckily - and unluckily - they find me first./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You are distracted."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I poke my head up to look toward the doctor, broken from my reverie. He says it like a statement, not a question, and I blush. "There's a lot of stuff on my mind."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He leans back slightly to take that in. "What are you willing to tell me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My blush deepens. "Is it that obvious?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That you're uncomfortable with sharing?" Samson adds. "You're not the first patient like this, and you won't be the last. Just tell me what you /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"are/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" comfortable sharing. We only get somewhere when you express what you're thinking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take a heavy breath, eyes darting toward the ornate clock on the wall above the doctor's head. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Still have half a session or more./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Have you ever been in a situation where you failed to help someone?" I reconsider. "Maybe not actually fail fail, but ended up doing worse than you expected?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles simply. "All the time." He clears his throat. "You seem fixated on this. Guilty conscience?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"After a long moment of hesitation, I faintly nod. "Something like that." My memories take me elsewhere./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Gunfire pops in the distance, and I run for cover behind an occupied SUV. Pedestrians shout for terror and run for help, and the sound of shattered glass from broken windshields shakes me to my core. If traffic was not /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"already/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" at a near standstill, then the sudden firefight in the middle of the busy street grinds it to a halt./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A moving truck ahead has one of its back doors open. Leaning from it with one hand, a pistol in the other, a man fires wildly in my direction - or the place where I once was. Instead, I slip away and further back, preparing my next move./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There is /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"no/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" chance that Suzanne is not in there. I can feel it in the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"stars./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Azyr flows through my fingertips, arcs of possibility sparking like lightning. With a snap of my fingers, four minions of myself run into harm's way, splitting off into different directions. More gunfire stings my eardrums, the rapid beating of my heart palpable in my chest. My breath heaves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I gotta get in there before the traffic breaks and they're able to outrun me. With the clones maneuvering in different directions, the gangsters do not know where to aim properly, firing into the vehicles around them. I glance up to see through the back window of this car that a family is hiding, terrified and in the line of fire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lean forward and phase through the back of the car like a ghost. "Hey, I know this is-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What the hell?!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, yeah, I know. No time! Go out to the left!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I run toward the right, pop more minions into existence, and leap through a parked and empty cab car. In the distance, clones begin shooting bits of their own essence, like tiny motes of white light with just under the force of a sledgehammer. They impact against the ground, against the sides of vehicles, against the back of the truck, but no lucky hits against the thugs ahead./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One leans outside the truck's passenger window and fires his weapon three times into the crowd of minions. One pops with a frightening scream, while the others return fire once more, forcing the thug back into his car, lest he lose his kneecaps./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I force myself into a run, trying to stay low and darting into and out of a bus just to keep them on their toes. They've got plenty of targets to choose from, so this should be easy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Gunfire, even in a busy street filled with screaming people, is /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"loud. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have a strong suspicion that the phantom doctor will need to look over my ear drums later, because this is too much. One of those restoration books in the new library might be useful to stave off the long-term hearing loss, but I've not had the time to look into it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I drop into a crouch, feeling awkward and unnatural. This is sloppy posture, and I'm sure Fenris would hate how I'm using his abilities, without the fighting skills to back it up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why are there so many of these guys?!" an Irish gangster shouts to one of the others. "Hit the damn gas!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The one driving apparently tries to listen, because the truck jolts forward abruptly before stopping just as fast. I can't help but grin from my hiding place, moving as soon as the thug turns to angrily shout at the driver./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My tattoos blaze with azure light as I slip into the back of the vehicle. A quick scan of the space reveals a thug standing at the back exit, preparing another clip into his gun to fire at the clones who are nearly out of my range and somewhere behind the car. Lying in a heap with a bag over her head is a young woman - tied with rope, battered with bruises, and covered in tears./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I move./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Azyr lightning coats my fingertips, and the power of a Tazer crackles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man turns, shocked to see me inside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He starts to shout a warning and to wheel his gun around toward me, but I close the distance in nearly the same moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The thug twists away from my lunge, barely avoiding a face full of magical electricity. Instead, the spell impacts nearly harmlessly against the side of the car, and his gun clatters against the ground outside. The man shoulder-checks me hard into the side of the vehicle, and I groan in pain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I try to redouble, but a kick impacts my side./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The freak is in here!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Another./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Another./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He reaches for something in his belt, and my eyes widen even through the stings of pain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of his allies tries to join us, but a white blast of light intercepts, throwing him to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Let-" I cough, a twinge in my chest accompanying the breath, "her go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The wild look in the gangster's eyes settles on me. "Fat chance!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You really -"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The small handgun levels in my direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Panic fills my chest, and I snap my fingers weakly, barely concentrating enough to draw a single minion into the compartment. The little twelve-year-old dressed in identical, if smaller, clothing rushes for the man's legs, to topple him off his balance, but the gun barrel explodes with smoke and sound./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman screams./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clone falls to the floor of the vehicle, a bit of blood pooling against the carpeted floor. A single hole sits in the clone's chest, and the younger me sputters with blood for several seconds, drowning on his own life. He fades from existence in a white flicker of light, leaving a crimson stain behind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What the hell even are you?" the thug's surprised voice asks, hand still shakily brandishing the weapon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Whatever I am, it doesn't matter - you're not getting her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lean back, trying to force myself upward. When the truck lurches forward with sudden speed, I don't quite manage to catch my balance, tumbling to the ground in a heap. Fortunately for me, the thug rolls back and empties him angrily into the street, gun sent skittering further back. The taxi cab behind him lies empty, the driver having already fled for his life from the sight of the fight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I roll to my feet and snap another clone into existence, the others having long since disappeared due to range. I point toward the driver's seat, not letting my eyes off of the gangster trying to recover, despite the moving truck. "Take out the-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A gunshot wound to the chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A young boy gurgling blood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vomit fills my mouth, and I throw myself toward the open doorway, letting loose the remains of my dinner onto the street./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minion places his hands on my shoulders, but I push him off before allowing him to disappear. I can't use them right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Closing the back door to the truck quickly, I steady myself despite the ramping speed of the vehicle, surprised they'd found enough space to move despite the city street. Any moment, that is bound to change./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking out the driver is important, but so is getting the woman out of here. Time it right, and I could do both./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello," I say carefully, kneeling before the woman quickly and reaching for a knife from my belt to cut her bindings. "We need to stop meeting like this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're him!" she says through the cloth covering her head. "I thought you weren't real."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm real," I say, pulling off the cloth covering with one hand the moment that I free her own. "I regret how things ended last time. I should have gotten you out-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shakes her head slightly, studying me. "No, you can't think that!" She starts to speak up again, but I raise a hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Go to the backdoor and be ready to open it, when I give you the signal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Suzanne shakily crawls across the truck and grasps onto the door, while I stay for a second to ensure she's safe for at least the next few seconds./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Charging a dart of electricity from Azyr to coat my fingers, I reach my upper body through the barrier separating the back compartment from the cabin of the truck. The same prepared hand reaches forward, even as my eyes study the condition of the road. We'd made it past an off-ramp to a less busy street, heading toward the Bronx at a breakneck speed. Distantly, the sound of police sirens are more audible here, probably due to the open windows on either side./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sitting in the driver's seat is a squat ginger man with a pedal to the metal. Next to him, scouring behind and to the outside of him through the passenger door window is a much taller man with a thick mustache, a leather jacket across his torso and a rifle in his hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey!" I shout, announcing my presence to the driver in the same moment that my hand finds purchase on the back of the other thug's neck. A single tap of Azyr-tinged lightning sends the man convulsing in pain, a grip lost on the gun despite his continued consciousness. T'essla's Arc is not a particularly powerful electrical spell, but it's more than enough to take the average man down. The fact that he's conscious enough to shout is a testament to his resilience./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach further down, phasing everything but the lower half of my body in the back of the cab, in order to grab at the rifle. "That'll be enough of that!" A toss sends it careening into the street, now missing its magazine./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The driver pushes himself as far from my ghost-like form as he can, gasping in shock, while the other tries to elbow the back of my shoulder. The movement is too weak, and I hit him back with my own bony elbow directly in the left cheek. He folds like a sack of potatoes, leaving only the driver./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A single finger reaches into the man's cheek, following the inching away from me the driver tries to do. "What do you want?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I want to be clear," I say with certainty, flaring my tattoos more. "Give me a reason to not obliterate that face of yours." It'd be easy - all I'd have to do is turn the phasing off while I'm right here, and he'd have a hole in his face he'd have to live with./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do you-" he seems surprised that he can speak, clearly mystified by the phasing trick, "w-want?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The truck comes to a slow stop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do I want?" I slip my hand back toward Suzanne, pushing through the wall of the cabin to give her the signal in the form of a glowing hand telling her to run. "I want to know where your HQ is, who your boss is, who your allies are, and what you want with Suzanne Harrow."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The latter is an easy thing to answer - money, most likely. A crime syndicate trying to steal an heiress's fortune feels like an easy enough motive to understand. But, if there's more Kitchen Irish out there, then there's more people to break, even if this plot ends with Harrow getting to safety./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You think I'll tell you that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think if you want this ugly mug to ever get laid again, you'll stop me from making your whole vibe even uglier."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He rolls his eyes, and I angrily push a finger into his shoulder and yank it out slowly, turning the tattoo effect off on the withdrawal. His flesh for my no longer phasing finger parts like tissue paper, and he screeches in agony./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The sirens get closer, approaching quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull back for a split second and am relieved to see Suzanne running down the open street. Turning back into the interrogation, I gesture toward him. "You think you can stop me from finding her again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He says nothing, just cowering in fear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The lights from the sirens flash in the mirror to the left and the right./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Know this. Attempt something this dumb on her or another person again, and I'll root you all out and turn every one of you over to every law enforcement agency on the planet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pop his tires on the way out, before running after Suzanne./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Have you hurt someone close to you before?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My question surprises the doctor again, the man leaning back to stroke at his chin. "I don't think there's a human on the planet who hasn't. To hurt is to human."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sigh. "Nice deflection."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles. "It's not usual for the psychologist to explain this much about himself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'd feel more comfortable if you did."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's a shot in the dark, as it were. Whatever hero or villain this doctor is, perhaps getting him to open up about himself would make me feel better. This man's ability to care for someone like me in his situation is stressful, and totally not worth it to listen to Beth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The first time I hurt someone in a major way?" Samson thinks carefully. "During my sophomore year of college, I had a depressive episode. My mom was there every step of the way for me during that time, and I actually had to move back home and take the commute to school during that semester. Instead of going to classes, however, I used to hide for three hours in a bookstore. Mom never found out, and I barely managed to earn credits that year."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I ponder that for a moment. "She never found out?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""As far as I know," Samson explains. "She passed away last summer, and it still eats at me that she never knew."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But you didn't hurt her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Samson smiles. "I hurt our relationship, our trust, our bond - by treating her that way, by not trusting her to tell the truth, I did hurt her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But she never knew."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""She didn't have to know, because /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" knew I was hurting her." He takes a last sip of his coffee. "I hurt her, and I hurt myself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An image of the minion's death is still fresh on my brain, from both of the last excursions into hero-dom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Am I hurting more than just some replica of me by doing this?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When Suzanne and I finally get to a place of safety, I collapse onto a stoop in some forgotten alleyway. Every bit of physical exhaustion in the last hour comes rushing back to rear its head all at once, and the adrenaline fades to allow every ache and pain to return. The woman sits next to me, wiping at ruined eye make-up and trying to make herself look presentable before giving up entirely. I don't want to know what specific horrors she went through, this time or the last./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why'd they want you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She stares at the question for a long few seconds. "Money? Why else?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It has to be more complicated than that," I say non-committally. "They can apparently take someone out from police custody - they could rob a bank if they want money."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She thinks long and hard for a moment before finally closing her eyes. "They threatened my father if I did not do as they asked."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Big CEO."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah. I agreed to go with them the first time, agreed to take their drugs, all to keep him safe," she explains, before turning almost fiery eyes on me. "Then you broke me out of their facility, and the NYPD put me in police protection. Dad swore he was okay. I'm not sure what else they wanted from me, but clearly they wanted more because they went through the trouble of capturing me again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How'd they know you were in transport?" I ask, uncertain. Something does not add up. She doesn't know how to answer, and it's all growing fuzzier by the second./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Moments pass and no more answers come, nor police sirens, nor gangsters. A more peaceful night in the City that Never Sleeps./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do I call you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The question floors me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Despite fantasizing about this for years, I'd never come up with an idea that stuck. Now that I somehow have superpowers, the idea of a cape name has not quite stuck yet in my head. I've barely scratched the surface of what I can do, how I can use my abilities./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Any one of them, if exploited, could be its own themed superhero. A divination-focused hero through the magic of the heavens. An ice-focused hero through the use of the weird crystal that can probably do more. A clone-focused hero that definitely is not knock-off Naruto. A ghost-themed hero that can slip through walls./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Considering how things have gone so far and how much of the Grimoire still lay blank, this is nowhere near the last of it. A name that can consolidate all of it is impossible./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She seems surprised. "You don't know? Isn't that how these things usually go in all those comics and cartoons?" She glances up once more, evidence of shock growing greater on her face. "Hang on. How is it even possible?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Magic," I say simply. "Is it really that weird? A few city blocks were destroyed by a couple of rage monsters a couple years ago, and there's a couple dudes flying around in suits that should crush them due to g-forces but somehow don't."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Magic? Wow." Suzanne barely registers the mention of Harlem before her eyes grow two sizes too big./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah," I explain. "Look, there should be a police station that way. I'll escort you there, but you should really go into witness protection or something. Somewhere where no one will know you, til all this blows over."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Suzanne looks toward the sky for a moment and then back down to me. "I've had to stay hidden from paparazzi sometimes, so I'm used to it." She pats herself down and frowns. "Look, I don't have anything on me right now, but please, how much to repay you? I can arrange-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Pay me?" I ask, confused. "No, no, you don't have to do that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I mean," she says after a time. "You really don't think I should?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's nothing you have that I could want," I say, hopefully convincingly. "Magic, remember?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"To emphasize the point, I conjure the magic mirror from its position clipped to the back of my belt, feeling it appear above my hands. It rotates once, twice, three times before I am whisked away from the woman, leaving her in relative safety and myself wondering if I made a mistake./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, that's all the time we have."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The words shake me from my thoughts, and the doctor looks toward his watch and the clock on the wall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, right. Sorry I spaced out, there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He waves it off. "No worries. I'll see you next week?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod, uncertain if I'll see him again. This was the first full session, and all it really did was reinforce that I need to talk to someone I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" trust. Perhaps before the session next time, I can use some of Azyr's divination skills to portent whether telling the Ty Burrell look-alike about my heroism is a good thing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A knock on the door interrupts the moment, and the doctor raises a hand. "Come in."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A face I recognize steps into view. Wearing a brilliant navy blue suit, a tie, and sporting a balding head, Agent Phil Coulson offers a hand not toward the psychologist but toward myself. "Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt, but can I borrow your client?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, no worries. Our time just ended."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have to fight down the excitement at seeing one of the folks I recognized from the movies face-to-face. A member of SHIELD, he unexpectedly worked with Tony and Pepper to stop Stane. Reports directly to Nick Fury, a man perfectly cast with Samuel L. Jackson./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I do have to ask what your intentions are with my client?" Doctor Samson asks, before turning to me. "Do you know this person?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We just have a few questions," Coulson says, brandishing an FBI badge with a practiced hand. "I'll have to ask you to come with us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Samson slowly recovers, a bit of compassion spreading across his face. "Is he under arrest?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson gives an affable smile. "Nothing of the sort, but it's important that you come with us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I step through the doorway to follow after the SHIELD agent, wondering where I went wrong that they found me this quickly. Was it camera footage from the first outing? Live testimony from the previous one? Or maybe Samson turned me in and just played dumb?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Between you and me, kid, the Director is excited to meet you."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hearthfire - Vast Library - Elder Scrolls. Cost: 200 CP. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_11_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 10/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have no idea where the SHIELD agents took me, but that falls within expectations for their ability to remain discreet. These people are highly-trained and highly-motivated to stay in the shadows. At no point during the trip here did I feel in control - the confidence of the government backing up your actions must be awesome. They kept me out of the loop and out of comfort the entire trip, apart from the affable smile of one man with Clark Gregg's mild-mannered face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They ushered me into a nondescript building and then left me here for over an hour, with nothing but the ticking of the clock on the wall to keep me company. I briefly - and impatiently - considered at several points to just walk out of here - there's not likely to be anything they can do to stop me from slipping through their walls. But, this is an opportunity, one I cannot throw away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Finally, the door opens, revealing Agent Coulson. The man smirks and holds out a hand. "Mint?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take it with a smile, popping the candy into my mouth with a bit of glee. I've always enjoyed little candies like these. A series of perfect memories rises to the surface of my thoughts, ones involving little mint candies at a local pizza place my family used to frequent. For a moment, it almost feels like home./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man settles into his chair - backwards, for some reason. A pile of paperwork in a manila folder falls onto the table with a resounding plop. "You must be wondering what you're doing here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, yeah," I answer, a pit of nervousness rising in my stomach./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Putting all our cards on the table," he says with a glimmer in his eyes. A practiced hand places several photos between us, pulled from the file folder. Each shows me - both masked and unmasked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The one in the clearest quality is a snapshot from a bus camera, showing a masked individual with bright, glowing tattoos as he dashes through the vehicle's structure like it's nothing. The poorest is security footage from my first night out, showing little versions of me beating up the thugs from the Kitchen Irish in the middle of a busy hallway. The sight of it makes my stomach churn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A suggestion: if your goal was to remain anonymous with that bandana," he points to a close-up of my face obscured by the red cloth, where a faint bit of light shines through the fabric from where the tattoos glow, "then perhaps choose a thicker fabric. Those markings kinda give it away."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blush with realization. "Do you think-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, the average person probably couldn't connect the dots," he says with certainty. "We're not average people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why is the, uh, FBI looking into this? Did I do something wrong?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It is not a dumb question. I know, in the back of my mind, that vigilantism is illegal. But how does someone working for SHIELD, someone who supported Tony Stark in his endeavors, feel?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Some would say that you did," Coulson explains, tapping a finger on the desk to punctuate the point. "Many on my chain of command show strong concerns, both lower and higher. Delusions of teenage grandeur, foolish temperament, a rampant disregard for your own mortality."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," I say uselessly. "That bad, huh?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles slightly. "Not all bad. One of the guys in my department is rooting for you, but you know," he looks over his shoulder and then leans in to whisper, "he doesn't want us to know that we know, you know?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right," I reply with only a bit of confusion, uncertain as to where this conversation is going./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If there are people at SHIELD rooting for me, then I'm not just going to be thrown in some cell, never to see the light of day again, right? I wouldn't put it past them to figure out some way to block or limit my tattoos, given enough time and enough super science from comic books. That threat is always there, I guess, but what are they even planning to do right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clears his throat. "So, when my analysts were looking into what we could find about you, prior to this meeting, one particular conundrum really fooled us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He pulls a basic sheet out of the folder, one with almost every box unfilled to describe basic demographics. The only thing they for sure have is my first name and the last name I gave Geraldine. Attached at the top with a paperclip is a quite high quality image of my face, taken who knows when, without the bandana, and they apparently used that to guess my age at fourteen. I've always looked younger, but that's a little insulting./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No school records. No medical records. No economic records of any kind, not even from your place of employment, nor your place of residence." He gestures toward a few more nearly blank pieces of paper. "You're off the books. As far as I can tell, you've never been /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"on/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the books. And there's a lot of books to choose from."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up toward him, meeting his eyes. How much do I tell him? Agent Coulson feels like one that I can trust, a familiar face in a sea of unfamiliar and untrustworthy people. But he works for an organization that has done some shady stuff in the past, at least in the comics - Civil War and the mandroids come to mind, among other things. What else would they do in this reality?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're like a ghost," he reiterates. "And sometimes you do that ghosting thing literally."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, yeah," I finally say unhelpfully, before steeling myself. "This is hard to explain, but I'm not from this world."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His eyes widen for a moment before returning to their more neutral state. "An alien? I don't quite-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, not like an alien-alien." I sigh, not sure how to read his expression. "I'm from a different universe. You won't find me on any books because, before a few weeks ago, I didn't exist here but instead existed elsewhere."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He clears his throat, trying to regain composure. "That's a lofty claim."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't think it's that weird. Or at least, it's not the weirdest thing about me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He jots something down, an entirely unnecessary thing to do in the moment because I'm sure there're cameras watching and recording every angle here. He can replay and watch to his heart's content./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're from another universe but you seem to be a native English speaker."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I know it's strange, but I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"am/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a native English speaker. For some reason, the same language exists in both places. Where I'm from looks a lot like this place, just without all the bells and whistles."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He looks up questioningly. "Bells and whistles?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Superpowers. Where I'm from, no one has any, not even me. I didn't, until I got here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson's face stays neutral for a few seconds as he processes that. "Where /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"did/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" your powers come from, then? If you didn't get them until you… arrived, then how?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All you need to know is that they're magic," I explain after a moment, earning a dumbfounded look. "You know, you're kinda bad at not looking surprised."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He recovers a moment and then smiles. "Am I?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah. Hasn't the FBI dealt with things like this before?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's classified," he explains with a playful grin. "Sit tight for a few minutes, I have to have several conversations about the things you've said. That's how these things usually go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Agent of SHIELD leaves the room with a jolt to his step, and I cannot help but feel exposed. However it is that they found me, this could potentially be an in to greater situations, or at least a form of support. If they worked with Tony, they'd work with someone like me, right? I mean, they wouldn't really leave a sixteen-year-old to keep doing this /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"completely/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" alone./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson does not quite know what to think as he listens to a group of exasperated SHIELD agents, including one field scientist named Morrow who has made his displeasure at the situation quite clear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Next thing we know, bloody David Copperfield will resurrect from the dead and start punching criminals," the Englishman complains. With a nod to another agent, Morrow re-watches a collection of footage taken from each incident, alongside the recorded statement from just minutes ago explaining that it's magic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We don't really know what it is," another agent explains, gesturing to a frame-by-frame breakdown of this teenager creating three duplicates of himself in the middle of a New York street. Coulson has seen stranger - and lived through stranger times - but magic is a much newer one for him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But not completely new./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nearly a year ago, Coulson had experienced Thor and his magic hammer. This was a Level Six secret - the rest of the agents at this facility were Level Five or lower - so they do not quite know everything the way that he does. Even still, this is just some kid, in way over his head, with a list of enhanced abilities that he believes to be magic. Whether it really is or isn't, Coulson doesn't quite know what to think, but he's willing to take the kid at his word until some analyst tells him otherwise. At the very least, Logan's less magical to Coulson than a mythical figure apparently walking among humans, and even SHIELD's top brass argue over whether Thor really is magical./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The same argument is happening here and now, with Morrow leading the pack in opposition to the kid's claims. Coulson sighs, inwardly wondering whether protocol will help or hinder their efforts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We'll Index him," the man finally says, earning a surprised look from some of the others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Under what pseudonym?" Morrow asks, a bit incredulous. "For all we know, he's an Enhanced Russian asset playing make-believe. Another universe? Highly unlikely."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Other agents begin speaking up, making their voices heard, but Coulson is not hearing it at the moment. "The Index allows us to keep a watch on him, and the initial process will iron out any suspected deceptions."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But he needs more than that," an agent in the back says - Ramirez, Coulson remembers. "I doubt the kid's going to stop going out there unless we intervene."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, we're not going to arrest him," Coulson says evenly, "until such a time as our superiors recommend it. Until then, we follow protocol and put him on the Index."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The scientist paces back and forth. "It's dangerous for an Enhanced to be left alone and to use their abilities in the field," Morrow says carefully, adjusting his glasses. "I can agree that putting him under strict watch is important. We'll need to more strictly evaluate his powers as well. For all we know, this 'magic' could be an energy signature that causes cancer or some other horrific side effects."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson concedes that point, though he is admittedly uncomfortable with the idea of evaluating a child so thoroughly. It must be done, however, or you end up with something like the tragedy in Bahrain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh," another agent calls out from in front of their monitor. "You all have to see this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson smirks./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When the door finally opens, a man with the spitting image of Samuel L. Jackson strides into the room dressed in leather, an eyepatch over one eye and looking every bit as intimidating as he can be. A sour expression fills the face of perhaps the most powerful man in the world, depending on your criteria./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Magic."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I gulp at hearing Fury's statement. The man sits in the chair across from me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not the first I've heard of it," he continues, pointing to the table slightly. "Doubt it will be the last."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clear my throat. "Excuse me, but who are you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""My name is Nick Fury, director of SHIELD, a peacekeeping and intelligence organization that ferrets out strange things like yourself." He leans back slightly, acting cool as a cucumber. "You'll have to forgive my subordinates for their subterfuge, but SHIELD is off the record."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, okay," I reply. "So not FBI then."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, our friends at the Bureau are not aware of your existence, as far as I can tell. And I can tell pretty far."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Somehow that makes me feel more at ease. "That's good to know, but I don't know if it would be better or worse for you all to have found me so quickly."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smirks. "You didn't exactly hide yourself well - you've got a very distinctive facial tattoo pattern. If I were you, I'd invest in some top brand concealer for my day job."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Coulson mentioned something like that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's a good guy - you should listen to him in the future."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""In the future?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury steeples his fingers. "I am a man who believes in the power of investment. Investments can always be a risk, but some have more potential than others. Short-term or long-term, the future needs potential."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He, uh…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He thinks I have potential?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nick Fury thinks that I have potential./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whoa./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At my apparent elation, Fury holds up a hand. "Don't get too excited. The future is a long way away. Let's focus on the here and now."/span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_12_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 11/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You might feel a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"slight/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" twinge of pain."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Groaning, I fight to keep my arm still, ignoring the sting of the giant needle. The angle was all wrong, and it hurts like hell, but it's over in seconds. The scientist holds a tube of my blood a moment later, sealing it and labeling it carefully for testing purposes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman turns a half smile a moment later. "If it makes you feel any better, I hate needles too. The medical advances we can make with them are fascinating and more than worth it, but I don't like hurting others all the same." Her English accent is thick and almost like honey./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, well, it still stings." I rub the spot for a second, before she can finish wrapping the wound. "What was your name, doctor?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, Doctor Jemma Simmons, at your service," she says with an almost motherly grin. "My team and I are going to do some diagnostic testing on your blood, to determine if the abilities you possess have had any changes to your biology, positive or negative."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Negative?" I ask, my face sinking. "I don't understand how they can be negative."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wish I knew more than I do about biology, about human anatomy. I suppose the enhanced memory I possess might make it easier to learn, but I'd just be doing recall. My English teacher in 10th grade made it very clear that students need more than just rote memorization. This is why learning Azyr has taken as long as it has, compared to the other avenues that the Grimoire has highlighted so far./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Medical science is complex," Simmons begins carefully, a frown stretching across her face. A look of concern glimmers in her eyes. "This is pure speculation and not meant to alarm you, but the energy that you manipulate could have ramifications on your bodily functions, without your knowledge now. There could be problems down the road, things like increased risk of cancer or infertility."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wonder what she would think had I gone through with the ritual to become a lich. Undead, even with an outward human appearance, would look quite odd under a microscope, I imagine./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She produces a cotton swab in her gloved hands. "Open your mouth for a moment, I'm taking a cheek swab. This is arguably the most common way that we test for DNA."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The sensation is uncomfortable but not painful, over quicker than I realize./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I freaked you out, didn't I?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her gaze meets mine, but I shake my head. "Um, no, but I hadn't thought of things like you have. This is all so new to me that it still feels exciting, almost like playing with a toy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the other scientists almost glares at me when I say that, but when he realizes that he's been caught, quickly clears his throat. "My name is Dr. Morrow, one of the lead researchers. Why, child, do you view these abilities as a toy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Simmons shoots him a look, but I realize what he's doing - and where I fucked up. "A toy is the wrong word. It's more like when you get a new car. It's exciting, it's fun, but you still have a responsibility to treat it the right way on the road."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A very practiced answer," Morrow says with a glower./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is taking a lot of time, doc," I reply. "I have plenty of time to think."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, I don't see how all the smoke and mirrors could be fun," the man says haughtily. "Magic? Bah."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach for my mirror with a thought, just to prove him wrong, before realizing how that might come across in a room of tightly-wound agents and scientists. I glance toward Simmons. "Permission to demonstrate something? There's zero chance of danger, unless someone like faints out of shock."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman looks around, her eyes focusing on the cameras recording the lab for a moment, and then nods. "Oh, yes, I suppose that's all right. I'd quite like to see some of this myself. It feels a bit too good to be true."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the agents turns a different style of camera in my direction, eager to capture my demonstration to record for analysis. Apparently, there'd be more of that kind of recording in the engineering lab later today, but for now, this would have to do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I fixate my attention on Morrow just to watch him freak. With a thought and a flick of my wrist, the magic mirror floats a few inches above my hand, suspended in mid-air. The reflection does not match the sterilized and almost futuristic lab around us, but instead shows my hotel room where the mirror is currently keyed, something called the spawn point according to the Grimoire's pages about the mirror. Its crystalline structure glitters in the florescent light./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The looks on the research team's faces are priceless. Something as simple as a mirror that does not seem to fall prey to gravity is a feat for science that no scientist has been able to achieve, not without the use of magnetism. Mr. Fletcher from eighth grade taught us about how magnets can make things float, so long as they are magnetic, but this is not that unless I've got a magnet embedded in my hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you're impressed by this much," I explain with a smile, "then you should probably know that I can use this mirror to teleport myself instantly to another location, the one you see in the reflection. I'd demonstrate for you, but I couldn't come back here without having to go the boring, normal way by car."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What? No brooms, no floo powder?" One of the research analysts in the back, a younger man who'd likely be attractive if he lost about twenty pounds, asks with an incredulous look./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Harry Potter /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a thing here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That should make this afternoon even better./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Give me enough time, and who knows? Maybe I could figure those out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Morrow bites his tongue and then powers through the motion anyway. "This is hard to believe. Magic? This is just some technological trick. Mighty convenient that you can't use the mirror right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can use it right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd be getting rid of my most convenient way home, but it's worth it just to make this asshole understand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Repeating the steps of the ritual, one that involves that ruby-red crystal embedded in the frame of the mirror, I set the keyed location to the middle of the lab. "That should do it. Inside the lab or outside the lab?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Simmons stares in confusion for a moment before recovering. "Both?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The mirror turns three times in mid-air above my hands, and then I am without warning standing six feet away in a flash of purple light and a whimsical sound./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fascinating." Simmons tracks both locations with her eyes, blinking to ensure that she did not miss anything. "Again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I step outside the lab, one agent following me outside as an escort, before I repeat the steps and magically appear in the same spot only moments later./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A couple of the researchers clap with excitement, while others stand in awe. Morrow groans for a moment and then nods. "All right, it's impressive. You've got some flare, I'll give you that. But this could still be some technology we do not understand. Perhaps the generation of a limited wormhole, or-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I click my tongue for a moment. "Which is more likely? A sixteen-year-old with far-too-advanced technology lies about it just to sneak into the world's most dangerous organization of super spies. Or a sixteen-year-old with superpowers that involve magic is under undue scrutiny from said organization."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Morrow stammers, "Well, the first is more likely given my worldview."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I roll my eyes. "Does your view of the world explain how a sixteen-year-old got that advanced tech? Germany, Russia, China, Japan - would they be capable of building something like this? And would they really send an untrained sixteen-year-old white kid to the United States with it just to somehow trick them that magic is real?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I put the mirror away, annoyed. Morrow has nothing to say immediately, so I continue. "I could demonstrate several other things to try to prove my case, some of which involve nothing but a few magic words and a clear manipulation of the world around me. Which would break your world view the most, Agent Morrow?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The doctor almost storms out of the room until a look from Doctor Simmons forces him to sit in a corner, stewing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sorry about him," she finally says with a whisper. "I think some of these folks are not quite ready to understand just how much the world has changed."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head. "It's fine. Are you? Ready?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman grins. "I'd like to think so, but at the same time, I have my own struggles." The grin fades. "It will take some time to adjust to a new strand of logic, I think."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's the mature response./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The engineering researchers are not quite as mature./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, no, you can't put that there," shouts a cutie with a thick Scottish accent, gesturing to a pair of researchers carrying a tray of tools that I cannot possibly understand. They were about to set it down on a shelf in the northeastern wall before the head researcher shouted his frustration. "Please, just leave. I'll put it in place and we'll get started."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Finally, the engineer turns to address me, his curly brown hair and kind eyes quite adorable. Jesus, if all scientists were this hot, I'd sign-up to go to a research college immediately. "Hello, you're the talk of the facility. You can call me Fitz. Hand me that screwdriver, will ya?" He points to the table of mundane, recognizable tools a few feet away, before he immediately hops underneath a shelf containing a metallic contraption that is just as confusing as basically anything else in here. "Hurry, we don't have all day."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sorry, sorry." I place the screwdriver in his hand, remembering what it felt like to work with my dad on anything relating to cars and failing miserably. "What's this thing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's a modification on a spectrometer," he says carefully from underneath the shelving, twisting away at some component that I cannot see from this angle. "When you use your abilities, there is sometimes a visible phenomenon, correct?" At my verbal confirmation, he continues, "We are going to use this to capture data about it, see what conclusions we can make."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Damn, this man is pretty./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Within a couple of moments, the spectrometer buzzes with activity. Another few seconds later, and Fitz declares that he has finished calibrating it for initial testing. He gestures for me to stand a few feet away, while the other engineers do some configuring of their own, following in Fitz' direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right, whenever you're ready, do some magic." After a second, Fitz blinks. "You know, the kind that doesn't hurt people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With a chuckle of understanding at his cute awkwardness, I nod and then concentrate, opening the Winds of Azyr. It darts across my skin with its near invisible manifestations, occasionally congealing into blue sparks of light that can twist into prophecy, into lightning, into wind, into divination. I hold it within that potential, rather than letting it loose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the researchers in the back lifts up his glasses and blinks, rushing to find a lens wipe so that he can see more clearly. An elderly woman begins furiously typing with her darkened fingers, speeding up every second that passes. Fitz himself has to pull his jaw off of the ground, and immediately begins checking the readings from the spectrometer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right," Fitz says distantly, mind clearly racing. "All right, so can you, uh, do something else? We'll need multiple readings to compare and contrast."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I allow at rest currents of Azyr to explode into activity. The Winds collect around my eyes, glittering with an almost sapphire lightning. With a twist of my index finger, electricity gathers around my palms. A second passes and then I force my hands together, allowing a bit of lightning to gather in the space between both hands. With a flicker, Azyr fades almost instantly, the room smelling faintly like the aftermath of a rainstorm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There are other things I can do?" I say, testing the waters. "What else do you need?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fitz blinks. "Lots. Show me lots of things."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Captain America is actually one of my biggest inspirations." Coulson reaches for his lunch, a simple ham and cheese sandwich with a cup of black coffee. "I, uh, have a lot of his memorabilia, from when I was little up til now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sample my own lunch, more than a little disappointed with the food that SHIELD gave me for the day. Almost nothing compares to the feast of choices that the Sanctuary provides. The only thing that blows them out of the water is my mother's holiday green bean casserole - there is nothing better than that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So you're a fan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He chuckles. "You could say that." He takes a sip, watching the other agents moving and eating throughout the cafeteria. "What inspires you to be a hero?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown, watching the man with interest. "Stories."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His brow furrows. "Not the answer I expected."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I've lived my life reading, watching, listening to stories of people putting others before themselves. It's a big part of who I am, and when I got the opportunity to do something else, why wouldn't I try to do that?" Talking with Doctor Samson helped a little bit, at least from hearing his answer. "You're easier to talk to about this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I try to be a good listener. And hey, it helps that you can be honest."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It does," I explain. "And can I be honest?" He nods in the affirmative. "This sandwich sucks. Like, it's fine, but it has almost no taste. What brand of mustard is this?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks. "It's my grandmother's recipe."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," I say, blushing. "It's fine, just nothing… uh, special."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson says nothing for a long moment, chewing his sandwich./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Is Fury really going to let me keep doing this?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson thinks for several seconds, ruminating on the question. "There are concerns about your age, among other things. What role you will have will come later, after we have a lengthy discussion and finish some testing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't help but bristle, a tension growing in my shoulders./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Are they going to stop me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When I saw Coulson and Fury for the first time, I was excited. SHIELD agents in the comics work with teenagers all the time. Surely it's not going to come down to my age. I'd rather be told not to do this for any other reason than being too young. I'm not ten./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Do I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"let/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" them stop me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I know being a hero requires sacrifices. But would Fury still think I have potential if I decided to do it on my own, without any sort of SHIELD assistance? I could potentially gain a lot from them, so turning away whatever they decide just out of pride feels like it would be a mistake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" I even do this myself?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have put on the suit - my haphazard version of a suit - twice, both times to save the life of one woman I accidentally discovered in danger. Both times, I encountered gunmen, and both times, one of my clones… died, right in front of me. It matters little how many spells I have, how many rituals I can perform, how many magical abilities that I have grafted onto my skin - without proper practice and training, I will face challenges./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Next time, it could be a real little kid dead./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Is her recipe really that bad?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown. "Uh, no, it's fine. Sorry, was thinking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson coughs into his elbow, nearly dropping a bit of the bland mustard onto his navy jacket. "What you did - putting yourself in those situations? There is reason to be proud and there is reason to be upset, for yourself and for others. Most kids? They'd have run, superpowers or no. At the end of the day, you didn't. Before you do it again, let SHIELD determine what next steps should be, for your own sake."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worry grows in the pit of my stomach./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury watches alongside Coulson as I step toward a closet door, holding the undulating Key made of my own solidified blood. It wraps itself around my fingers, silently stroking the flesh until it straightens, itching to enter the keyhole./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This stays between myself and the two of you," I explain carefully, deciding only to trust the two faces at SHIELD I know, not the greater population of agents. At least, with this secret. "I am only showing you this in order to illuminate one of my strongest magical talents that I can bring to the table, should you deem fit to work with me in the future."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury has not actually given that approval yet, so he shoots me a disbelieving look with his one good eye./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You said this was easier to see for ourselves than to explain?" Coulson asks, staring at the custodial closet in the midst of this SHIELD base./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah," I answer. "I don't really have the right way to explain it, so you'll have to take my word for it and see for yourself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When the two of them give me the go ahead in this nondescript hallway, one with no visible CCV cameras, I do not immediately place the Key into the knob. Instead, Azyr courses through me with a flimsy thought, the Winds shifting into the environment for a second time today. The spell shifts from potential to actual in the next moment, as light explodes across my vision for a split second./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In a reversal of night, blackened stars stretch across a white sky. They twinkle with an ethereal light, until finally, they display a specific pattern, one perhaps no one else in the world could interpret. Before the spell fades and the world returns to its normal hue, I get the message loud and clear: a portent of the future reveals that both Coulson and Fury can be trusted with this knowledge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Perhaps my divination spells are wrong, or perhaps the wiggle room that always exists in prophetical visions makes it difficult to read the whole truth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Regardless, before I cut Azyr away completely, I force one more spell into that connection, to divine whether I can trust them with knowledge of the Grimoire. An image of the stars and other planetary bodies shifts across the sky in my mind, distant apparitions of celestial bodies marching to their own tune. Finally, they settle into position, a position only scrutable to an astromancer: they cannot be trusted. The Celestial Grimoire must remain with me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An idea runs across my thoughts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Before we head inside," I say carefully, "be careful not to touch anything without my permission. I cannot be certain how they'd interact with someone other than myself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury and Coulson share a look, before the Director nods. "Fair enough. Has anyone ever been inside this space, other than yourself?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I think of Suzanne. "Yes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I twist the Key into the lock, and the tool almost leaps into the space. It oozes with excitement, turning of its own accord./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That it?" Coulson asks, surprised. "I figured there'd be more of a light-show."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, there might be a light-show," I posit, "it's just probably beyond the doorway."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The door swings open at my urging, and the Sanctuary Entrance Hall stretches into the space beyond us. The eternal flames shift within braziers, the space decorated with banners depicting the four houses of Hogwarts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury chuckles. "I'll be damned. Harry Potter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson blinks. "You've had time to watch that as the Director?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I kept my one good eye on it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Director urges us forward, and I collect myself at the sheer craziness of this moment. I'm dragging two fictional characters that I recognize into what may as well be my own home. A house tour. For a space that looks like Hogwarts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's so weird./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You carrying a stick to do all this?" Fury asks as we continue, his attention focused on each oddity that he sees./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, no wand."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Could I get a wand from the Grimoire? I imagine it might help me focus, but would it even be compatible with spells from Azyr or anything else? Wouldn't I have to know some Harry Potter spells to use it?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is the Great Hall," I explain, gesturing to the enchanted ceiling and the space filled with food on four long tables, the House banners floating above each one. "There's enough here to feed a few dozen people every day. I've, uh, never run out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson seems to struggle with what to say while staring at a biscuit. "It's good?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah. There's enough variety that you could probably eat whatever you want."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury shifts uncomfortably. "Does it come with everything that Hogwarts has to offer?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A library, a hospital wing, four common rooms and a bedroom each. Most of it is there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And the, uh, House Elves."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My brain fizzles out. "Oh. Oh! No!" My blush deepens. "I looked for them, but I never found them. The Sanctuary just provides food. There's only one other person in here, though I'm not sure you'd call it a person." Fury just looks at me. "You'll see."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Grimoire rests on the Headmaster's owl-shaped podium, alongside a few other books. Apart from how thick it is, the purple leather-bound book does not really look any different than any other book. I put it under my arm, hiding it among the others, and gesture. "Let's hit the library next so I can put these away."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson is not paying any attention, his attention taken by the touch-screen monitor embedded in the podium. He swipes his fingers across the screen, and the room's light shifts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The enchanted ceiling becomes an enchanted web page. I poke my fingers up, trying to shift the screen, and magically, it does, creating a keyboard just above my hand for me to use. "Huh. I didn't know it could do this. Thanks, Coulson." It'd hurt my neck to look up all the time, but it's still neat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't think Hogwarts had wi-fi."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Director, it's not actually Hogwarts." Coulson stares ahead, mystified. "Does this mean that Hogwarts is real?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No," I explain. "Surely not."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Somewhere in the multiverse, the place must exist, if only because the Grimoire and the Sanctuary appear to be a small piece of it, drawing power from other places, other worlds, other universes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If they're doing their job right," Coulson says with an odd expression, "it's not like we'd know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'd know," Fury says simply./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We continue the tour, showing much of the place. It's not as large as the castle, and it doesn't have the grounds - which means that Hagrid's Hut is not a place I can explore, sadly. The Hospital Wing's phantom doctor does not appear during our tour, but Fury calls it something interesting: a genius loci. I'd never heard the term before, but I'll have to look it up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Unexpectedly growing at one end of the dungeons - which are normally far more like a storage room than a dungeon filled with cells and other medieval torture devices - is a massive plant that was not there before. It juts from the wall, twisted and green, with pink petals. Vines and roots stretch across one whole section of the floor, the very top of it scraping against the ceiling. An odd sunlight suffuses the area, despite the lack of light./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This was not here before," I explain with surprise, earning odd looks from the two agents./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Things change in here?" Fury asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sometimes, they have, but this is really unexpected. It's the first time something has appeared in the Sanctuary that I didn't expect."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I approach the plant carefully, remembering every questionable manga I've ever seen, as well as a certain plant biologist from Gotham. Am I about to be eaten?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When I touch the outside, preparing my tattoos to escape should I need to, the plant opens slightly, a small aperture forming between the leaves. "Yeeeeesssss?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It talks."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Of course it does."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Their surprise matches my own, and a fifteen-foot-tall near-naked masculine man bursts from the fronds. Dressed - barely - in iridescent leaves, sparkling glitter and make-up covers his body. Butterfly-like wings break from his too-perfect back, covered in purple markings. His fey beauty knows no bounds, reminding me of an older and taller Puck./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you've not the rupees, then I've no time for you," the fairy warns, drawing his fingers across his hips, across his abs, across his chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The plant suddenly closes around him, the fairy disappearing completely beneath its leaves. I share a look with the secret agents, who seem dumbfounded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't know what that was, honestly," I explain, rubbing the back of my neck. "I know rupees are money, so maybe if we give it some, it'll do something?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It'll do /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" all right."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't help but blush at Fury's joke./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Our tour ends in the library after an initial walkthrough, and the place looks a little different now than it did a few weeks ago. Books fill the shelves now, including odd children's books among others. The others interest me personally, as they contain magical secrets including spells and even methods to create custom spells. I've not had the time to invest in it yet, but I'm itching to try. Once I get some time alone in this place, away from SHIELD. Hell, there's a trench coat that wasn't there before, just resting on a coat rack next to the common room I've been using, and I really want to try it o./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is all very fascinating," Coulson says. "Thank you for showing us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's home," I say with a smile, wanting desperately for them to leave so that I can look over anything new in the library and in the Grimoire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Like a walking HQ," Fury adds, shaking his head in disbelief. "You should really figure out how to lock that door once you're in here, though. I'd feel unsafe to operate from here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't think I can, not without figuring out some kind of spell or something."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I would like to. Maybe a physical barrier just on the inside of the door? Something heavy, or an additional locked door just inside the other. There's a small space between it and the Entrance Hall, so maybe…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury clears his throat. "Let's head back and discuss terms."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Terms?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""For your work with us," Fury explains simply, leaving me more than a little confused. Excited, but confused./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees(or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200 CP. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Worn-Out Trenchcoat (DC Occult) = Chapter 3: Illusion = Cost: 100 CP./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Mar 24, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_13_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 12/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury drags me to a room so nice I'd believe it was his main office, but the man probably has several dozen offices across the country and even the world, scattered across official and unofficial buildings. The thick panels of silver-colored metal and glass feel very modern, a spartan style of decoration that suggests the director keeps his job first in his mind and avoids anything personal. A window overlooks the busy streets and buildings of New York City, the trees of Central Park visible in the distance. This would be gorgeous at night, and I've no doubt that this is the thickest glass known to humankind. There's no way something like Nick Fury doesn't make life-long enemies./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Considering how important that New York is to stories in Marvel, maybe this /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" his primary office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He grips his desk carefully and gestures with one hand for the agent who escorted me here to be dismissed, leaving me alone with the Director./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I have always believed in being upfront and speaking with integrity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I almost laugh, thinking about all the deceptions that the best spy in the world must have to do all the time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury stands and leans against the window with one arm, the other tight around his back. He studies the city for a long moment, and I cannot help but join him. Police sirens, ambulances, and fire trucks are all calls to action for first responders, and they pepper the sounds of the city even from this high up the skyscraper./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's pretty," I mutter in the silence, not expecting nor earning a direct response./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury, after a long moment, finally speaks. "This world is not pretty. It's broken, teetering on the edge of change. New technologies, new abilities, even new /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"species /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"threaten the hard-fought stability of the twentieth century." He crosses his arms behind his back, pacing for a few feet. "SHIELD keeps the world safe from conflicts that no one else is ready to handle."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's an important job," I say with sincerity. Whether SHIELD really can do that or not, they certainly try. "Wait? New species?" What's he referring to? Inhumans? Aliens? Mutants?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He says nothing about that as he continues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" important. If not us, then who? China? Russia?" Fury shakes his head in disbelief at his own suggestions and then paces once more, returning to his perch by the window to make eye contact with me. "Let me be upfront: you are an investment."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""An investment?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The director says nothing for a long time, returning to sit at his desk. It's clear that he is thinking carefully about what to say next. "I have encountered magic before, things that defy explanation, questions entire teams of scientists attempted to answer but failed to answer satisfactorily. You, Logan, can help us to understand in the future."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You want me to help you learn about magic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Among other things," Fury says simply. His one eye locks onto my face, the intensity drawing me in. "You strike me as the type who wishes to make a difference in the world around you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Of course. Who wouldn't?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Most wouldn't."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right," I reply, realizing how earnest I must have sounded. "At the end of the day, when push comes to shove, I guess people don't do the right thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He shakes his head. "No, they don't. When faced with the choice of yourself and someone else, people choose themselves."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The conversation lulls a moment as Fury looks toward me and then the city, before finally settling on what to say. "SHIELD needs people willing to risk themselves to be a shield for others." He pauses, staring intently at me. "You've done that. Perhaps for a myriad of reasons, both selfish and unselfish, but you did." He pauses a moment. "Sloppily, I might add."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The vision of a younger me dead on the street sparks across my mind, every detail perfect and exact. Bile fills my throat, but if Fury notices me swallow it down with an acrid taste, he doesn't comment. Knowing the man, he probably did./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He continues, ignoring the forlorn look that crosses my face. "I am prepared to make an offer. Some details still need to be set in stone, but listen carefully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You will work with SHIELD on a research team, designed around the understanding and defense against magic. This will be an extended assignment on base, here unless needed elsewhere. You'll receive lodging, food, and a stipend designed to take care of any other needs you may accrue."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My mind focuses on the stipend for a moment. "How expensive are we talking? There are some spells and rituals that might cost a lot of money in the future." The fairy in my Sanctuary mentioned rupees and looked a lot like a Zelda character, so I'm starting to put the dots together, even if I haven't had time to check the Grimoire to confirm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm sure the, er, materials for anything you need," he seems uncertain about the terminology, "can be provided."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Left unsaid is the warning that the materials /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"probably/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" shouldn't involve the sacrifice of the unborn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You'll receive a legal identity with all the bells and whistles," he adds. "Your ultimate job will be to help us to understand how magic ticks."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"sounds/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" good," I say carefully, uncertain as to why something feels a bit off. "You didn't mention any heroism. Was that intentional or did I miss it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nick Fury glances toward the closed doorway and then meets my eyes intensely. "Make no mistake, Logan - what you've done is reckless, foolish, the dreams of a teenager in over his head."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I think back to Puck, to the Grimoire, to the warning about the one who made it. To every story I've ever read, to the feeling of seeing Suzanne out of danger, to the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"dead, dead dead dead…./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But I can't - no, I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"won't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" stop."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Now that I have had a taste of what that world is like, I'm /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"not /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"going to stop. There is far too much that I could do, one day, to change things for the better. Are they really going to stop me just because I'm two years shy of making adult decisions, in a world where I have no fucking parents to reign me in?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh. That hurt to think. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For a moment, I allow perfect recall to take me back, to disappear in memories, to feel them close even if they could not be farther from where I am today, stuck in some multiversal game Puck's cooking. My mother baking cakes to make an extra bit of cash, sitting down with my brother and I while waiting for the oven to preheat and letting us eat the rest of the icing out of the bowl. The smells and tastes are /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"there /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"- vanilla icing coating my fingers, the soothing background noise of the busy street in the background./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Many more fractured pieces of different scenes from the past take me from the moment, until finally, Nick Fury clears his throat rather loudly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," I cough to hide my embarrassment. "Sorry. I was just, uh, thinking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The ability to near flawlessly relive any memory/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" might /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"just keep me from losing my cool, if I can avoid making a fool out of myself in front of potential employers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Allow us to train you," the Director finally offers. "There is a strong possibility, bordering on a certainty if trajectories continue as they are, that magical threats will rise, the kinds of threats that the rest of SHIELD may have difficulty facing alone. With your direct assistance, we may stand a better chance."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whoa./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is better than I expected./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But still… how do I continue to help people like Suzanne Harrow? Are they going to pull me from the streets of New York - or the streets of anywhere, really - and keep me in a lab all day, only occasionally coming out to fight some big supernatural threat? Am I comfortable with that?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At the end of the day, it's SHIELD. Yeah, there's some shady business in the comics, and any intelligence organization is going to do some shifty stuff over the years. Black ops assassinations? Check. Securing intelligence from foreign adversaries through seduction? Check. But, it's SHIELD. Knowing what I know from the comics - and hoping it's relevant here - they really do have the best interests of others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And, it's Samuel L. motherfucking Jackson./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Okay," I finally say. "But I expect to be able to undergo street patrols, like I've done. As big as SHIELD is," I point toward the streets from the broad window, "I don't want to accept your offer and then forget about the little guys down there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He stares for a moment and then slowly nods. "That can be arranged, though many details will need ironing out. For example, a period of training before you attempt another patrol would be a better use of your time, and increase your odds of not ending up with a bullet in your chest cavity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He has a point./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's one thing to have Taser fingers. It's another thing to know how to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"use/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Taser fingers to effectively take down an assailant. I can't aim a/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" real /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taser and hit a target, much less a magical one./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At my acquiescence, the super-spy stands and gestures for the door. "Agent Jameson will escort you out. We've got some planning to do. We'll contact you in a few days." He steels his gaze on me. "No vigilantism in the meantime. I can't on good authority allow you the chance to hurt yourself or others."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right," I reply meekly, looking toward the door. "Thank you for the opportunity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He waves it off and turns to his computer with a flick of his wrist./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Goddamn that man is cool./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Apparently, the/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" world /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"thinks that I am cool./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Or at least, a bit of local buzz turned larger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With SHIELD having left me to my own devices, I return to my hotel room and to the safety of the Cosmic Sanctuary. The four walls of the Great Hall insulate me from the outside world, while my fingers endlessly scroll through the Internet using the illusory ceiling as its medium. I lean back, arm behind my head, and reach a lazy hand up to access another tab, bringing up a news broadcast from earlier that day./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's wild to see me - or at least, a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"costumed/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" me - on the evening news. They do not have much to show, and more may be coming throughout the next week, but a clip of me dashing bodily through a taxicab like a white-hot blue flame has been on a loop. They do not have my face, but they do have a correct estimate of my height: a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"perfectly adequate /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"five-foot-five./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Height has never bothered me anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Suzanne Harrow and the Harrow family have declined to comment on the vigilante that stepped in to save the young woman from certain disaster," the ginger anchorman reads. "As far as we at the station are concerned, the young man is worthy of our admiration."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not so fast, Bill," the woman next to him warns. "Eyewitness reports suggest that the vigilante is not above ultra-violent means to get what he wants."/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ultraviolent? What the hel-/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The sensation of digging my fingers into the shoulder of a thug come to mind./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"was/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a little violent, yeah./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We reached out to our video editing experts, but the abilities the vigilante used in the clip are in fact quite real, no editing necessary," the other anchor states with a pristine glance at her co-host. "It seems we have another /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"superhero /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"in our midst."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Could someone really edit something like that? And has it happened often enough that people/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" check /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"for these things?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Speculation mounts as to the source of the vigilante's abilities, but the most popular theory seems to suggest a type of advanced technology hidden under all of that baggy clothing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What's he hiding under there, Bill?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No idea, Amy, but it's probably not a suit of powered armor like the city's most famous immigrant, the Iron Man."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""With Stark Tower set to turn its lights on next week, perhaps the illustrious Tony Stark has been busy training a sidekick."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clip ends, launching a firestorm of speculation about just that across social media. Everything from a hidden lovechild to a bodyguard of a bodyguard, everything ties back to Iron Man. It's… fun, in a way, but frustrating at the same time. Is my debut really getting upstaged?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And do I really care if it does?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fervor ended about an hour ago, but I cannot sit and wait for it to flare up again. Putting down a bowl of midnight oatmeal, I stalk through the Sanctuary, the Grimoire held open in front of me. One hand twists the pages lazily, the other pushing open the door to the now improved library./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"These new spellbooks are not going to learn themselves. The Grimoire itself explains they come from a land tied to something call Aetherius, which is the source of all magicka, the energy channeled for spellcasting in that land. Different from the lyrium of the tattoos, the SOUL of the minions, the Winds of Azyr, it somehow /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"clicks/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" together for me in a way that no other being could. No other being could easily touch each of these powers and still be the same./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All of those are simply magic in the pages of the Grimoire, pages that I can understand. Wizards who channel magicka likely cannot easily channel Azyr, and yet I can do both. How?/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" Why?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What is this thing even doing?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No wonder Puck is so concerned. This thing is so powerful that even/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" should not have it./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm not wholly satisfied with this chapter, but it's been too long since I posted so I wanted to post regardless. This may get another pass later, but I'll let you know when it's posted, if I do./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_14_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 13/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth ties the hairband back into her hair, wiping sweat from the steamy kitchens from her brow. The orders this morning have been crazy busy, in her mind, and she can't stand the tourists who just want a view of the damn fancy new skyscraper. It's grating on her to see such an eyesore on her walk to work every morning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She picks up the tray and strides into the busy street-side cafe, a picture-perfect customer service smile on her face. A practiced grin that could not possibly be real, one that/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" also/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" grates on her nerves a bit every day. A single moment brightens her mood, turning her expression genuine for a moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy sits at the bar, dressed in a trench coat that she's never seen him wear before. As she approaches to give the boy an warm embrace, she can't help but notice how old the thing looks, but she's got no judgement in her blood. Thrift shops are just as valid as anything else, and the only reason she can afford new - to her - clothes sometimes./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And is that… cigar smoke?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey!" he says awkwardly before accepting the one-sided hug. "I know I've been out, but-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yeah," she says automatically, remembering every time her boss has mentioned the boy in the past couple days. "I don't know how to say this, but Geraldine's angry. I can talk to her, maybe she-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He waves her off. "No, no, I don't, uh, need that." A contemplative pause fills the moment, and she can't help but feel there's perhaps even more on the boy's mind than even before./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth can't imagine what he's been through. There has never been a moment where her parents weren't around, and even now, her father would answer the phone in a heartbeat. Sure, there were rough patches, but she can't imagine being in Logan's shoes, not able to reach them and being completely alone. No support from home, no realistic prospects at further education, no realistic career opportunities. Truth be told, she doesn't know how he's been able to afford that dingy hotel room for this long, not with the crap that Geraldine's been paying him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think you'll need that," she says to break the silence, her attention drawn momentarily to the line of people waiting for their orders. "Hey! I'm going on break!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, you don't have to-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""They'll understand," she says with finality, pushing the boy out of the door and into one of their outdoor tables. "I was due in ten minutes anyway."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's the lunch-rush."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth rolls her eyes. "They can handle it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy enjoys the fresh air for a moment, taking deep breaths. She cannot help but be worried. She has not seen him in four days, and he's missed three shifts. He comes back out of the blue, three hours late, and isn't dressed for work? What could possibly be going on?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I have news," Logan says with a long breath. "Big news. Some of which I don't know how to tell you about and probably won't, but let's start with this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"From his coat pocket, the boy pulls a square velvet box with a single red ribbon bow. She stares at it for a moment before reality sets in. "Is this for me? This… uh…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just open it," he replies, a grin slowly forming on his face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She pulls at the ribbon and then stops. "I'll open it on one condition." At his nod, she continues, "Tell me that you've not picked up smoking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks and then looks down at the coat. "Oh? Yeah, sorry, that's this thing. I've tried to clean it, but I can't get the smell out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Where'd you get it?" she asks, unsure if she wants to know the answer if they sell clothes they haven't treated yet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He rolls his eyes jovially. "Just open the gift already."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She uneasily smiles, hoping that he's not lying about the smoking. As the ribbon finally falls away and the box opens, she gasps. Inside rests a nicely-made watch, bound with black leather and its face embossed with little gold filigree. It's not an expensive one, but that doesn't matter one bit to her. She immediately pulls it out to try it on, fastening the gift around her wrist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why? I mean, it's beautiful and unexpected, but you really shouldn't have."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well," he starts, tapping his fingers against the table and listening to the sounds of the city for a moment. "That is a token of my appreciation. You went above and beyond for me, when others wouldn't have."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Went?" she asks aloud, focusing on the more alarming part of the statement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He rubs the back of his neck nervously. "Well, I got a new gig."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You found a new job."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah!" he says excitedly. "It comes with all these perks and higher pay and…" He trails off, eyes drooping. "Why don't you look happy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy is lucky to have found this job, lucky that Geraldine is- was? - willing to pay him under the table. Beth can't help but feel uneasy. What other entry-level position would be willing to hire him? Even big fast-food chains, ones that would love to hire a sixteen-year-old who wants to work, would be unlikely to do that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She can't help but ask the question running across her mind. "Please tell me it's not drugs. It's not some gang-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan raises his tattooed hands in defeat. "No! No, I wouldn't do that. Never." He takes in a deep breath. "It's a government job. I can't tell you all the details, but I want you to know that it's exactly the kind of thing that I want to be doing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're sixteen."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan reaches for his phone, placing it on the table. "I know how it sounds, and I don't blame you if you don't believe me. But it's not just the job. I, uh, made contact with my dad." He taps a button, and the phone begins to dial./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth shakes her head in alarm, not sure why he's trying to do this now, but she loses the moment to verbally protest when a man's voice answers over speaker phone. "Hello?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Dad, I'm here with the woman I spoke to you about on the phone," Logan says, a little uneasily. "Dad, this is Beth. Beth, this is my dad, Phil."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," Beth says, off-guard but slowly recovering. "Oh, right! Hello. I'm Beth. You're lucky to have a son like Logan. I'm glad you were able to reconnect."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Thank you, Beth, for taking care of my son during this trying time," Phil replies. "Look, Logan, I gotta run, but there's money for food on the counter at home."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He frowns slightly. "Okay, Dad. I'll see you tonight." The call ends before the boy's father responds./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" glad to see them connect, but there's so much about this that irks her. She doesn't know the context behind how he lost contact with his parents in the first place, and now after a month all is okay? The boy's suddenly back home and has a government job?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Did your father get you that job?" she pauses, fiddling with the watch. "Jesus, how is there even a government job that would /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"hire/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a sixteen year old?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan doesn't respond at first, and Beth can't help but think he looks worse somehow. The bags under his eyes are more extensive, like he's not getting enough water or sleep or both. He seems withdrawn, and worry etches across his face when he thinks no one is looking./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just be happy for me," he finally pleads. "I don't have to rely on your charity anymore, and-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Charity?" Beth asks, offended. "It might have started that way, but you're a friend now. Friends helping each other is not charity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Okay," he replies. "Sorry, it just feels good to be on my own two feet. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth reaches for his hand, taking it in hers, the watch catching the reflection of the sun above. "I know you're not ungrateful. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" am grateful that you have people again." She holds in a long breath, horror scenarios about what this boy's home life might be like running through her mind. "I just hope those people are treating you right."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""They are," Logan says quickly. "My dad is a good man, and I enjoy my new job. I can do things like this-" he points at the watch, "-for my friends. Dad even says I should keep seeing Doctor Samson."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She'd recommended the doctor to him, having heard wonderful things about his practice from people all around the city. He'd been especially helpful to people after the battle in Harlem a few years back, and she'd felt comfortable sending Logan to him. "It's nice to see you so excited to speak with him again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's a good one. Well, he's the only one I've ever had, but I think he's good."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth smiles. "Listen. Just because you have a fancy new job and don't need us anymore does not mean I expect you to be a stranger. Michael and I will want to take you out to eat or something soon, and you're welcome to invite the whole family." Her boyfriend had been wanting to meet the kid, but their schedules had not yet lined up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, okay," Logan says. "I'll keep in touch, I promise. You were… one of the first people who was nice to me, here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She laughs. "How could anyone be unkind to you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Beth!" The voice of Geraldine drifts through the open door./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I should probably get back there," Beth says sheepishly. "You should probably talk to her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He pulls a smaller box from his coat. "I know. Tell me, does she like bracelets?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth shrugs./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Phil Coulson stares at the data first and the recommendations second, running his eyes over the words with careful intensity. The paperwork for the Index is always exhausting, and every year, analysts tell them that there'll be more and more to fill out as the world continues to change./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""An unknown chemical agent concentrated in his skin cells spreads throughout every major organ group within his body," he remarks aloud, reading the summary of some very technical language that he does not have the expertise to understand. "It's believed to be the source of his intangibility through the creation of a surge of equally unknown energy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Crazy, isn't it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His eyes meet the gaze of Maria Hill as she leans against the door frame. The concentrated lamp light basks her figure in shadow until she saunters over and takes a seat in the chair across from his desk. "You could say that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Likelihood that it matches Starr?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's better," Coulson explains. "Doesn't seem to hurt him to do at all, and he can do it all the time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You think there's any merit to his claims that it's magic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You and I have met Thor."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria nods once, tersely. "Fair, though just as many here think that he's just some alien with technology that we haven't mastered."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson leans back in his favorite chair, reaching for a coffee cup to extend his very long night. "As far as I can tell, the kid's magical. Until we've got a better explanation, that's the one that we go with. And hey - it might just be true."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria glances toward the lone window. "And the psych evaluation?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson lifted some papers out of the way and pulled the file from Dr. Samson. "Stressed. Bright. Possible delusions of grandeur. A need for external validation. Problems with motivation. Kindhearted."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Should we bring in another for evaluation?" Maria asks. "Perhaps Dr. Garner or Dr. Millhouse?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shakes his head. "Not yet. I'm sure that Samson's own experience with Banner is helpful, even if the kid doesn't know that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria contemplates the information for several seconds before she finally taps the desk once to get his attention. "Are we certain this is the right thing to do? We know where this leads."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, I'm not," Coulson says truthfully. "But it doesn't have to lead to anywhere that we do not want it to go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria's frown deepens. "Are we certain of that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, but if we can point him in the right direction, help him make the right calls, then maybe we'll have an asset willing to work with us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman across from him smiles slightly at that. "It would be nice to have someone to lean on next time we find some pentagram around a corpse."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson could not deny the logic in that, though he wished that she were not being literal about the last part./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We should both get going. There's news from Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson nods to Maria, and as the woman makes her leave, he rubs his temple, uncertain as to what will await him at the research facility. He hopes Selvig's had a breakthrough, because at the end of the day, Coulson doesn't like the idea of wading into a battle without the right kind of gun for the job./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The last few days have been enlightening on more than one front./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The spellbooks within the library? There were some that were far easier to learn than the spells from Azyr, and I've begun to uncover several of them. I'd still need to practice to learn the ins and outs of the magicka that I can feel deep in my chest, deep in my soul. But, a few tricks are available to me now, ones that I cannot wait to utilize in the field./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Great Fairy named Matero sits across from me, his lithe body producing vines that stretch all the way back to his plant perch near the dungeons. "So, you want to use this SHIELD as a resource to help you do acts of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"dashing/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" heroism in the real world."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Something like that," I explain, trying to eat a late night snack and read another book from the Destruction School, an entire field of magical study designed around using magicka to produce elemental damage. Why such a thing would be an established field of study in a university is a weird to me. This one, apparently, produces a medium-range lightning blast, so I'm hoping that it corresponds with my Azyr spells. Perhaps I could combine them in some way?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Here you are, eating your fill," Matero says with a laugh. "When are you going to feed me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So, you do eat the money?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fairy laughs. "Oh, no, no, no. I don't eat it. 'Twas a euphemism."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Until SHIELD gives me some additional funds to test your services out, I won't be able to pay you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fairy rolls its eyes. "Fine, fine, I can see my services aren't wanted." The vines start to unfurl and unlatch themselves from the Great Hall's faculty table, Matero preparing to head back to the dungeons. "Perhaps one day I'll be needed!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink. "You can fix something that already has an enchantment, right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yes," he says with a glimmer in his eye. "I really should fix that ratty old coat. It's unbecoming of a strapping young lad."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I fight the urge to roll my eyes. "Yeah, well, it has character."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do actually intend to ask Matero to improve the trench coat, but I figure it might be better to let SHIELD test it on a bulletproof vest or something first. The Grimoire made it clear that the Fairy could increase a piece of armor or clothing's effectiveness in exchange for money, but it's one thing to read a description of it and another thing entirely to see it with your own eyes, to feel the material with your hands, to fire a bullet into it to see what happens./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have a feeling they'll be more concerned with the first thing I plan to give them to test: the ability to cast spells. More specifically, a scroll case that fills with new scrolls every few days, a multitude of spell scrolls that could tackle different things. As far as I can tell, you could store an endless supply of them inside the case, but I've already pulled the ones out that it has made so far and placed them within the library. Some of them I'll keep, some I'll give to SHIELD to study./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't wait to see Dr. Morrow's face when he tests one of these scrolls, if I get to see him again. The details about the team that will help research my magic is up in the air at the moment, as Fury still owes me a phone call, but Coulson swears they are working on the details for my "government job." I can't imagine such a thing is easy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I really should buy Coulson a watch or something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Realistically, I should save any money that I have now for Matero, though I'm glad that the Great Fairy left the Great Hall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It gives me space to test the latest ability from the book, one that might be a game changer if I can figure out the right moves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Following the description within the runic script, I calm my mental processes, tapping into Azyr just for a split-second burst of sweet serenity. Cutting the connection in the next breath, the Winds cease as my Heart opens to the world around me. White light gathers across my body for a second, and then I leap with my Heart toward the left wall. My body follows suit, zipping forward in something called Flow Motion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The speed is too much, too soon, and I collapse into a heap against the wall of the Great Hall, a suit of armor clanging from my sudden proximity. My lower half aches, the arches of my feet burning from the impact, and my ass stinging from likely growing bruises./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But I won't stop there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I burn magicka in my left hand to coat my aura in /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oakflesh/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", a twisting tendril of vine-like magic growing for an instant before settling behind the naked eye, providing myself an extra layer of magical resilience against harm./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I should have really done this the first time./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With my Heart on my sleeve, I gesture toward the opposite wall, leaving a trail of white light behind my every movement. At the moment of impact, I flick my Heart toward the enchanted ceiling. My body flips of its own accord, following the will of my Heart, and a kick off the wall sends me shooting upward. I snap toward the ground before crashing into the ceiling, Flow Motion carrying me toward one of the four tables filled with food./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The force of my fall would have sent me scrambling for the Hospital Wing, but instead, it merely stings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Breathing hard, I crouch then collapse into a sitting position, covered in pudding and the remains of a house salad. My Heart recedes into the recesses of my being./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm not giving up. That ability is awesome for getting around a city - or any terrain, really - quickly. Combine that with my ability to slip through obstacles, and it's practically a limited flight. I just need some practice, before I end up in a situation where I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"really/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" need it./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks This Chapter /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Apr 11, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_15_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 14/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The alarm klaxons blare in the background, loudly enough that the sound of the helicopter's whirring blades have difficulty drowning them out. A harried agent continues his repeated warnings over a loudspeaker about the evacuation of the site, and Fury wonders idly if the situation really warrants it. Moments of crisis like this have many moving parts, and intelligence often updates, minute by minute. An hour ago, the facility wasn't in need of immediate evacuation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Now? Well, he wonders if he shouldn't have stayed behind. Landing like this in the middle of a potential meltdown is plain wasteful, but he has no regrets./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill shakes Coulson's hand as she disembarks ahead of Fury, and the super-spy brushes his overcoat for a moment before stepping off of the copter himself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How bad is it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Coulson's sunglasses glint in the light of the complex, bright enough that the deep night sky above is barely noticeable. If P.E.G.A.S.U.S. wasn't a joint project with other government agencies, then Fury would have had his team disguise the whole place with the same panels that keep his favorite helicarrier from surface-to-air missiles. As it is now, all this light is a security risk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's the problem, sir," Coulson answers. "We don't know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As they descend into the depths of the base, Fury considers cutting his losses. A place like this is just a place. Get the equipment they need out of it, downsize until they can escalate production again. Whatever Selvig and his team were doing to the damn box, he was certain the man was smart enough they could pull back and start fresh, without causing whatever this entire situation is. And if he wasn't intelligent enough, he'd find someone who was./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They disembark from the elevator while Fury's mind continues to think of all the angles, to prepare for the better and the worse. Hill follows in position as she always does, and he doesn't have to look back over his right shoulder to know the pensive look on her face. She has a penchant to be apprehensive, to give her time to think things through. He considers idly whether she'd be a good replacement when the time comes - he can't do this forever. Even now, as they escort him into a potentially dangerous scenario, the pain in Fury's left knee tries to cause just the slightest of lags in his movement, something that he lets /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"no one/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" see./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Dr. Selvig read an energy surge from the Tesseract four hours ago," Coulson says as he leads the three of them past a retinue of agents, scientists, and analysts likely trying to get as much of the equipment out of here as they can./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury shakes his head, familiar with what that could mean. "NASA did not authorize Selvig to go to test phase." Truthfully, Fury knows there are good people at the organization, but not even the highest of the higher-ups know what he knows about the great beyond. If he had to do it all over again, they'd be doing this in-house./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He wasn't testing it. He wasn't even in the room," Coulson declares, sparking an alarm in Fury's mind. "Spontaneous event."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It just turned itself on?" Hill asks the question on the tip of Fury's tongue./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Where are the energy levels now?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Climbing," Coulson answers. "When Selvig could not shut it down, we ordered evac."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury doesn't like that he doesn't know the window, that he's not familiar with the science, that he doesn't understand this thing personally. It's been in SHIELD's possession for the better part of a century, and there's almost nothing that they know. "How long to get everyone out?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Campus should be clear within the next half hour."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He turns his attention to Coulson. "Do better."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man breaks off to do his job with a nod, leaving Hill and Fury alone to make the final trek toward Selvig and the big blue mystery cube. His thoughts turn to a conversation from the week prior and every complex step in between, and he contemplates bringing in the kid. Maybe… maybe he can shed some light on the mystery./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill glances toward the director as they descend another stairwell. "Sir, evacuation may be futile."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What? Should we tell them to go back to sleep?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, if we cannot control the Tesseract's energy, there may not /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"be/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a minimum safe distance."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury considers again how to ensure that they do not lose everything they have worked for, everything they /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"have/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" achieved. "I need you to make sure the Phase 2 prototypes are shipped out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, is that really a priority right no-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill doesn't like it - Fury can see it plain and clear with his good eye. He admires that about her - she has her head on straight and isn't afraid to ask questions. They do not always agree, and that's what he needs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Clear out the tech below. Every piece of Phase 2 on a truck and gone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She acknowledges the order and breaks away to do her job, and Fury turns briskly, thoughts of how magic and science could influence their plans with the Tesseract and their derived Phase 2 weapons. Whatever is in Logan's wheelhouse, could it have prevented this potential meltdown?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He enters the containment lab to turn to the proven experts they have on hand. Dr. Selvig and his team are frantic, the room bathed in the cerulean glow of the ominous cube in the distance./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The freedom in this new ability is like no other I've gained from the Grimoire thus far, and if I never get another ability again, this /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"might/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be cool enough on its own that I never /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"need/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" another one again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The trench-coat billows in the wind, my body leaving trails of silver-white light almost like a comet. I zip from one rooftop to another, only having to touch the ground every few yards, and with each touchdown and push, my speed continues to accelerate and the distance between jumps grows. I whizz past the top of a generator, using a quick kick of my foot to change directions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I vault over a concrete barrier and into the innards of a parking garage with a single flicker of the Heart, something that would have taken longer to do earlier in the night. Not wanting to stop, I snap my attention to my right and change directions with a thought, narrowly avoiding planting myself face-first into the back of an Escalade. The speed rush continues up the incline and toward the rooftop level, and I aim with my Heart and allow the momentum to carry me forward, over the edge, and into freefall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck, I wasn't ready for this!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An impulsive thought enhances my body with lyrium, flesh becoming more dream that real. I can avoid the impact of the street, but timing is everything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fear pounds through my chest, making it difficult for my Heart to respond to my wishes. A nearby street lamp and a quick spin. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I need it!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Have it!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My trajectory minutely changes at the last moment, cutting some of the speed, but not before I slip through the asphalt and layers of earth, still way too fast to completely avoid it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The smell of sewage impacts my nose before I have time to react, and the tattoos fizzle out with a panicked thought. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Oakflesh/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" shatters into flecks of emerald light the moment I hit the base of the tunnel, coating the cylindrical walls with gallons of grime./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Every twitch of my left arm erupts with pain, with my left hip nearly as bad. It roars like a fire and stings with every second, and it's all I can do to keep my eyes open, squinting in the darkness of the tunnel without taking in any extra details. The only thing I can consciously perceive is the stench in my nostrils and the pain in my likely broken arm and bruised hip./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All I wanted was to practice, and I can't even do that right. What even /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" I do right?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My minions get shot and die. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" nearly got shot and died. Sheer dumb luck that they didn't hit me. The last part wouldn't have even happened if I had followed up with Suzanne, instead of assuming the police would take care of her. I can't even make the right decisions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, all this fucking praise./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Potential. Nick Fury thinks I have potential? Yeah, sure, uh huh. I can't even have my Spider-Man webslinging montage without screwing up./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oakflesh didn't help much, but without it, I'd be even worse off. I bit off more than I can chew, and now I'm wallowing in sewer water. At this rate, I'll have dysentery by the end of the week, all because I can't fucking master this shit fast enough./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With a snap of my fingers, two minions appear in a flash of white light, both looking pristine as ever. "Help me up."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They move without verbal complaint into the murky liquid, but their faces - my face - are scrunched in horror. Lifting me to my feet and supporting my left side for a moment, I nod my thanks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach with shitty fingers into my coat pocket using my good arm, putting all my weight on one of the clones. Pulling a leather tube from a pocket that would never hit something of this size, I twist the cap on the top to reveal a dark space within. I almost reach in myself but think better of it. "Find /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Restoration/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy me freer to move takes the scroll case and nods, rummaging his whole arm inside for a second before pulling a blue-tinged piece of parchment, covered in runic diagrams even on the outside and tied with a simple leather cord that ends in white beads. He unfurls it without much fanfare, though his eyes glimmer with excitement to see this scroll used in real time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Broken arm stinging with pain, I reach with my other hand to take the parchment, reading the hydrosophy scroll aloud. Words undulate from my lips like the soft, churning waves of an ocean, and an identical circle of bright blue runes erupts beneath my feet, encircling me at the center. The power of water to cleanse rot, to erode decay, to soothe the wounded gathers within the circle and then washes over me as both a layer of liquid and a layer of magic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The spell scroll cleans the grime from my clothes just as well as it drives away the pain, but leaves trails of both behind. Other spell scrolls of hydrosophy might be able to heal a broken arm completely, but this one does not seem to have enough power to do it fully. I carefully test the limb, and while it hurts, it is no longer debilitating. Thankfully, the pain in my hip is gone completely, so it's not all bad news./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd try it again, or try another one, but the scroll case seems capable of producing spell scrolls from several schools of magic, and I doubt a pyromancy one would heal a broken arm. As it is now, the hydrosophy scroll of restoration is just a piece of parchment, the magic inert as its water essence faded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sigh, thinking more about the horrible practice session now that I had a clearer head. I'd made smaller leaps from one rooftop to the next earlier, but that was the first attempt at a jump with no clear target. I could glide in the air for a few seconds, but that doesn't slow your momentum down without an effort, and I panicked when I realized I had no landing zone in mind. If I did that same jump again, I think I could do it, but not tonight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I need to keep working at it, because if I ever need to use something like that in a real situation, against real superpowered threats, then there's no chance in hell that I'd use it correctly every time. SHIELD could help devise training for it, help me test its limits, help me prove that I'm not a fucking joke. That I deserve to have that potential./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I leap up with a bit of flow motion, a simple movement that I could make in my sleep, I think. I cling to the first light fixture that I see that is high enough to reach the ceiling of the tunnel, and then reach up with my tattooed arms blazing. Finding a handhold on the street, I allow my hand to become tangible again and pull the rest of myself up and through the street, onto a sidewalk above./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A group of school girl tourists screams as they spot me, standing there like a shining turd. I wave an apology and then dash at the nearest wall to escape their unwanted attention. Right now, I want nothing more than to be alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few minutes later, I plop onto the edge of a nearby rooftop, watching the nighttime view of a city still vibrant with life. A City That Never Sleeps. A city full of people who need someone to stick up for them against the big stuff. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Someone better than I am now./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My attention drifts toward the newest skyscraper, not fully visible from this angle but close. The lights are on - in fact, today was the day the news kept talking about. Stark Tower is officially open for business, its power finally turned on, a beacon of apparently sustainable energy. The proud name of its owner shimmers brightly in neon blue on the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Did Tony have so much trouble with this stuff starting out? I remember a man in the movie, the one who helped Tony build the suit. Yinsen, my enhanced memory tells me. He lost his life giving the billionaire a fighting chance, so, yes. He had troubles. Maybe they all do. Tobey's Spider-Man struggled. The X-Men struggled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't help but whine, yet I know that it's not the right attitude to have. This is not going to be easy, and thinking that it would be is silly. This might be the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"hardest/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" thing someone's ever tried to do alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury has not yet called for me, and that's the first big step toward improving myself and my capabilities. I have to do something, or I'll keep messing up. Next time I take a fall like that, I might end up dead, and it will all be for nothing. Puck'll have to choose someone else to help him play keep away, to watch become a hero. I don't want that for him, and I don't want that for me either./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach for a different pocket in the trench-coat, barely large enough to put a handkerchief, and pull out a phone, a phone programmed with only one number. The phone rings three times before finally, a voice answers. "Logan, can I call you back? This is not a great time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Coulson," I start, sensing something in his voice. "I want in. Now. Tonight."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There is a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"long/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" pause. "I've been in contact with the Director about your situation, and it's coming soon."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, it's coming now," I declare. "I have the mirror. I can be at HQ in like the next ten seconds. Give me a project, give me a training regimen, give me something."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nearly ten seconds passes, and I check to see if he hung up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why the, uh, urgency?" Coulson asks, his voice lower. "Did something happen?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A loaded question. "Yes and no. But really, I'm just tired of waiting on you all to set things up. I have so many things I want to do, to improve, and I want your guidance to do them properly."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Another moment passes. "Where are you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Somewhere on 18th Street. I think near 8th Avenue. A rooftop."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Words cannot express just how poorly timed this is," Coulson says finally. "If you only knew, kid, you wouldn't want this right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink. "This sounds serious. Is something wrong?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Very." He sighs. "I'm notifying Fury of your request. In the meantime," he sighs again, "stay put. I'm on my way."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The first Avengers movie is well underway. I am very excited for you all to see how things go this time around./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_16_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 15/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My leg shakes with nerves, something I picked up from my dad. It always used to bother Mom, but I don't really remember a time when they weren't fighting. A moment in early 2004 rings to mind, one where they took my brother and I to a fancy dinner party, the kind of party that a poor family like mine never got to go to. It was a community fundraiser for our elementary school. Mom argued with him the whole car ride home about his leg twitch, because it had apparently embarrassed her. I didn't learn until later that this was just one among many straws that contributed to the fight. Mom's been like an exposed nerve my whole life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"God, I miss her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"After several long minutes, the door to the small twenty-four-hour restaurant opens, revealing a sweating Agent Coulson dressed in a nice suit. He adjusts his cufflink as he steps inside, waving at the one worker manning the front, a thick-necked Asian-American man. "Did you order anything?" the man asks when he finally sits across from me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yeah, the dumplings. They were nothing special," I answer. "It's hard to enjoy food out here when the Great Hall provides a little of everything."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man nods, taking a long moment to consider something. He looks like he hasn't slept in over a day, and it's only two hours til dawn. Dark circles rest under his eyes, and he glances frequently at his watch./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What did Fury say?" I ask carefully, before something else comes to mind. "Wait. What is so serious?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shifts in his seat and looks over his shoulder a moment at the only other person in the dining room, a young man over forty feet away who has almost fallen asleep in his food twice. The man'd be cute if he weren't so drunk I could smell it from here. "You'll be debriefed later."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My head tilts as realization hits. "Wait? He said yes?" Nothing about this stops my shaking leg. If anything, it gets worse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Against his better judgment, we need all our cards on the table right now." Coulson's expression turns stony. "What I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" tell you is that there are forces at work that, in a few days time, might put the entire planet under threat."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shouldn't be so surprised. The world almost ends every month in the comics, and sometimes, it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"does/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" end only to get rebooted. The situation cannot be that dire, can it? And… SHIELD wants me to help them with that?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How, uh, bad are we talking? Climate change bad or nuclear winter bad?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If either of those two things were /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"literal/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" guesses, I don't think anything in the astromancy arsenal could shift the climate enough to save the day, even if it can influence the weather some. I have nothing against nuclear fallout./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Unclear," he says in a clipped tone. "If I had to answer, more of the latter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh. Damn. "Immediate?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clears his throat. "Like I said. We have a few days."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nervously chuckle, leg shaking wildly beneath the table. "What's a few days to stop the end of the world?"/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A Quinjet. An actual Quinjet!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The surprisingly spacious vehicle has a cargo space capable of holding several people, a small team or a small squad of agents. A few tools, weapons, and other gadgets that I can't quite name lie attached to the walls or are locked away in chests attached to the floor. It makes sense that SHIELD would outfit planes like this, big or small, with enough tools for the occasion you need./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The small jet flies close to the ocean below, almost skating across the surface of the water and giving a truly breathtaking view, even from all the way back here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The more impressive view though is that Steve Rogers sits across from me in the cargo bay. A man who is not Johnny Storm, despite the gorgeous face of Chris Evans. Does this mean that Marvel Studios cast Chris Evans for a different Marvel hero, not even ten years later? That's a weird choice. His impressive arms hold the same type of transparent touchscreen tablet that I do, though I am having trouble focusing on the intelligence in front of me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I feel tremendously out of place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"SHIELD calls in Captain America to stop a world-ending threat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They don't call in /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to do that./span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"They /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"shouldn't/span/emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The tablet does not help my feeling of inadequacy. Each slide displays small fragments of details about other heroes, from text to images to repeating video clips. On one slide: Tony Stark, a few known specifications of his armor, a video clip of himself in action stopping terrorists. On another: Bruce Banner, an assessment of how angry he must get to transform, a video clip of the rage monster destroying a neighborhood in Harlem, New York City. A third displays the very same Steve Rogers that breathes the same damn air as I do, complete with an old clip from the glory days involving the famous shield that inspired the SHIELD./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"… Huh?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wait./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where is Edward Norton? Why is Mark Ruffalo the Hulk?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I almost ask Steve - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"would it be disrespectful to call him that? /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But the man wouldn't know enough to recognize the name. He's only been in the present since 2011, according to the tablet, which is not a lot of time to pick-up modern pop culture./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, I turn my attention to the last slide, one that provides more information than any other. It takes little to realize that the threat we now face seems to revolve around something called the Tesseract, a big blue cube of seemingly infinite power. The instigator of the conflict is the Asgardian god of mischief himself, Loki, who now has it in his possession. There are clips of his brother, Thor, as well as other details involving a conflict that sprung up in New Mexico last year and included a goddamn giant robot attack that leveled a town./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki. God of treachery, illusions, deception. A powerful sorcerer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The character that brought the Avengers together in the comics for the very first time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Internet was clear when I looked a few weeks ago: there were no Avengers, no Fantastic Four, no X-Men. I remember the stinger at the end of the first Iron Man movie, where Fury himself introduced Tony to the Avengers initiative./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Is this the threat that will birth the Avengers?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Penny for your thoughts, kid?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve is intense, intimidating, almost too perfect. His posture is confident - he shows no signs of nervous energy. The man is the ultimate soldier, enhanced beyond human limits through a serum that everyone wants, so badly the U.S. government created the Hulk by accident. The first Avenger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, uh," I say nervously. "This is a lot. I don't really know what my thoughts are."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve purses his lips. "How are you tied into this?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tied?" I swallow. "Oh, no, not tied. I need to talk to Fury, I think this might be a bit more than I wanted."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You know Director Fury?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes," I say automatically, though I realize now that I might not need to share all of this. Even if I know this is Captain America, probably the one paragon you /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" count on in Marvel Comics. Not even Xavier is that trustworthy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Have you been watching me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Come again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That day, at the cafe. You approached me. And now, you're here. And you know Fury."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head fervently. "Oh, no, that's not-" I sigh, feeling myself shrink. "I just recognized you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson perks up at the conversation and removes the headset covering his ears, turning to address both of us. "Logan has been with us for a short time, Captain Rogers. He has a unique perspective on this conflict."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What kind?" Steve asks sternly. "Is a teenager's perspective really that useful?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, that's not-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clears his throat and produces another tablet, passing it to Steve. I'm tempted to stand to see what's on it, but the soldier only looks at it for a few seconds before turning his attention to me. "You're that one in the papers, the one who glows."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I activate my left arm tattoos for a second, still twinging slightly with pain from the previous night. Steve watches with interest as the lyrium radiates light before fading. "That's me. The one that glows." A nervous chuckle fills the air./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fury's dragging kids into this?" There's a fire in Steve's question./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shakes his head. "The specifics of Logan's involvement are minimal. Given what enemy we face," he turns to me, "a magical opinion might be valuable."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve says nothing for several seconds, his gaze intense and his eyes way too blue./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I just want to be helpful," I add, starting to connect the dots as to why I'm here as well. "SHIELD doesn't know much about magic. I know some."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Magic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson strides to sit next to Steve. "It's a weird world these days, Captain Rogers. It only gets weirder by the year."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whatever Steve is thinking, he doesn't share it as the moment ebbs into silence. I continue flipping through the screens, studying what information there is about the situation that we face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My involvement won't be actually /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"fighting/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Loki, will it?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If I were Fury, I'd just throw Thor at the problem until it goes away, but the gorgeous man with long blond locks is not here, according to his file. Not even on Earth, having left through something Thor calls the Bifrost, and something the SHIELD scientists call a wormhole./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh god, the Bifrost is the Rainbow Bridge from the comics?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If Loki comes from a society with a Rainbow Bridge, how dangerous can he really be?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Quinjet comes to a soft landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier decorated with a bright yellow eagle symbol on the tarmac, the symbol of the organization called SHIELD. I'd never even /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"flown/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" before earlier today, much less been onboard a military aircraft carrier, so my life just keeps getting better. And stranger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wish I were Steve at this moment - he'd probably feel right at home in something like this, surrounded by military personnel onboard a steel ship in the middle of the ocean. It might have felt strangely isolating, but no feeling of isolation compares to being stranded in an entire universe without anyone you love. Magic and superheroes and superspies are just consolation prizes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson escorts the two of us off the plane and onto the hot tarmac, while he directs the crewmen to take care of landing protocols. The surface teems with people, some dressed like agents while many are dressed in yellows and oranges, bright colors designed to be easy to spot from the large control towers that rest high above the water. The thing is so big that I can't really feel the impact of the waves, but maybe the ocean is just kind today./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A redheaded woman approaches dressed in a leather jacket. Beautiful, curvaceous, she has a smile on her face as she greets us./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Romanoff," Coulson gestures, and I cannot hide my surprise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Black Widow. The best spy in Marvel Comics, probably second only to Mystique./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hi," she says, voice raspy. She seems to recognize Steve, but her head tilts in confusion as she sees me. "Who's the stray?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan, this is Agent Natasha Romanoff," Coulson says without answering the question, putting a hand on my shoulder to guide me forward. "You won't find a better agent."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She smirks. "I don't know about that, Coulson, but I know how to take a compliment." She gestures to Coulson with a tilt of the head. "They need you on the bridge. They're starting the face-trace."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He pats me on the back. "Come with me. We'll get you settled in."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right," I say noncommittally, wanting to stay to witness perhaps the first interaction between two future Avengers. "Does Agent Romanoff not know about me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shrugs. "Logan, I've learned to assume that she always knows more than she's letting on. That's kind of her thing. If she doesn't know, she'll find out if she's curious enough."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hmmm. Is this a world where she's on the side of the angels or a story where she's fronting for something like HYDRA?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson directs me deep into the hull of the ship. Throughout the narrow hallways, often filled with pipes, and even past an interior hangar, we earn curious looks throughout from various agents. If Coulson weren't here, it's a guarantee that one of them would have accosted me by now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We come to a stop before a small door in an area of the boat labeled quarters. Coulson scans a keycard in front of a device beside the door, and the room opens to reveal a small cabin filled with a pair of tightly made military bunk beds. A small door rests on the other side, and he gestures carefully toward it. I catch his meaning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is your space while you are here, unless or until told otherwise. I must head to a debriefing. You should stay here for the time being. I or someone else will collect you when you are needed. Any questions?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, a ton," I answer. "I'll save them for when you come back."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He claps me on the shoulder. "Oh, also, in a moment you're going to feel the ship lurch. Don't worry about it, it's just takeoff."/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Takeoff/span/emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh good God, it's the Helicarrier!/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull the Key to the Sanctuary from the lock, feeling it twist back into its normal form with a squelching sound. It sweats with excitement at having been used, and I clear my throat as the knocking at the door continues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm Agent Robinson," a young woman declares, her hair dark brown and tied in a pony tail behind her. "I'm here to escort you to the laboratory."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman moves with purpose, dressed in a dark blue suit - oh wow, it's kinda the classic navy and white suit from the comics, but modernized and realized. She doesn't give me time to protest, and I don't need to - I've had enough time to gather the things I need from the Sanctuary anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is the Helicarrier! I may see information that someone should not know, secrets involving governments around the world that I do not need to know. At the end of the day, sharing anything I see here will likely lead to a black-site execution, so I'll keep my mouth firmly shut./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She rounds the corner and heads up a tight set of stairs, finally ending the trip in front of a set of white double doors. Windows line the chamber beyond, revealing the actor Mark Ruffalo who apparently replaced the last Bruce Banner. He hunches handsomely over a desk, fiddling with diagrams on computer screens that hover in the air so transparently that they could be holograms./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Two guards dressed in all black uniforms and carrying large rifles rest nearby, while others likely rest in other places as well, but wow. That man is the Hulk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This would be scarier if I didn't have any escape tools./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Dr. Banner is searching for the Tesseract using technology," Agent Robinson declares. "Agent Coulson suggests you may have a way to help him. Get to it." And with that, the woman leaves me alone with the man who will become the Hulk at the slightest inconvenience./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey," I try carefully, feeling both a little terrified and a little excited./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He looks up from his reports for a moment, glasses firmly abridged to his nose. "Hello. You must be Logan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah," I say, shrugging and pulling at my now-clean trench coat collar. "Look, I'll just get this out of the way and off the table first. I'm a mage - I do magic. It's real, I have it, and I think it will be easier if you just believe me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks before breaking into a small grin. "Fascinating."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hmm?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Banner stands excitedly. "Oh, yes, you're incredible!" He bounds over to me a little nervously, as though getting a closer look will help him get it more. "I never would have thought it was real, but this is good news! This is amazing for the history of science."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cough slightly. "How… uh, is that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ancient researchers at the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"foundation/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" of scientific practices thought alchemy was real," he mutters, turning away slightly as he almost paces in front of his desk. "We've come full circle! Can you do alchemy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown. "Well, I don't think so. At least, not exactly like you're thinking. I do have a few rituals that kinda remind me of it." The one that turns me into a lich involves complex chemical reagents, magical circles, and a transmutation of flesh into un-flesh, among other materials. "I can actually give you something that might let you do magic yourself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Banner shivers. "As fun as that would be," he turns his attention toward the guards outside and then toward the cameras in the corner of the laboratory, "why don't we wait until after we locate the Tesseract?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fair enough. How are you planning to locate it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The scientist shifts a hand toward the screen and bites down on the end of a pencil with his other hand, eyes studying the read-outs. "SHIELD has set up spectrometers." He pauses. "Do you know what those are?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Actually, yeah?" I reply, thinking back to Agent Fitz. "Or at least, I've seen one before. They used one to analyze some of my magic."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce gestures with a finger, and the screen shifts to show a larger image of the cube. It shimmers with an odd blue light, undulating with power beneath its surface./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My mind flashes to the comics: is this the Cosmic Cube? An object with unfathomable energy, capable of granting the user's greatest wish, almost like a genie. Pretty much everyone in the comics has dealt with one before, on one occasion or another. It's the kind of item that could start whole comics events./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'd love to test your magic myself," Banner says after a moment, clicking once more with his finger to show a diagnostic display revealing different… levels of radiation. "The Tesseract emits gamma radiation when active."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Gamma? My eyes widen upon hearing that, but I hope he doesn't notice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The spectrometers are calibrated to detect it in the upper atmosphere. We're trying to narrow down where it might be, if not locate it outright."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clear my throat to recover. "And this Tesseract. What does it do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He points to another screen, the top of which declares it to be the notes of someone named Erik Selvig. I've never heard of him, but they are quite detailed. If I had more than a tenth grade science education, I might make heads or tails of it. "These are the top scientist's notes on the subject. The Tesseract is like a doorway, drawing energy from one place and distributing it at another. It's a por-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A portal," I finish. "Or at least, it can open one?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man nods. "That's how this Loki got here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd seen the footage earlier. The Asgardian arrived holding some kind of spear or scepter through a giant hole in space, conjured by the Tesseract. The entire complex collapsed when the portal fell apart, but the alien narrowly escaped with the cube, a scientist, and another agent. The footage wasn't exactly clear, but the latter two were following him seemingly of their own volition, so they must have been working for him or something. Maybe they're how Loki managed to activate the Tesseract from afar to bring him here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So," I say, thinking. "What does he want with it now? Can it open a portal again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's the theory," Banner says solemnly. "There's no telling what Loki wants to bring here to Earth, but even if he doesn't, he can still open unstable holes in spacetime that might have enough force to level a building, a town, a city. This is bad news."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We watch the footage of the destroyed compound, and I imagine something like that used on a skyscraper or some other important building - hell, the White House or the Capitol - could be catastrophic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do you think?" Banner asks, not tearing his eyes away from the screen for several seconds. At my look, he adds, "Magically? Is there something about the Tesseract that we are not seeing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sigh, not wanting to look at him as my mind whirls with potential. "I study very specific types of magic, and no one spell or ritual or ability works like the others."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He stares for a moment, the gears turning in his mind. "So, it's not consistent."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes! Or, uh, no, it's not consistent." I almost snap my fingers to create a duplicate but decide against it, not wanting to spook him. "I have a spell that can create solid duplicates of me that I can then control - that spell involves splitting pieces of something called the SOUL. These tattoos allow me to phase through solid objects, and they use a form of physical magic called lyrium. Lyrium and the SOUL are, er, not the same thing, so they work differently."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He paces for several seconds, trying to understand. "So, is your point that you might not be able to help us understand it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Er, maybe not," I explain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're a specialist, not a generalist."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod and point excitedly. "That's it! That's a better way to put it." It still doesn't feel exactly right, but it's closer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Then what /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" you do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I feel the Winds of Magic touch my very being. "Dr. Banner, with a little bit of astromancy, I think I can find it, or at least, point us in the right direction."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Apr 17, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_17_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 16/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Do I point out to Bruce that the SHIELD soldiers are following him? I mean, they're following me too, but only due to sheer proximity. Then again, they've been pretty keen to keep me from any sensitive locations on the Helicarrier. Regardless, pointing it to him feels like it might be a mistake, because he… well, he's the Hulk. Arguably the strongest /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"force/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" on the planet, packed into one poor scientist's addled mind. A modern day Jekyll and Hyde./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Regardless, as Bruce leads me through the gigantic base, I keep track of their every move. They're not exactly trying to be subtle, but it's not as overt as a group of jackbooted soldiers boxing the scientist in with rifles. The Hulk's stories in the comics are a constant push and pull between the government and him, and whether or not the powers that be can be trusted to handle the situation. At any point, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"any/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" hint of green, and the interior of the Helicarrier could /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"sing/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" with the sound of gunfire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That question of trust can't quite escape my brain, and I clear my throat as we walk. "How'd you get involved with the Avenger Initiative?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man wipes at his glasses before sliding them onto his nose. "Fury says it's for the brain." A solemnity in his words is clear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You, uh, don't?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He turns, eyes glinting with amusement. "How could I?" A languished sigh escapes his mouth. "If not for the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"brawn/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", I'd have likely never gotten this far. There are other scientists who could fill my role and find the Tesseract." Bruce sighs again. "And apparently some wizards."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you'd rather I not-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man blinks. "Oh! No, if anyone can help, they should. End of the world, the enslavement of all mankind." Bruce gestures toward a stairwell leading up to the surface of the Helicarrier. "After you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I climb the stairs, wondering how to not to make the man feel any more unneeded here than he must already feel. A pair of workers dressed in orange head down and nearly pass us, and the male one blinks, confused. "Hey, uh, you're not-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"are/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" supposed to be here," I say confidently. "I need to see the sky to find the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks, reaching up to scratch at his graying beard. "I don't know what that is."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce breathes deeply and exhales sharply as shoves past me. The woman stares in surprise and grasps at the other's arm. "We'll, uh, leave you to it." The two practically dash down the stairs until they are out of sight and out of earshot./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why didn't they know what the Tesseract was?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The scientist pushes open the doorway heading onto the deck, the night sky enveloping everything beyond in a pit of darkness, our only reprieve the exterior lights of the floating deck. "Fury's secrets."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Wouldn't it be better for everyone to know what we're dealing with?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce shrugs, face still annoyed from their reaction to him. "I am sure from his perspective, keeping the circle of trust as tight as possible is useful for mission security."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But Loki's going to do something big. Shouldn't everyone have a chance to prepare themselves?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes," Bruce says simply, face forlorn. "If I had to guess, the top officials in governments all around the world will be scrambling to hide now, if not earlier."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A lot of good that will do. No bunker is safe when everything is a portal cube away. Depending on the range, maybe nowhere in the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"universe/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" is safe. It /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"already/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" teleported the Asgardian here from wherever he came from./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The pressure mounts even deeper into the muscles of my shoulders, my upper back already tight and burning. If I can't find it, if Bruce can't find it, then we're not safe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No one is safe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How does this work?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink, shaken from my reverie. The scientist steps onto the deck, eyes studying one of the large spectrometers that rests a mere thirty yards from this doorway. It whirs with activity, lit by a series of lamps bolted to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, it'll only take a moment."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce studies me with the same gaze he gives one of the machines. "Yes, but how?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There is a… current of magic in the upper atmosphere called Azyr,"I explain. "I can channel this magic to flow into me, around me, through me. I can then direct its movement into certain patterns to perform effects that are, uh, related to its nature."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He paces with fascination, rubbing his chin. "You called it astromancy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It has other names, but yes. It's the lore of the heavens, celestial magic. It deals with the-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stars," he finishes for me. "How do the stars help us find the Tesseract? Are you tracing the energy that it uses to create holes in spacetime, through them, somehow?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown. "I don't think so. I could use this one to find that one sock that always goes missing in the laundry."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles, though still confused. "Truly a worthwhile use of magic."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I point up. "Uh, you might want to step back. We're closer to its flow, and the books I've read say that unpredictable things can happen the closer you are to Azyr."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He takes several steps back to lean against the spectrometer, though he never loses sight of me. The amount of air is light this high up, and we truly could only last a little while without feeling the effects of oxygen deprivation. He shows no signs of slowing down or breathing hard, but I do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking a moment, I begin to chant under my breath the words for a finding divination, focusing my mind on the Tesseract. Azyr opens to me like a sixth sense, and the flow of air around the Helicarrier begins to bend to my whim, a bit unexpectedly. It congeals into barely visible, whirling shapes that twist and turn around me, incomprehensible to the eye of anyone untrained in this kind of magic's unbridled nature. It buffets at us both for several seconds, before finally, I feel the signs in the stars begin to take shape./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I point upward and almost begin to laugh at Bruce Banner's incredible look of awe. He rubs at his forehead, then at his glasses, squinting at the shifting of the night sky. Patterns manifold appear to brighten and dim, until a single series of stars glints into a new constellation, the kind that only someone who has seen and deciphered the math behind astromancy can understand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's west!" I point somewhere to my left. "I don't know how far it is from me, but if we head, er, southwest, we'll find it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Southwest?" Bruce asks carefully, still studying the vibrant heavens. "You're sure?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The skies do not lie." They helped me find Suzanne Harrow. "Some of my divinations are unclear, but I know the Tesseract is west of us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce does not look down until the connection to Azyr falters and the sky visually returns to its normal vista. "That's incredible. It… couldn't be that you /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"moved/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the stars. The amount of energy that would take is impossible. Something like a trick of human perception, maybe?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I smile, ecstatic that it worked. "I just know it as Azyr, Dr. Banner."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, of course, yes," he says finally, pointing to the spectrometer. "It doesn't give you distance, so you might have to triangulate it." I nod, realizing a slight disadvantage here. We wouldn't know we'd found it until the Helicarrier shot past it and I tried again. "But if we use that data and the information from its gamma radiation," his words get more and more excited, "we can narrow it down!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh yes, that's awesome./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I may have just helped /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Bruce Banner/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A woman steps into the laboratory, her brown hair tied tightly behind her head, her posture held tight, reminding me a coiled snake waiting to strike. I cannot help but smile at the face of Cobie Smulders, but there's no chance that she would be here dressed in the dark navy blue bodysuit of upper SHIELD personnel. This is someone important./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Dr. Banner, Logan." As soon as the door behind her closes automatically, she nods. "We have good news on our end, and sources tell me that you've found good news as well. The Helicarrier shifted directions."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's been a development, Agent Hill."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whoa. That's Maria Hill. A controversial character, depending on the run, but one that usually means well./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Tesseract is west," I explain. "We sent word, and we're headed in the direction of its location."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill starts to speak, but Bruce quickly adds, "According to my readings, it could be anything along this westerly line where there's a spike in gamma radiation." He presses a button on a screen, revealing a three-dimensional model of the globe. A dark green line rushes west, and several dark red points are already highlighted. "With a bit more time looking at the data, I can confidently learn where he's keeping it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She nods once. "Good work."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A question irks me, and I finally perk up. "What's your good news?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Captain Rogers, Agent Romanoff, and," she tenses, "Stark have returned with Loki in custody, alongside Thor. Fury and his team are securing the Asgardian on base now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What a statement. Thor is on Earth, he's helped the damn /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Avengers/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" stop his brother./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Then it's over," I say with a glimmer of hope. "We just need to find the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman shakes her head. "It's a good first step, but Agent Barton is still in the wind, alongside Dr. Selvig and whomever else the man has under his sway. It's not over."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What does Fury want us to do?" Bruce asks, not looking up from his readings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Come with me," she explains, waiting at the open door. "You'll want to see this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance toward Bruce and then follow both of them through the innards of the gigantic hunk of metal. I wonder idly if the man feels claustrophobic - the only person who could escape this boat faster than the Hulk is me, with a thought to activate the lyrium burning through my skin. He'd smash through its many layers in no time, I'm sure, and he'd probably actually survive the landing. I'd hit the water and turn to paste./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It takes very little time for us to arrive at the bridge of the ship, a massive space filled with agents and support personnel, maintaining the ship's flight and operating a global organization with untold numbers of employees. More importantly than that is the fact that Maria Hill brings me into the heart of the Helicarrier, where most of the rest of the damn /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Avengers/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" are./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor. Black Widow. Captain America. And now, the Hulk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In one room, scattered about a central table while a video feed shows something that I cannot possibly give my attention to in this moment, in a room filled with your goddamn heroes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor's exposed biceps alone are enough to keep drawing my eyes, something that would undoubtedly bring me shame later. The colorful patriotic suit does wonders for Steve's figure, and if you're into it, I'm sure that Black Widow looks great. This is an attractive group./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm reminded of something that the great Amanda Waller once asked: "why is it that superheroes are always so good looking?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't hold a candle to this group in comparison. Way too skinny. Funny looking nose. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Slight/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" acne problem. They're enough to make me feel inadequate just from /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"looks/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria leans against the railing to watch, while Banner beckons me to come with him to sit at the table. A SHIELD logo proudly shines in the background just behind it, and I really /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"shouldn't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hi," I cannot help but say, truly feeling the towering height of Thor, nearly a foot taller than I am./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The video feed resets a few seconds with a press of Natasha's thumb, and she gestures for us to watch and listen. The camera catches Fury and the Asgardian in the discussion, while the latter is trapped in some kind of round chamber lined with windows and colored with a greenish paint. What color is adamantium? Or maybe it's vibranium? Whatever the material is, is there really any chance that it could hold someone who's as powerful as Loki? I could slip in and out without a bit of effort. He's not even cuffed!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you so much as scratch that glass," Fury presses something on a nearby control panel, and the floor beneath the cage opens to reveal nothing but the ground below it, the wind picking up in the room and causing the spy's coat to dramatically billow. "It's thirty thousand feet straight down in a steel trap."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't hear the rest of Fury's statement, looking up at Thor. "He'll get out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man blinks, bewildered. "What of this /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"child/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", Hill?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's a consultant," Hill explains without skipping a beat. "Reports directly to Fury and to Coulson."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I still think he'll get out," I say again, ignoring the rising tension./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's an impressive cage," Loki responds as Natasha quickly resumes the video to cut the rest of us off. The redhead shoots me a look, and I shut up. "Not built, I think, for me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The color is what makes me realize it's /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"actual/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" purpose, but I have the decency to not look at Bruce. Fuck, that has to feel isolating. Even when you're called on to assist others, said others build a special trap just for you./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Built for something a lot stronger than you," Fury declares./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, I've heard," Loki quips, staring directly at the camera. "A mindless beast. Makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you that you call on such lost creatures to fend you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury is unperturbed, stepping closer to the glass. "How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace, and you kill because it's fun." Fury glares. "You have made me very desperate. And you might not be glad that you did."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not hear the last few seconds, my mind reeling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This cage wouldn't work on the Hulk. Probably. In the comics, Hulk would laugh at something like that. Not even the Illuminati would have cooked up a solution like that, instead just sending him off-world./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Would it work on Loki? Was I wrong in that prediction? If he has to rely on physical strength alone? Yeah, it might work. But the dude has magic. It's a force multiplier on its /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"worst/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" day. All Loki needs is a quick teleport spell, and he'd be out of there. Can he teleport in this universe?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Does the cage stop magic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill meets my gaze. "No."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor's knuckles go even whiter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve's eyes flicker between me and the Asgardian. "Thor, what's his play?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard, nor any world known." Thor looks anywhere but at me. "He means to lead them against your people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Damn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Chitauri do not ring a bell from the comics. I'd sooner expect Frost Giants or Dark Elves over whatever this is./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""They will win him the Earth, in return I suspect for the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""An army," Steve says quietly, "from outer space."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This sounds really bad. Of course SHIELD doesn't have any wards against magical threats, and now we learn that the current big bad as a damn alien army with technology will likely far outstrip the Earth's own ability to defend. "How quickly can their fleet travel?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor looks toward me with interest. "You'd have mere weeks to prepare, perhaps sooner if they commandeer jump gates. I suspect that would be difficult, as the Nova Corps would intervene."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Jump gates?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Nova Corps?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor opens his mouth to answer Steve and Natasha's questions, but Bruce perks up. "He's building another portal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The details line up, and I steeple my fingers. "He doesn't want the Cube just to destroy buildings. It's worse."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He has Erik Selvig under some kind of spell," Natasha says, her attention turning to me at the final word. She starts to say something else, but I see her hold her tongue./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Selvig?" Thor asks, as though he recognizes the name./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""An astrophysicist," Bruce clarifies./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's a friend of mine."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something occurs to me. "Did Loki hurt your friend on purpose? To hurt you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor steps forward. "Have care how you speak, child."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I didn't, uh," my cheeks redden. "Sorry."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Whether he did or didn't do that on purpose is not getting us anywhere," Natasha adds. "Selvig could get him another portal. Bypass these… jump gates and Nova Corps."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think it's about the mechanics," Bruce says. "Iridium… what do they need the iridium for?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The reason the team had captured Loki at all is because they apparently stole some of the stuff from a lab in Germany. But I've no idea-/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's a stabilizing agent."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Walking confidently into the room is the spitting image of Robert Downey, Jr. Iron Man himself, Tony Stark. Next to him is Coulson, and apparently they go way back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It means that the portal won't collapse in on itself like it did at SHIELD." Tony steps toward the bridge proper, patting Thor on the side of the arm. "No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the hammer?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Also, it means the portal can open as wide and stay open as long as Loki wants."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clear my throat. "He can't make the Tesseract do anything if he doesn't have it, right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria doesn't look convinced, and I remember the report about the cube acting up seemingly of its own accord./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Excuse me," Tony asks, staring at me, "where's his high chair?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha fights off a laugh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tony, this is Logan, our consultant on all things magical," Agent Hill clarifies with more than a little annoyance in her tone. "Asgardian technology counts as far as SHIELD can stomach it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony guffaws at that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Look, I know it's weird that I'm here with you all," I say with a swallow, forcing myself to look the billionaire in the eyes. "But I can help. I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"have/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" helped. And there are more important things to do than bicker over this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We know the direction of the Tesseract's current location thanks to one of Logan's spells," Bruce adds. "I estimate another half an hour, and I might have a location."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Great!" Tony declares, positive and likely trying to ignore my presence. "Selvig needs a high energy density power source. What's the direction?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're heading west," Maria explains./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony paces, running his fingers along the equipment around him as he walks. I can practically see the gears turning in his head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve shifts up from the table, and it takes everything in my power not to stare at the man's back. "Anything ring a bell, Stark?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not… immediately," he says, uncertain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Tesseract could be in transit to wherever it's actually going to go," Natasha says. "Selvig, Barton, and the rest could be headed to anywhere in North America with it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can think of some places where it might work," Tony says and then locks eyes with Bruce. "We should compare notes, Dr. Banner. It's good to finally meet you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Thanks," the man uneasily says./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot help but feel my ability to influence this situation has grown less and less stable. These great minds, these great muscles, these great skills - I am barely starting out, while these guys have years under their belt. If not for the Grimoire, a kid who hasn't even passed an economics class wouldn't - shouldn't - be here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There is… /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"one/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" thing I can do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Mr. Stark."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man turns away from talking shop with the other scientist in the room. "Yes, Landon."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What I said."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ugh. "I have someone I want you to meet. You'll want to bring your armor."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hmm?"/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So, do you cosplay Gryffindor or Slytherin?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I roll my eyes. "I take you to a pocket dimension and this is your reaction?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""When said intra-liminal space looks like it was ripped out of terrible kids' movies, then yeah, that's my reaction."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Sanctuary's hallway that resembles the dungeons stretches before the two of us. The man did not bring his armor, but I hope this convinces him it's worth it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So, kid, you gotta tell me - radioactive goo? Alien kidnapping? Strange technology?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Uh. "The middle one?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So, you /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"are/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a fraud!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, it's not that," I defend, annoyed. "That's just the closest one you said. It's a long story that I'm /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"not/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" getting into."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I wouldn't want to talk about probing either."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We round the corner as /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"that/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" comment rests on my brain. At the end of the alcove rests a small fountain of crystal clear water, a large bulb like a plant protruding from the middle of its surface. Vines cover the walls, stretching out of sight. It's actually kinda weird that Matero the Fairy and the Phantom can stay here, even when the Key is in my pocket - I couldn't let anyone else stay here while the door is inactive, not even me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"This/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" is what you wanted me to see?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not yet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I approach, and as I do, the Great Fairy rises from the plant as its bud opens, revealing the no longer slumbering giant twink within. Nearly nude, the glittery creature stretches its arms and its multicolored wings, long Elven ears poking at the vines as it stretches. Water and oil glistens from his pecs, and it licks its lips in greeting./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hel~lo!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Fairy slides its body toward Tony, while the other backs away a moment, clearly a bit stunned./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"smell/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the pomp and circumstance of cash-money on him, Logan." Matero blushes. "You know how to please me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Mr. Stark, ignore his, er, showiness," I plead. "I haven't had a chance to try it out yet because it's too expensive for me, at the moment."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What?" Tony asks, recovering. "I can promise you hookers aren't worth it, and I'm not… uh-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"No/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"!" the Fairy declares angrily, seething. Vines coil in little shapes all around us. "I would never accept money for that! This is merely an exchange of currency for /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"art/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you pay him enough money, Mr. Stark, he'll improve your fashion," I explain, before adding, "He could enchant your armor. Make it stronger, tougher, more resilient, without sacrificing mobility by adding weight or changing the materials."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony blinks, staring into the eyes of the Fairy. "What?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ah yes, if you give me enough coin, I could make a bit of leather as durable as any of your fancy little suits."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm planning to let SHIELD make improved kevlar vests, among other things," I explain. "It might not amount to much, but it could be the difference between living and dying."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony peers at the Fairy and then back at me. "What's the catch?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hm?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If I let this guy work on my armor, then what's he want in return? What do /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"you/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" want in return?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Fairy beams at the question. "I merely want to eat your money. Nothing more, nothing less~!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown. "I j- I don't want anything, I just want you and the others to be safe."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How long's this gonna take?" Tony asks after a long moment of hesitation. "We might have an army knocking on our door any minute now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Fairy giggles, running a hand rhythmically up and down one of his vines. "Oh, I can be quick. You simply drop the equipment into the water, and I pull it out, enchanted and new. Once you pay me, of course."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't help but grin when Tony takes out his wallet and pulls a credit card./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You take plastic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I've taken all kinds~!"/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The order had come from on high. Very high. She had suited up the moment she could pull away from brunch with a friend, who had no idea that their relationship was a lie built for a deeper cover. That's just how it goes for the life of SHIELD, especially when you've got a record like she does./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The rest of her team quickly amassed itself via motorbike, and she could not stop herself from feeling overwhelmed. This mission was paramount, and given what they were up against, it could go south very fast./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Still, she owes it to Laura to do this the right way. She would never forgive herself if she didn't./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""HQ, Team is assembled," she barked into her ear piece, having to speak loud over the sound of the highway and her squad of bikers. "Awaiting confirmation of vehicle."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Roger that, Agent Morse."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The rookie of her squad-mates pulls a pair of googles from his belt, sliding them into place across his eyes and turning them on with the flip of a switch. She hates the way that they shine directly into her eyes, but Agent Harris doesn't mind it. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Better him than me/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", she thinks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Are we really the right team for this?" Harris asks over their squad channel, the earpiece clicking with every word. "This is a lot."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It is, but we can handle it," Agent Morse declares. "We were the closest team in proximity, and no back-up is coming. We do this here, and HQ says we'll have saved the planet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What could he have on him that that would be true?" another agent asks - Rosenburg, she thinks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Before any of them could speculate, Agent Harris barks into his headpiece a confirmation. Agent Morse pours on the speed at the same moment that the gunfire starts, bullets flying from four different directions. She tags the black-suited assailants aiming rifles in her direction with her eyes even as she ducks, placing another vehicle between her and them on the highway for all of a few seconds before they realize what is happening and put on the breaks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An explosive to her immediate left goes off, and one of her team goes down, their bike tumbling end over end as their bodies tumble at speeds no one could survive. The force of it nearly makes her own bike wobble off course, but she persists and manages to surpass the moment and pour on the speed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her sidearm swings to the side as she cranes her neck, peppering one of the vehicles ahead with gunfire. A van careens to the side as its tire pops, and she drives past it and spins around, firing two more shots into the drivers' cab, earning a splatter of blood with her victory./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It wasn't him./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He's in the semi./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Take out the others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They do not have a choice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She reminds herself that her team are trained for this and sees Agent Harris dive to the side with his bike, narrowly avoid another explosion, and then trains her eye up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clinging to the roof in the crouched position of an archer is the man in question. A man who has gone rogue, and not of his own volition. She has enough time to push on the speed at the same time that he pulls back his bow, sending an arrow filled with electrical discharge in her direction. It narrow misses but hits the pedestrian truck behind her instead./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Barton confirmed," she barks into her earpiece. "Permission to engage."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A female voice - the voice of Agent Romanov, she realizes distantly, a woman she's only met on a handful of occasions - says back, "Nonlethal force only."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She understands and has no desire to hurt the man. This is more for the rest of her team that are still standing than it is for her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Morse drives faster once more, straining the limits of the motorbike and her own safety. A practiced hand reaches into her leg pouch and pulls the wristbands, twisting them onto one arm at the same time she jumps./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her body slams hard into the side of the semi truck, but her arm holds with a metallic whine, magnets in the wristbands keeping her steady. She twists the other on and begins scaling the side of the truck, even as more gunfire peppers the area all around the highway. She has to move swiftly - there's no chance Barton didn't see that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She flips onto the roof with a twirl, producing her stun batons at the same moment that Barton unleashes an arrow toward Agent Rosenburg. The arrow expands into some kind of sticky tar the moment it hits the ground in front of the younger agent's bike, sending the redhead into the pavement and likely into her death./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Morse cannot stop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She launches herself at Clint before he can retaliate at range, certain that her close-range combat will be enough and hoping that whatever power holds the man's free will at bay keeps his skills away as well./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An attempt to baton to the throat is met with a twisting turn, and a snap of his bow against her blocking arm could have thrown her off her feet. Barton twists around her with a short half-step, and then attempts to drive his knee into the back of her thigh. She clips his knee with a stiff-arm, earning a stinging wrist, and then pummels the man's shoulder with a single blow of her free arm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They continue to trade blows back and forth for several seconds, and at one point he manages to elbow the baton out of her hand, likely breaking one of her knuckles in the process. She doesn't let the pain show - she's suffered worse - and it's only thanks to her environmental awareness training that she spots an assailant aiming up toward her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She drops to the top of the truck in an instant, avoiding the shot that might have taken her out. Using the momentum of her fall, she twists into a rolling sweep, but he leaps over it and manages to stomp on her already injured hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Shit!" she screams./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Harris barks, "I almost got the back of the truck open! Gotta get Selvig out!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hawkeye reaches back for an arrow and brandishes it like a spike, striking downward with all his might./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Morse forces herself into a roll, narrowly avoiding the super-heated arrowhead that melts a hole into the roof of the truck's cargo container. Coming to a crouch at the same moment she swings her baton, she manages to make purchase with him, but it misses bare skin and instead hits his arm guard./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He shifts his body forward, glassy eyes focused on her for a moment, and then she hears something /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"roar./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Twisting her attention to the street behind her, she blinks in surprise as a man once dressed in the same black combat fatigues as the rest of their assailants grows two, three, four - six feet taller, his skin becoming a darkened blue. A greenish-looking brand glows as it stretches alongside the skin on his back, sizzling like steam, and then he /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"roars/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Harris drops to the ground from the open door of the back of the truck, stunned, and the giant of a man reverses course in a split-second. Agent Morse does not see what happened to her fellow squad-mate as an excruciating pain erupts in her back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A second erupts in the side of her head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bobbi Morse knows no more./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The scepter rests on a pedestal in the lab. Shimmering in gold and silver, the end of the spear contains a crystalline shape that glows with blue light, the same light as the Tesseract. Data readings I cannot interpret rest throughout, but this is still amazing to see. A real-life magical artifact, the first I've found in this universe not connected to the Grimoire or the Sanctuary in some way./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"From the video feeds of the fight in Germany, it can blast things with the same force as the Tesseract, though the power of it pales in comparison to the defenses of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"the/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" shield of Captain America. A shield that can also tank blasts from Tony's suit and Thor's motherfucking hammer, if the story of their meeting was not an exaggeration./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Worse still is its ability to apparently dominate the minds of others to serve your bidding. That's a powerful ability./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How you doing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up to see Agent Coulson slip into the laboratory, pulling me away from the scepter and from Bruce and Tony, while the two of them work. It had taken longer than thirty minutes to find a location, but they'd narrowed it down to three reactors in the northeastern United States. It was only a matter of time before troops on the ground directed by Fury could confirm it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's all a little crazy," I say automatically. "I wish I could do more. I'm not Gandalf - I can't wave my hands and make the problem go away."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Would take the fun out of it if you could, if you ask me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't match his smile. "It would be worth it to keep people safe. If I could say a magic word and end all conflict? I think I'd say it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson thinks deeply for a moment. "You know, I'm not sure I agree. A lot of my best qualities came from conflict."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And probably your worst, too."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""True." He nods. "How out of place do you feel?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I look at him blankly. "You have no idea."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A chuckle breaks the near silence in the room. "I think I do." He points at Tony. "A billionaire." At Bruce. "A scientist." At the other end of the hallway. "An assassin. A god. A soldier." At me. "A magician."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""When you put it like that," I grumble. "I'd feel better if I had some experience."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We all feel that way at some point in our careers, no matter the career. Starting out is tough."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""People's /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"lives/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" are on the line," I counter. "This isn't like working a 9-5."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Also true." Coulson pokes me in the chest. "But you? You're here. You're valuable. Experience will come, if you let it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not in time for an alien invasion."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wasn't going to let SHIELD let me fall into a sense of security. At any point, that portal /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"will/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" open, and enemies /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"will/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" spill out. Whatever this Chitauri army is, it's only a matter of time before they rear their ugly head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha enters the room with a truly frightening look on her face. She stops in front of the scepter and wheels her intense gaze toward me. "I need to know how to reverse the effects of this, and I need to know now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson nods. "Yes, but-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Bobbi Morse is down."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bobbi Morse? I do not recognize it, but Coulson seems to as he blinks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It was Clint."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Three perks (2 100 CP and 1 400 CP) were gained this chapter but they won't pop up in the accordion until the chapter that he can have some time to access the Grimoire./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Apr 24, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_18_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 17/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Several SHIELD agents were dead./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They were dead because /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" sent them there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sent Agent Morse and her team in the direction of the Tesseract, able to respond faster than the Avengers to the crisis because they were closer than the time it would take to get a Quinjet involved. My spell gave them the steps to find its location./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It was a failure. Hawkeye deftly escaped capture, and he, the Tesseract and Selvig were still in the wind. I am not privy to the details of what Fury plans to do next - at least, not yet - but I'm not sure that I want to know. I could do worse next time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's not fair to myself. I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"do/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" want this. This is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Before, I'd have said it was coming out to my mom and finding out she /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"didn't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" hate me, despite the general aura of hatred in the Southeast. The exhilaration of using superpowers to stop bad guys and actually save lies? Nothing else compares./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When it involves saving lives./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Someone died. Someone important, if Black Widow's reaction to the squad leader's death means anything. I don't know her personally, but it still feels /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"very/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" wrong./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With shaking hands, I wipe the bile from my lips and then spit into the sink once more. Flesh pale, my reflection shows the face of a gaunt killer, the fluorescent lighting sharpening my features./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Goddamn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I try to think back to advice that my parents might have given me for this situation, but no helpful memories come to alleviate the present. I should not be surprised - it's not like parents often know what to tell you to do if your actions lead to the death of another person. Instead, my mind flashes back to the conflicted emotions on Black Widow's face, a mixture of blame, hurt, and concern that I'll never be able to remove from my head. Angry eyes, a clenched jaw, lips quivering./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A knock at the door shakes me back to the present./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just a minute," I call out, wiping my face with fresh water one more time and then drying with a cheap paper towel. The banality of what the Helicarrier stocks in its bathrooms would normally probably soothe my mood, but not on a day like this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Take your time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clench my jaw at the voice of Steve Rogers, just on the other side of the doorway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A deep breath and a deeper exhale./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The door slides open to reveal the blond, his piercing blue eyes staring warmly into my soul. The man is barely a six or seven years older than me, if I had to guess, but he feels /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"ancient. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He has the visage of someone who has seen war, who has felt war, who has /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"lived/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" war. In that respect, he feels older than Thor. Is it because he's human?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Let's take a walk."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, okay," I say dumbly, following after the man dressed in the suit of a superhero. Red, white, and blue, it perfectly encapsulates a classic ideal, and it's neat, if a little garish. I have to fight to stop checking him out, catching up to walk alongside him - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this is not the time./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan," he says after a few moments of silence. The Helicarrier feels just as tense as I do, though I cannot quite read what Steve is thinking. "How are you feeling?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I bite my tongue to avoid saying the first thing that comes to mind. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Think, before I speak./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" "I don't feel great right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve nods sagely. "I have been in your shoes. Toward the end of the war, my decisions carried weight, whether I wanted them to or not. That weight could mean a loss of life for both sides."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What was it like?"/span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"He blinks distantly. /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh, I probably shouldn't have asked a veteran that. Isn't that rude?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Difficult. Perhaps the most difficult thing I'll ever do. Trying to reconcile what blood belongs on my hands and what blood doesn't? Used to send me into spiraling moments of self-doubt." He pauses at the intersection of two twisting corridors, and just ahead is a stairwell leading to the bridge, where the others lie in wait. "In order to move forward, I had to accept these worries were part of the job, but that I would do everything in my power to avoid casualties, to save those around me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I almost cannot believe this conversation is actually happening right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And what if you can't?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There will be times where you cannot save everyone," he says sharply. "I lost a dear friend of mine near the end of the war. If I had been faster, if I had been in the right place, if I had raised my shield in the right moment? Maybe he'd be alive. Maybe he wouldn't. At the end of the day," he sucks in a deep breath, "you cannot allow these moments to break your spirit."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I think I know the friend he mentioned. It was a core concept of Captain America's story that he loses Bucky during the second World War. The forties were a strange time for comics, so was /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Bucky a small child too? Was it even Bucky at all, here, or someone else? I'd ask him about it, but I don't know how to breach the topic in a way that would not upset him. Instead, I marinate on his words for a few moments./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve places a thick hand on my shoulder, a strong yet gentle grip. "Son, these are burdens I would not wish on my worst enemy. I do not know what your future holds, but are you really set and ready to work with Fury? To work with SHIELD? To be put into conflicts like this, where lives are on the line?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have to choke down a sob. He tenses with concern. "Kid, you okay?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clear my throat and push it all down. A spell that would help me compartmentalize would be /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"really/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" good right now. "Yeah, I uh-" I hesitate and wipe at a tear. "I'll be okay. I'm ready for whatever comes next, I promise. Just need to let it out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve watches for a few seconds and then nods. "If you want another minute, take it. I don't know when you'll get a chance. We're close to the end of this thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As he ascends the stairs, I almost follow him and instead stop, leaning against the corridor wall. The man has the decency to not look back while I wipe at my face and take another few deep breaths. I just need a minute to get into the swing of things./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Just a minute./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha wishes she knew how to kill him twice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She would settle for once./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She knew hundreds of ways to kill a man, dozens of ways to kill them in seconds. A knick of the brachial artery. A sting from her gauntlets to the jugular. A bullet to the eye. A slash to the groin. Those were just a few of her favorites, and she ponders not for the first time whether those ways will work on an Asgardian./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her playbook has been gaining chapters by the year, by the month, sometimes by the week - that was a particularly strange month, she recalls. Lately, more and more Enhanced have come out of the woodwork, some of which the public will never know. It's become so weird that she once took down a Russian with metal /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"tendrils/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" coming out of his palms./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, she doesn't have the play for how to kill someone like Loki, nor how to truly make him suffer. If he were not so confident about it, Natasha would think that a group of humans managing to cage a so-called god would be more insulting to him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She wanted to see him beg, to grovel, to bring him to her knees and punish him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's why she steps into the chamber holding the cage built for the Hulk with one of the prototypes from Phase Two: a pistol with unknown energy rounds, almost delightfully silent in its precision, even if it provides horrific burns to the target before it is done./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She wants him to scream for what he made Clint do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The weapon is holstered in her usual weapon pouch, though it does not quite fit properly. It's heavier too, reminding her less of a precision handgun and more of a heavy revolver. Regardless, she confidently steps up to the tempered glass, only planning to use the weapon if the Asgardian proved trickier than she expected./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's not many people who can sneak up on me." The slimy bastard sickly grins./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You must not be very perceptive, because I wasn't even trying," Natasha states with her own smirk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I expected torture from a man with as auspicious a record as Fury." He steps forward. "Suffice it to say, your appearance is /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"not/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" torture on the eyes, love."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha does not take the bait. She's heard worse from far worse. Instead, she redirects. "I want to know what you've done with Agent Barton."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki chuckles. "I would say that I've expanded his mind."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An itch scratches at her own chest as his words weave through the air. She could almost see the charisma oozing with every word - this was a man born for leadership, for the kind of throne that Russia would love. She could see a weaker person falling for his exterior and his honeyed words. She'd ended the life of a similar man when she was only fourteen years old./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You've twisted him to hurt the ones he loves the most. I don't call that expansion - I call it subversion," Natasha counters. "A trick for a man who couldn't gain real loyalty."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He sneers, expression uncomfortable for only a moment. "And what would the great Agent Romanov know of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"loyalty/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"? Which silly little organization of ill intent do you plan to twist around your finger today?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She does not smile. Clint must have told him everything he knew, or at least, enough to get the broad strokes, of her history. "I follow my heart."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And does your heart beat for Barton?" Loki asks, glowering./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I owe him a debt," she says simply, arms crossed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He ponders that a moment, stepping back to stew in whatever horrible thoughts of violence, destruction, and arrogance must run through that awful mind of his. "Tell me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She doesn't want to play his game. She wants to open that cage and hit him with every degree of heat the blaster can emit. But doing so only lets him out faster, and she wants to know his game. She'll play along, for now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Before I worked for SHIELD," he grins, likely at the mention of what he believes to be a shift in loyalty, "I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set. I didn't care who I used it for, or on."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He sneers again. "Your history is remarkably similar to my own, if my naysayers in Asgard are to be believed. The stories the sheep on Midgard tell…"/span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;""Oh?" /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm not similar to you at all, you lunatic./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""God of mischief, trickery," he says simply, raising a hand. "Deceit."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And evil?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki rolls his eyes. "Evil? What a positively Zoroastrian concept." He waves his hand toward her. "We could debate the philosophical underpinnings of Midgard society all day, but I have places to be, people to rule. Continue, Agent Romanoff."/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He could get out at any time. And yet, he doesn't, /span/emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"she realizes/spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;". He wants something first. But what?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I got on SHIELD's radar in a bad way," she continues, not wanting to let him grovel in the truly impactful details. "Agent Barton was sent to kill me. He made a different call."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He looks up with a smile. "And what will you do if I vow to spare him?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Spare him?" she grimaces, the first honest emotion she has shown since she arrived. "You could not do more damage to his life if you killed him yourself. It's far past the time to spare him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He leans in, interested. "And what has my little puppet done?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She grips at her own arm to stop herself from revealing that Laura and their kids exist. Instead, she redirects, prodding. "You've turned him into a monster."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He grins, leaning back to come to a standing position, walking forward with a slimy gait. "No, I've merely enlightened him to a new perspective. Perhaps, instead, you should look a bit closer to home for the true monster."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha blinks in surprise, puts a finger to her earpiece, and turns on the dot. "Loki means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the lab. I'm on my way. Send Thor as well."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Standing in the same room with some of the Avengers will never not be cool, even with a mind so focused on some of the horrible things that I've helped create. Banner studies the energy of the Scepter, only looking up every few seconds to study the program he created to sweep for the right gamma signature. Tony filters through some of the truly odd things he's located on SHIELD's files, and I've not even scratched the surface of exactly what Phase Two even is. What was Phase One?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Isn't it kinda cool?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony doesn't look away from the diagram of a blaster turret the size of a tank. "What is, pipsqueak?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The guns," I say again, earning a look from both scientists while I have to ignore how emasculating that makes me feel. "I mean, a laser weapon is straight out of a science fiction movie. You even use them, Mr. Stark."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Repulsors are not lasers. They're highly dense particle blast weapons," he argues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Semantics."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Definitely not, kid, for so many reasons. Talk to me again when you finish third grade."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Banner shifts his glasses away from his face, speaking quietly and ignoring Tony's barb. "Logan, look where messing with the Tesseract got us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We shouldn't stop doing something because it goes wrong one time," I argue. "If there are aliens out there that want to target Earth with better technology, shouldn't we use whatever we can?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's how you end up with a Japan," Steve rebukes as he enters the room to interrupt the conversation. "Just because we have it, doesn't mean we should use it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Old news," Tony says automatically, earning a look of exasperation from Steve. "But he's not wrong."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm surprised," Steve replies icily. "I figured you'd be all in on this, if SHIELD didn't have it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, my dad worked on it, true, but-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury enters the room with a stomping gait, anger in his eyes. "What are you doing, Mr. Stark?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, kind of been wondering the same thing about you," the billionaire counters, turning away from Steve./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And we are," Banner declares before Tony can respond. "The model's locked and we're sweeping for the signature now." He gives a look toward me. "I'm not sure I trust what you plan to do next to engage it, when we find it. What's to stop one of us from being next to the slaughterhouse?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury softens a moment. "It was convenient-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Convenient?" I ask, interrupting. "Four people are dead because it was convenient?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury rounds back. "Agent Morse and Agent Barton have fought before. I was certain that she could secure the Tesseract without any casualties."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I place my finger against one of the consoles, bringing up CCTV footage of one of the soldiers transforming into what might be a frost giant in seconds. "I guess you didn't anticipate this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He frowns solemnly. "No, I did not."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A bit of temporary transmutation," Thor declares as he and Black Widow enter the room. "My brother has no fondness for his kin. If it were a true frost giant, this Pennsylvania would be in grave danger."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Regardless," Fury interrupts, but Tony swipes at a screen, revealing several more of the diagrams. "What /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Phase Two?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Looks an awful lot like the old HYDRA weapons to me," Steve declares, jaw set with a determination that this is, in fact, the wrong play. If Captain America says building these weapons is wrong, then I'm inclined to believe him. But worse - the first mention that HYDRA exists./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""SHIELD and HYDRA?" I ask, knowing from the comics that under no uncertain terms should those two words ever be spoken aloud in the same sentence. There are so many comics where these two organizations have it out for one another. "Even I know that's bad news."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The nerd listens in history class. I'm impressed," Tony adds./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One day, I'm going to have to get Tony back for all the poking about my age. Acceptable targets… Probable alcoholism? Playboy humor? /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Wrong time to be distracted!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce, in a bit of anger, points to Natasha. "Did you know about this?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She raises a hand. "You want to think about removing yourself from this environment, Doctor?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I was in Calcutta. I was pretty well removed," he argues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Loki is manipulating you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What? He's not hit Banner with the Scepter. It might be possible for him to do it with a spell even from in there, but wouldn't the cameras have seen /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" if he had?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And you've been doing what, exactly?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Unless he tricked the cameras somehow. Or did it without any components at all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes, and I'm not leaving just because some of you get a little twitchy." He walks over to the screen, and all I can think is to remove /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"myself/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" from the situation. If he really is doing something to Bruce, then it's only a matter of time before he pops the Helicarrier to pieces. I can escape as long as I get a moment, but can the others?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I want to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction." Bruce gestures to the screen in front of him, which shows blueprints for a missile that looks a lot like an ICBM, but its payload is entirely based on the energy from the Cube. It's unclear if that would be better or worse than a nuclear weapon, but if anyone would know, it's the gamma radiation scientist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That could do a lot of damage. Directed damage, at any target. As much as I might believe weapons like that might be useful in a war against someone out there, I do realize that something like that would inevitably fall into human hands, to be used by humans against humans. Laser rifles are one thing, but the equivalent of a nuclear bomb is another./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think we're focused on the wrong things," I try to interrupt the tension. "How secure is Loki, really, Thor?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor grimaces at the question. "He is only as secure as he wants to be. No normal Midgard cage can hold him for long."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's not a normal cage," Fury defends./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But it has no real magical component?" I ask. "Anything to disrupt a spell in there? Something that could prevent him from doing something to take over Banner's mind?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At the shake of Fury's head, the room erupts into further arguing, and I don't quite catch all of it. My eyes do not leave Bruce as he inches closer and closer to the Scepter, and - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Oh!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I activate my tattoos with a thought. Blue-white lyrium shifts my body into the Fade, and I push through the desk between the Scepter and myself. With a single kick, the mentally-dominating weapon snaps from the table and skitters across the floor, slightly further away from the group and definitely out of Banner's reach./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha and Fury have pistols in hand. Thor grips his hammer tightly, in a posture like he's ready to swing. Tony stands slightly behind Steve, though he's now wearing the gauntlet that Matero enchanted for him - a sleek golden metal glove with small, red Hylian runes etched into its surface almost like circuits. Bruce steps back in surprise the moment my tattoos deactivate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sorry for the alarm, but we should /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"really/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" get away from Loki's Scepter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, we've not detected any abnormal readings-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I doubt he can do that from where he is."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Loki's lies know no bounds, Earthlings. Do not underestimate him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I look toward the rest. "Just trust me!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury clears his throat loudly. "Vacate!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The group starts to move, including me, but the gamma radiation model suddenly finishes running its calculations. Bruce rushes over with excitement, and the tension slowly mounting in the room fades. "We got a hit. But you're not going to like it, Star-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's when the room /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"explodes/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_19_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 18/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pain wracks the left side of my chest, arm almost literally on fire. The smell of twisted, melted metal and thick, black smoke billows through my nostrils, and something wet and coppery trickles onto my tongue. Alarms blare throughout the space and overwhelm any sense of what /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"exactly/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" is happening, and forcing myself to my feet amidst a heap of metal debris is a challenge on my joints./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With heavy breath, I lean against a nearby wall with my right side, hoping that it stays standing despite my weight. Smoke obscures the immediate details of my surroundings, and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"shit./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is the big leagues. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm willing to bet he caused the explosion. A fireball spell or an arcane rune set to explode? Perhaps just a bit of well-placed telekinetic force against some important machinery. Why /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"couldn't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" he do that from where he is?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The others are… not here. Tony didn't have his armor, Thor didn't have his hammer, Steve didn't have his shield - they could be /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"dead./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" A dead Avenger before they even officially team up for the first time would be a sick twist in a comic book, but here? /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"No thank you. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I steady myself to draw in Azyr, and its soothing breath in my lungs fills me with serenity. A spell designed to tame the weather into /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"my/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" will arcs to life between my finger tips and then cascades outward like a ripple in a pond, forcing the smoke in the area to disappear. It continues rippling for several seconds, pushing past even the walls of this corridor and continuing into the spaces beyond in all directions, forcing a Clear Sky within the Helicarrier./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would hold back the tide of smoke for a few minutes and aid the vision of any survivors. It was the most I can do for the aftermath without moving from this spot, but I have no desire to stay put./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, otherworldly magic courses from the surface of the skin and into the flesh, allowing me to become ethereal. With a resounding leap of flow motion, I force my Heart to action and snap upward toward exploded area. Nothing in this flying tin can is an obstacle for lyrium./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want the familiar weapon in his hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to bark orders toward unfamiliar men./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to harm any more of his comrades./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to feel like an observer in his own body./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, he continues, like a puppet on strings, dancing to the tune of some alien psychopathic symphony./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants to vomit./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants to put an arrow in an alien's eye./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants to stop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants none of this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants to stop./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stop!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Please stop!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not do what he wants./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're going to be okay!" Natasha cries, trying desperately to pull herself away from the debris that has caught her ankle. Her eyes stay focused on the sight of Dr. Banner, a man in agony. "I swear on my life, I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"will/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" get you out of this. You will walk away, and never ever-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Your life!?" the voice of a monster reverberates throughout the room, sending shivers down her spine. She renews efforts to pull herself free./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The scientist's skin turns green and begins to bulge, muscle, bone, and sinew expanding larger and larger in a matter of seconds. He groans in pain, skittering across the floor and falling to a lower level as he tries hard to fight it, the monster slowly becoming /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"more/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Several /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"somethings /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"pop into existence with a flash of white light around her, and she looks up in time for the kid to finish slipping through the wall like it is not even there. Several more of him - temporary copies, the files postulate - work together to pull her leg free by lifting the material, and she twists onto her feet while barely feeling the pain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Kid, you need to go-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The monster roars once more - half man and half beast - and Logan pushes past her for a moment to join his copies. There's a new twist of light around the boy for a momentary second. "I'll be f-fine. You go!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That was not a request!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The six clones drop to the same level as the now fully-transformed Hulk. White bolts of light flare from each of them, a volley of energy cascading toward the monster. They fan out a few feet as they fire, and each blast impacts against the Hulk's skin almost like a splash of bright liquid. He shows no signs that it matters - she doubts they are very effective, but perhaps there is something that she is not seeing about them. Regardless, the Hulk's attention is on them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We have /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"maybe/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" ten seconds," she says as calmly as the situation can demand, which is not at all calmly. She raises her hand to her communicator, studying the teenager's very concerned face. "We have a Code: Green on sub-level three."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hears several voices call out into the communication lines at once, some lower and higher in clearance level than even her own. It's Fury's voice that finally shuts them all the hell up. "We'll send Thor."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan blinks. "What're they saying?" He snaps his fingers and three more clones leap onto the ground below./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha tilts her head and then realizes. "Could we not have gotten the wizard a communicator?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'll take it under advis-" Fury pauses./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk lifts something heavy and throws it, shaking the whole corridor and leaving several clones to splatter against the metal grating. Sparks shower the area at the site of impact, and Logan looks like he's itching to move. His fingers snap again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Romanoff, lead Hulk to sector four, sub-level five."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hesitates at the absurdity of that request. "Sir, I don't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Get it done."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha takes a long, hard breath. "Don't follow."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Then she leaps down to join the clones, the layout of the Helicarrier in mind to guide her toward her next destination. A single bullet pelts against the green giant's pectoral muscle, doing nothing but capturing the monster's attention. First task of the mission secured, she bolts forward on a wounded foot, and the Hulk engages to rush after her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're hurt," the boy suddenly says as he catches up to her in a burst of speed, able to shift through anything between them. "Let me do this!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She does not have time to hesitate and answer him, the Hulk pushing his way through walls and hallways not designed for someone nearly twelve feet tall. The metal bends around the unstoppable creature as he roars. The kid steps back for half a second and whirls around to face the monster. A look of terror fills Logan's eyes, but a twisting vibration of air and light appears just above his hands a moment later./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk's fist slams forward and impacts hard against the field of faintly blue magic. It lasts for but a fraction of a second before it shatters into flecks of light, and the monster roars loudly enough it threatens to burst her eardrums./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're one engine away from falling out of the sky," Coulson declares into his communicator, a status screen on the way to the armory reports to any technician or agent who rushes past. "We need to do something-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan has engaged the Hulk," the voice of Romanoff declares with exasperation in her breath. "Any Asgardian back-up before a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"child/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" dies under my watch?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson frowns. The boy is not ready. The man could not help but feel he made the wrong call. Logan could be safely in New York while they dealt with all this. Now? He's engaged a creature able to bring any military force on the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"planet/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to their knees./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Get Logan out of there!" he shouts into the communicator./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tryin-" Natasha's voice goes cold./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Engine Three is /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"almost/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" online," Tony's voice shouts over the secure transmission. "And, oh, yeah, I have access to this too."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not the time, Tony," Steve shouts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson cannot help but think that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"maybe/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" they are all doomed./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That way!" Natasha shouts, and I propel my Heart in the direction of a cramped side-tunnel. Exhaustion from all the magicka I pumped into that ward burns through my joints, but it would get better soon. I just have to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"try fucking harder./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I could comfortably outrun the Hulk, maybe even without flow motion, but I cannot just leave Black Widow behind. She doesn't have anything to prevent being turned to paste, and as agile as she is, her only real advantage is that she can fit into smaller spaces without having to take the time to tear through them like the Hulk. A charm spell or a paralysis spell would be great right now just to end the whole thing, but nothing in my arsenal can do that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Two clones throw themselves at the Hulk, but I look away as they simultaneously self-detonate into blasts of searing light and concussive force, designed to be really good at attacking the SOUL of a creature. The beast stammers back but I cannot celebrate for long as he simply charges forward even angrier. Whatever magic the minions can really do, it's not making much of a dent into the Hulk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha rushes ahead of me and then points, directing me toward a final hallway, where something truly remarkable is already happening. A burst of flow motion deposits me inside in time to see Thor's hammer smash into the side of a blue-skinned giant's face, a bit of greenish frost exploding outward as it hits with an impact that sends the whole creature tumbling through a nearby wall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Asgardian warrior recalls the weapon to his hand and swings an uppercut with his free hand into the jaw of another frost giant, throwing it aside with impressive strength. Another roar of the Hulk attracts his attention, and he tenses his muscles to catch the monster as it arrives with his own might./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Child," the god says, "ready yourself should you choose to stay. Leave, should you not."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I rush toward him and stand near, preparing to defend myself should the two frost giants recover and rejoin the fray. Natasha slips into the room but I lose sight of her quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Let the Hulk take these guys," I offer. "Your brother is the real problem. You think he'll stay locked up?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""These mere facsimiles of Jotunkind will not stand against the beast for long," he says carefully. "But you have a point."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk smashes into the chamber with a rip and tear of metal, sending storage equipment everywhere. Thor enters a combat stance and then hurls the hammer after almost no wind-up. The weapon - perhaps one of the most powerful in all of Marvel comics - arcs with electricity as it spins through the air and comes down like a lightning bolt against the Hulk's left shoulder. The monster plummets to his knee from the mere force of it, a scream of genuine pain as the lightning cascades through his torso./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A flick of the wrist recalls the hammer, and Thor expertly dodges underneath one of the shifting frost giant's manic swings. I almost flinch as I didn't even notice the thing get up, lucky that it didn't target me first. With a flutter of my Heart, I'm standing atop a nearby railing, surprised to see that Natasha is mere feet away and hiding behind a crate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We need to move," I say carefully. "Thor's heading to Loki."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman nods hesitantly. "I know he's here - I need to find Barton. Stay out of harm's way. The good luck keeping you alive is bound to run out eventually."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She takes a careful breath and then heads for the nearest exit, so quiet I doubt anyone could hear it, especially not over the mess of two frost giants dueling with the Hulk. She has a point, of course - I don't think anyone expects this to work, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blond Asgardian disengages hesitantly when one of the giants manages to catch the green monster on the nose with a forceful blow, but it only serves to anger the Hulk more. The other giant tackles the monster around his abdomen, throwing him so hard into a pile of crates that the very railing shakes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon," I call out to the god./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Lead the way, wizard."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He distantly hears the words of his boss calling for an evac./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He distantly feels his hand grip the bow tighter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of these men, on his mark, throws a grenade into the bridge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something as simple as a grenade would not stop his boss./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The jackboots rush inside to their probable demise as they throw themselves at probably the most fortified room on the planet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to do this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to pull back his bow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to let loose the arrow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants the arrow to fail to bypass their security, glitch their system, and send the Helicarrier into freefall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants to stop /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"himself/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" by any means necessary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His body cares little for what he wants./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve should have expected this, but he cannot say he was expecting one of the mentally dominated agents shooting at him to transform into a monster with a green flash of fire. Its skin a bright blue, its hair a stark white, its screams a sound reminiscent of a shattering icicle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wished he had his shield./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stark!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A little busy!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The giant leaps with a single jump toward the railing, latching onto the wall with a fist strong enough to tear through steel to give itself a foothold. Steve brandishes his rifle and peppers its flesh with bullets, but the transformed creature merely ignores the small wounds in its chest. The man notices the larger creature reach back, so he makes a powerful standing jump of his own, making it to an even more precarious position than before and now out of easy reach of the lever that awaits Tony's signal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve takes aim for the creature's head and fires once more, but the giant sees it coming and raises an arm, the bullets mostly hitting its guarded forearm. He breathes heavily as he takes another jump with enhanced strength, trying to land behind him, but the giant slams a fist hard into the exterior wall the second he lands, forcing him to lose his footing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve drops a few feet onto the railing below, managing to just barely arrest his momentum before he tumbles into freefall, though the gun skids then topples over and into the sky. He flips up and onto his feet before the giant can turn to pummel him, hoping that the transformed man's weight just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"might/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be enough./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He slams a hard kick onto the grated walkway just in front of him. The panel bends but does not break. He starts to repeat it, but the giant takes a step forward./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Wrong move."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The giant loses his footing when the walkway snaps away from the rest of the Helicarrier, and the agent with a shimmering green brand on his transformed frost giant back falls thousands of feet to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve's at a loss for words when the ship lurches and begins to follow the giant, plummeting from the sky. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"This day could not get much worse. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He has enough foresight to grab hold of something heavy, because everything nearly proves the day /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"could/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be much worse./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Traveling with Thor should feel like a more worthy affair, or at least a cause for celebration, but I cannot think of the comics right now. All I can think about is how fucked we might all be if we don't get Banner back to himself or get the Hulk out of here. Or if we don't deal with the Asgardian god planning to take over the whole world./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The detention sector is a relatively smaller section of the overall Helicarrier, and I doubt that many of SHIELD's high-profile targets even would be brought here of all places. Regardless, this was certainly better than trusting that Loki would be secure in some facility on the ground. Unless he can fly, in which case, there's not much point in holding him almost anywhere on Earth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Asgard needs to take Loki," I say to the blonde as we rush toward the cell./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""As soon as I am able, that is what I plan to do."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor enters the chamber holding the containment cell built for the Hulk, and boy would it be more useful on the gamma monster right about now. I follow after him but am surprised to see that the door to the cage is, in fact, open. Loki stands in its midst, about to exit, and Thor shouts in outrage at the top of his lungs and rushes him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Only to pass right through an illusory form, and the door to the cell closes behind the god of thunder, locking him inside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck," I mutter under my breath, suddenly very much not wanting to be here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck, indeed," the god of trickery says, ignoring the shouts of his brother. He has his Scepter…. "Such crude language from a little whelp. Who are you on this fine mid-spring day?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do not touch him, brother!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh?" The lithe form of the god leans back in sleek green and gold armor, looking like a modern take of a comics-accurate costume. "My brother wants to protect you. How quaint."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can protect m-myself," I try, wincing at my own stuttering. The heartbeat thrums in my chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki takes two steps toward me, an amused smile on his face, one with way too many teeth. "Oh, no, which of mankind's toys have you armed yourself with, child?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I need a game plan here… Keep him distracted while Thor gets out. Maybe break Thor out myself? Surely the hammer can break the glass. Wait for further back-up - Tony and Steve should be somewhere nearby, among other things./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach for the pocket of my coat very carefully, pulling the enchanted scroll case from it. "I have a few t-tools at my disposal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I see that," he says, seemingly interested. "A fascinating bit of sorcery, that little coat you have there. Did you steal it from your betters?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No." My simple answer seems to amuse him further, and he takes another step forward while I prepare to snap my fingers to create more clones./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Run, Logan!" Thor cries, swinging his hammer hard enough to crack but not break the glass./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull a scroll from the case and let it fall into my bottomless pocket, surprised that the god is letting me get this far. "Let me show you one of my tricks."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"love/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" tricks."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I unfurl the Polymorph scroll and begin to chant, while at the same time snapping my fingers to create more than a dozen minions between me and him. Loki moves as well, raising his Scepter as its blue glow burns to life. I leap to the side as I finish the spell, aiming directly for him. Clones begin to fire as well, but one group explodes from Loki's cascade of blue energy that scars the very wall behind it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A yellow glow starts to surround the man as the shaping magic tries to take hold, but he laughs as it suddenly stops, the scroll disintegrating in my hands as it is consumed. "You think me foolish enough to shift forms at /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"your/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" whim?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I didn't need it to work," I mutter as I activate tattoos, falling into the floor just as he aims his Scepter at me again. I pop up behind him and cast T'Essla's Arc, the most offensive Azyr spell I can currently muster, though Chain Lightning is close. Lightning rushes from my fingertips several feet in a line of electricity. However, instead of hitting the target, they pass right through his own illusory duplicate - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"damn it./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A white energy bolt from one of the clones that managed to survive for a few extra seconds lets me know the god was behind me, ready to spear me to death with the end of his Scepter or the knife in his hands. I fling myself forward using my Heart, landing on the other side of the room with just enough speed that Loki's barrage of three conjured daggers /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"just/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" miss, one of them cutting a sliver in my trench coat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You are decidedly more annoying than I expected," the god of trickery declares. Thor slams Mjølnir against the glass again and again, while Loki smiles. "Still, you share the lack of elegance, creativity, and grace with those in Midgard."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'd rather be this way than a tyrant." I move to snap my fingers, but they stop before I can as an unseen force grips them in place. Panic spreads as another force grabs my other wrist, enveloping my hand in its touch. Loki's eyes flash with greenish gold light just behind the pupils./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Another crash from the hammer, and Thor barrels free from the cage, sliding to a stop between the two of us while lightning courses through the grip of his hammer. "Loki! Stop this madness!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lunge to the right with my Heart, and feeling returns to my fingers from the sudden movement. I don't go quite as far as I wanted to have gone, nor as fast, but it was enough to be far closer to the door./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is beyond me./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's too late for that, Brother," he sneers. "I will not stop until all of Midgard and then all of the Nine Realms bows for me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor tightens his grip on his weapon and then shouts over his shoulder. "Go. Now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh? You want a last stand? I'll give you one, but not here!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki vanishes from sight in a glimmer of gold and emerald./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I expect him to pop up at any moment, but the moment does not come, leaving me alone with a very angry god of thunder./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: May 8, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_20_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 19/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha knows the Helicarrier like the back of her hand. It has been a launching point for /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"many/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" of her missions abroad, its cloaking technology capable of sneaking agents into any airspace without the country's knowledge. She also knows that the place has very little chance to survive a few of Loki's enchanted pals and the Hulk hashing it out. The technology is so great that they probably won't even see the big ship in the sky until it's too late to avoid getting crushed under its crash landing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At the end of the day, she does not have the skill-set to get the dueling monsters capable of ripping into metal like paper out of here. She knows her limits. She understands her purpose here better than most: take down Clint Barton, before he kills someone else important to him. The second that she received the intel that Barton was spotted on camera near the detention sector, she headed in that direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The moment she rounds the corner to his probable location, she slips back in time to avoid an arrow sticking from her eye. It sinks into a metallic pipe, spitting steam into the area where she had been standing, but she's already on the move, ducking and weaving through and into service tunnels connecting the more traveled areas of the ship./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The archer stands at the ready only a dozen feet away, bow in hand and another arrow at the ready. Natasha aims a shot for nonvitals in the leg, knowing that he'll be ready for it, and then takes the advantage of his quick crouch out of sight to close the gap. With a twist of her thumb against a button hidden in her glove, the electrical sizzle of her gauntlets activates. Another press, and the discharge misses narrowly in a move the real Clint would have dodged in his sleep. The man leaps upward in the next breath, swinging his bow like a club./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She diverts the blow with a practiced elbow and then aims a jab for the throat, managing to make purchase with his collarbone instead to throw him off balance. She presses him, forcing the archer to take a back-step, but there's nowhere left to go as his back presses against metallic railing. Clint spins to the left and manages a hard strike into her abdomen, and she doubles over, only allowing the pain to take her mind for a second - she's faced worse. Far worse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Before he can capitalize, she continues her bend into a forward roll, flipping up onto her feet mid-roll to kick him in the shin. He winces in pain - the first emotion he's shown the entire fight, and she wishes she knew how to reach the man. Desperate, she tries anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You killed Bobbi."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint hesitates as he recovers. He does not respond with words, instead responding with a twist of his left arm into a swinging fist. She sidesteps it easily and pushes a stiff arm toward his left elbow, throwing the archer off balance./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Laura will be devastated."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint's face bulges with intensity, eyes alight with /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" He's in there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha prepares her finger to click on her gauntlets again, using her other arm to defend as the man readies to attack her once more, now with a seeming fury that feels off, compared to how he felt a moment ago./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How could you do that to her?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint spins into a kick at her right side, but she sidesteps and then hits him hard in the torso. A click at the same moment discharges electricity into the man's gut, and he falls to his knees in muted agony. Clint has experienced her Widow's Sting before - they've trained together - but never this intensely, and never while they are on opposite sides of a conflict./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How could you do that to your kids?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He tries to stand, but she snaps a leg into his head and throws him back to the ground, groaning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How could you do that to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"yourself/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She catches a glimpse of Clint's eyes as he turns to look at her in apparent shock. "… Nat?"/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The quick run back to the bridge alongside Thor is a tense one. I keep checking every few seconds to see if Loki will reappear - the man is just as likely to be invisible as he is visible. Something like that would be child's play to a man who's had potentially hundreds or thousands of years to hone the skill and the spells necessary. He could pop up to obliterate anyone as he speaks, to cavort more of SHIELD's soldiers to his side with his Scepter, or to brand more of Fury's men with the spell to turn them into giants. He could do any /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"number/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" of things that I haven't seen or heard him do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why hasn't he attacked us?" I ask, flipping around to look over my shoulder again, just in case, looking for any disturbance in the light around us. He probably doesn't even /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"have/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" that kind of invisibility, the kind that appears in media because the audience would apparently be too stupid to put things together themselves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor presses forward as he speaks, blonde hair flowing slightly while he moves. Doesn't he usually wear a helmet? Not that I mind - he's practically angelic on the eyes. "Understanding my brother is a challenge even for one such as I. I suspect that we are in no more danger now of an attack than we were an hour ago."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He wanted to be caged, wanted to draw out this Hulk. He could have attacked us before all of that. He already succeeded."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A realization dawns on me. "He's heading to the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor nods. "Most verily." Pressing a finger to his ear, he activates his communicator. The Asgardian got one but I didn't? "Loki has escaped custody and plans to leave this craft."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not hear the other side of the conversation, but Thor eventually nods and continues heading to the bridge. "They are locking down the hangars now, but I fear that their efforts will not be enough."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can the man just fly?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor considers the question. "He could shapechange into a form capable of flight with ease, but I am unclear on how long he could stay within such a form. It may not be long enough to reach the ground safely."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Well, that's something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The doors to the bridge open, and it's a mess. Two agents train guns on us as we enter, not letting them drop for several seconds. Several uniformed men lie unconscious, injured, or dead near the entrance, where they must have tried to break inside. Two nervous looking attendants back away from the scene. Fury and Hill approach carefully, the latter with her hand on her pistol./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Are you compromised?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor blinks. "No. The Scepter did not near us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill seems unconvinced, but Fury steps forward. "If they were, there is nothing stopping either of them from taking all of us down right now, as we are. Given that they aren't, I'm willing to trust."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When Hill lowers her weapon, she pointedly does not put it away. I don't blame her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What is the news of this Hulk?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury relaxes further as Thor asks the question, Mjolnir still in hand. "Stark is on it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Does that mean the Helicarrier is not about to crash?" I ask./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Until we know for sure that Loki, the frost giants, and the Hulk are no longer a problem, then no- it's not safe," Agent Hill answers. "Stark did finish repairs on one of our engines damaged in the explosion - we're in the air and stable, for now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, small blessings, then," I try, though it doesn't lessen the tension in the room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I will go to assist the Man of Iron-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Iron Man," I clarify, but he ignores me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No," Fury says, looking dead in the eyes of the Asgardian. "We need you here. I don't think your brother would risk an attack on the bridge while you're defending it, and if this room goes down," he gestures to the casualties and the damage, "then we'll be drowning in the Atlantic."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor exhales sharply. "You do not know my brother-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""True," Fury counters. The agents in the background hang on Fury's every word, a mix of awe and fear that their director is arguing with a god. "I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"do/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" know that he fled the detention sector the moment that you broke from that cage. I don't think he wants the heavy end of your hammer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor scowls. "Your reasoning is sound, spy, but there must be a better way. It matters little if the center of your command survives while the rest of your ship crumbles under the weight of giants."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Allow Stark to do his job," Fury finally answers, leading to a tense roll of Thor's shoulders. He paces in place, clearly feeling helpless despite the power he must contain behind every cord of muscle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can relate./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk cannot understand why Bruce hates this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This? This is joy! This is pain! This is what makes life! worth! living!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blue-tinged tiny man-giant across from him knows how to take pain. Hulk doesn't care. Hulk wants him dead, so Hulk grabs the man-giant with a single enclosed hand and then hurls him with a mere /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"piece/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" of his strength. When the man-giant collapses into a heap beneath a dented piece of metal, Hulk chuckles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is life!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk does not allow the man-giant to recover. He pushes down with the force of his legs and hurls himself upward with enough force to crack the material beneath his feet. Just before he lands, Hulk readies a fist to aim his force of momentum downward onto the head of the man-giant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In a splatter of pulpy flesh, the man-giant is no more, but neither is a significant chunk of the floor. Hulk pushes himself backward just as the sky claims the man-giant, the ocean far below the ship. The two halves of the other man-giant's body lie in pieces in either corner of the room, discarded in a purplish-red mess. These creatures are nothing to the Hulk, and he wants /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"more/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No!/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk ignores the voice of Banner, anger filling his form. These people - they're just like Ross, just like the army, just like all the rest who tried to hurt him, hunt him, tear his life to pieces, take away Betty! Hulk did Banner a favor, giving him this reason to live again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something impacts hot against Banner's back, and he whips around to locate its source: a humanoid figure dressed in red and gold metal, a slightly whirring metallic noise emitting from a glowing hand. He climbs through an open hole in the wall of this chamber, shifting the pile of rubble under his feet. "Oops, sorry. Am I interrupting some me time?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk grins and launches himself toward his next fight. Toward Banner's next reason to live./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Twin missiles hit Hulk in both shoulders, the force of each capable of shoving back his assaulting body before he can hit the armored man. A cloud of smoke fills the area around his head, stinging at his vision for all but a second before Hulk decides it doesn't bother him anymore. Somewhere in the back of his brain, Banner calculates the force of those missiles, but Hulk doesn't care about math!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He roars in anger, annoyed and ultimately unharmed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, it was too much to hope for that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"that/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" would work. Jarvis? Scan the Hulk."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A metallic voice calls out just loudly enough that Hulk hears it, but he's already moving toward the metal man again, bounding in only two steps to catch up to him. Hulk aims a haymaker at the plated helmet, but misses when the armor shoots backward with a sudden flight backward. Two blasts of force slam into him from both gauntlets at once, but neither make any headway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk continues to be out of range. He leaps once more, but the armored man's flight is faster than he can jump. The room has just enough room for him to be out of harm's way, but that won't last forever. Hulk can feel it! Close the distance and find joy!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He grips and then tosses a twenty-foot long pillar of metal in the next second, barely having to wind up at all to be a nuisance for the armored man. He dodges to the back with a burst of his jet boots, and Hulk merely grins./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, big guy, that the worst you-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A voice interrupts loudly enough that he can understand it this time. "Sir, nothing in your arsenal is strong enough to pierce through the gamma radiation protecting his tissues."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I was afraid of that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Toys no help, metal man?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not really, no."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk grins and tosses three more large pieces of debris, before leaping himself into the air after them. A blast from the armored gauntlets causes one of them to explode into chunks mid-air, while the other two miss thanks to a quick dodge, a dodge that puts the metal man directly in Hulk's reach./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk snaps out a fist, intending to pound through his opponent's guard and rip apart the metal - just like everything else around here. The blow hits hard but it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"doesn't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" dent the armored gauntlet. Other areas of his armor were already damaged from the fight, but not the gauntlet. Even the enemy looks surprised./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Huh."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, the runic enchant-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, yeah," the man says as he blasts his suit away from the rampaging Hulk. "Big guy, I'm going to need you to calm down. Let Banner out to play."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk merely roars and dashes forward, each foot cracking the floor beneath his feet. He launches himself up with a leap, nearly crashes into the ceiling, and then drops down onto the armored man, who merely zips away once more with a burst of speedy flight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk starts to give chase once more, but the metal man has other plans. "Pour all power to Uni-Beam."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, that won't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Just as the Hulk is about to make purchase, a thick blast of white-hot heat and force ejects from the center of the armor's chest-plate. It does not hit Hulk dead-on, despite the short range, but instead hits the Hulk in the right hip, the energy cascading downward to hit the floor beneath us./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk does not make it to his target before his feet suddenly lose contact with the ship, a huge hole ripped into the hull. He tries to latch onto something, but there's nothing to grab, and he roars in defeat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk tumbles angrily, end over end, toward the land and the ocean below. The last thing he sees of the cloaked Helicarrier is a single Quinjet taking off, likely with an alien passenger on board./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not know what to think of today./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I survived an attack on the SHIELD Helicarrier. I witnessed the first time the Avengers worked together - sort of? They were all doing their own thing, in a way, but I fought alongside several of them. Loki, the mastermind behind all of it, had successfully escaped, despite my intervention, and that stung./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I activate my tattoos and slip through a pile of wreckage, angling for a pocket on the other side. Leaning down, I reach for the body of a middle aged woman and check for a pulse. Silence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve exhales deeply when he meets my eyes and then begins to pull away the rubble, piece by piece, lifting heavy sheets of metal that I could never think to lift on my own. I shift to a good angle and begin to pull the body from beneath, the soldier taking over the moment that he can get a good enough grip./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is the third casualty in this area alone. Losses had been minimal, according to Hill, but I was not so sure. Any life lost to an attack like this was too many./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson helps Steve zip the body into a black bag, and other agents carefully lift it onto a gurney to take it away. I lean back with a small, heavy sigh, and Steve claps his hand on my arm. "You did good today."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Today's not over yet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It isn't," he admits./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clears his throat. "We should head back soon. Orders."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I move automatically, feeling every ache in my joints. I manage to make it all of eight feet back to the bridge before I spot something in the corner of my eye. Steve spots it too, and he's already moving to clear more rubble out of the way, to make my own job easier. With a careful crouch, I slip into intangibility and crawl in after another potentially casualty, hoping against all rationality that this one is alive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The white-blue crystal in one of my bottomless coat pockets begins to frost./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_21_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 20/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pass the crystal etched with the symbol of a snowflake through my hands like an oversized fidget toy. It remains cold to the touch - more than ever before - and occasionally exhales an aura of frigid air. Paradoxically, the crystal feels warm and soothing, like an inviting cup of hot cocoa in the winter. It wants to be held, it wants to expel its cold, but why? And for what?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This thing…. Why now? I've tried to decipher what it can do but have shown almost nothing. Freezing glasses of Diet Coke in the Great Hall is one thing - and even that is not something I've been able to do consistently. It fell out of the Grimoire, but its not described in the pages. It must have something to do with Puck, but contacting him is not something I want to do, nor am I really able to do that easily anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Regardless, as distressing as my powers are, there are other priorities right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, and Thor - Marvel's inferior version of DC's Trinity - rest across from Nick Fury, anxiously discussing details that I've admittedly tuned out, for at least the last few minutes. Much of this meeting has been getting everyone up to speed on exactly what happened on the Helicarrier, and not necessarily what we plan to do next. Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton are indisposed, but Fury swears they'll be ready for whatever is going to happen. Coulson stands shoulder to shoulder with Maria Hill, a pensive look on both of their faces./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're dead in the air up here," Fury relents. "Our communications, the location of the Cube."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Banner," Steve adds as he raps his fingers against the glass table centering the bridge. There is no chance that the Hulk died from a fall like that, so he's still out there somewhere./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That too," the spy adds with a careful nod. "We're down, but we're not out." Fury begins to pace and seems to consider his words very carefully. "Yes, we were going to build an arsenal of weapons with the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony bristles. "Not this again-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But," Fury interrupts, glaring. "I never wanted to put all my eggs in one basket, because I was playing something even riskier." He circles the table, walking behind us./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh, God, am I part of the 'us' here?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wild./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There was an idea, Stark knows this, called the Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if they could become something more. To work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor crosses his arms. "You want us as these Avengers?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury starts to speak, but Steve stands to attention. "Where do you need us?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Both Thor and Tony share a glance and a frown. I merely feel out of place, a feeling of cold spreading toward my wrist and then slowly receding, almost like the ebb and flow of the tides. "You can't be expecting us to go along with this after what we learned of Phase Two," Tony challenges. "We're supposed to hope good intentions are enough?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""At the end of the day, Stark, do we have a choice? An army from outer space is maybe hours away, if we're lucky. If we don't try, who will?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony says nothing for a long few seconds. "All right, fine. The geriatric is right. Even if we could mobilize every military force on the planet, it wouldn't be enough if they're remotely more advanced in technology." At the mention of Steve's age, the other man just stares in exasperation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're outgunned," I point out, thinking of Phase Two's potential but saying nothing. If we had better tech, then maybe we could respond better to a pending alien invasion. Maybe the potential for it to be in the wrong hands is worth it, when it is actually in the right hands right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Babe's still here?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clench my fist. "I am. Quite frankly, I don't appreciate that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony doesn't meet my eyes nor responds to my point./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ignoring the moment, Fury clears his throat. "Outgunned? Yes. But we are not without a response."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony seems to discern what he's saying before the rest of the group. "Us? I'm good, but I'm not 'destroy an army singlehandedly' good. Add in Thor, add in the Hulk, add in Rogers, Romanoff, and Barton? We still are not that good."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I want to add in myself to his list, but I don't think anyone's been saying that I'm actually one of these Avengers. Coulson brought me here on the off chance I might be helpful, and I'd argue I have been, but not without some serious flaws. These people… they can do these extraordinary things, they have training and experience. I don't deserve to be here, but I have tools that can help. Are they - no, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"should/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" they deploy my tools or leave me out of it all? So far, they have, but at what point is enough enough?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All we need to do is get to the Tesseract first and get it out of Loki's hands," Steve says. "Where are we on its location?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Before the explosion," Tony exhales, "Banner'd found a hit. But every bit of tech in that room is fried or in pieces or both. Any chance you have these servers running moment to moment back-ups, Fury?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We could potentially recover the data. I'll send a team."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I think back to the moment with perfect clarity. The six Avengers, myself, and Fury gathered in one room for possibly the first time. The argument about Phase Two, the news of Loki's manipulation of the Hulk, the Scepter's spell. And then the program interrupted all of it, Banner walked over, called out Stark… From the angle I was standing, it's almost hard to see in my memory, but I recognize enough details./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, we won't need a tech team." All eyes turn to me with apparent interest, and the attention forces a nervous shudder. "I can remember things very well thanks to a bit of magic. Dr. Banner's screen showed New York City, and-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony's eyes widen. "Son of a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"bitch/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha wipes away some of the fresh sweat from Clint's brow with a wet towel, while the man fights against his bindings. Agony and confusion sweep across his features, his face flush with a pained expression./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She sits carefully at his side, expecting nothing from him other than a comforting face during a trying time in the infirmary. She suspects she knows more of what he's going through than either of them realize, but she still doesn't know the right words to say. The bindings on his wrists have rubbed the skin raw./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you let that fester, it might get in the way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man breathes a heavy breath and then relaxes ever so slightly. "I don't care."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She sighs. "You do care, though. That time you broke your wrist in Nepal? You missed more shots that weekend than you ever have before."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint just looks at her. "What are you doing, Natasha?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What?" she acts innocent. "Can't I take you down memory lane?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He says nothing for a long moment. "I wish you'd just leave me here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I know, but…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But what?" he challenges. "How can you even look at me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha refuses to allow him to do this. Nothing he did was his fault. Not a single moment of it was the Clint Barton she knew./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, you don't get to do that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I kill-" he pauses, face contorting with anger, grief, loss. "I killed Bobbi."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She places a hand on his shoulder gently. "You didn't do that. That was all Loki."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I killed Laura's /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"sister/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", Natasha."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The wild look in his eyes, the hurt in his face, the emotion in his voice. She /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"cannot/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" allow this. "Do not hold yourself accountable for /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Loki's/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" sins. You did not-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It never should have happened. I should have-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What? Should have what?" she asks, wheeling on him. "Should have seen Loki coming? Should have known to avoid his stick? Should have fought harder to get free? None of those things are reasonable, and you need to be reasonable right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Then what?" Clint asks, voice raised. "Huh? What do you expect me to do? What's /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"reasonable/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"? Going home - go home to tell my kids that their dad killed their aunt, but it was a magic spell, so it's okay. Y-you can still, you can still l-lov-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha wraps the sobbing man in a one-sided embrace. Her hands move on autopilot to unlock the bindings around his wrists, so that her friend can properly hug her back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Several minutes of human contact pass before the door to the infirmary opens with a knock, revealing a uniformed Captain America, holding the famous vibranium shield at his side./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sorry to, uh," he pauses, thinking. "It's time to go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha pulls away from Clint carefully, the man trying and failing to wipe at his face with his pillow. "Go where?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'll tell you on the way," Steve declares. "Can you fly one of those jets?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint sucks in a breath, eye twitching for a long second. "I can."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve looks to Natasha, and the woman confidently nods. "You got a suit?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint nods as he pushes himself to his feet. "Yeah."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Then suit up."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When Steve is out of sight, she turns on the man as he heads toward the small sink. "You sure?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I want nothing more than to finish this," he says, still rubbing on his face. "Loki dies today."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Concern in his mind, Coulson steps toward the boy, resting on a table by the edge of the hangar while some teams ready themselves and their jets. Younger by several years than even the most rookie agents on the Helicarrier, the teenager is not ready to hold these burdens. Mentally, emotionally, physically? This is not yet the path for him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Penny for your thoughts?" the man asks, holding an actual penny in his palms./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan smiles and takes it from him. "Um, nervous. Scared. Exhilarated? This all does not seem real right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson can understand. He hasn't personally dealt with aliens since the nineties, but that was a conflict of a different character at a very different point in his life. At Logan's age, all Coulson thought about doing in the future was teaching, not meddling in the affairs of gods, wizards, and super-soldiers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It is not every day that the world might end," Coulson admits. "It doesn't seem real to me either, yet the clock ticks ever closer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Clock?" the boy asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's a science metaphor for doomsday," he explains. "You've probably read about it in school."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hmm. That's clever," he says with a smirk, but his face droops, and he bites at his fingernails. "Coulson? What do we do if the Avengers fail?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson sits next to the boy and studies the preparations. He has considered this question himself, but as high on the leadership chain as he is, Coulson does not know what Fury and the World Security Council plan to do. "The world is at risk of a total collapse. Thor said this Chitauri force is relentlessly dangerous. There's not much the planet can do to stop a force like that. If the Avengers don't stop them from coming, then we're in for more than a world of hurt."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan says nothing for several seconds before he turns to Coulson. "Are there other teams like the Avengers? People with resources, tech, powers, magic - anything that might make a difference?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shakes his head. "No. This is our best shot."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's more than a little crazy to put the fate of the world in the hands of a few people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, well, not everyone can hurl the power of a thunderstorm at their enemies," Coulson deadpans. "More seriously, the U.S. and Canadian militaries are on the move as we speak, but mobilization takes time we might not have, and mobilizing in a civilian area as dense as Manhattan is more than a little difficult." Coulson thinks of how short the window really is. He's not at all familiar with the science behind the Tesseract and how long it may take for Dr. Selvig to rip open a portal, but it's clear that it could happen any minute. "The Avengers will buy them time, if nothing else, and give us a fighting chance."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy considers that for a moment. "Let's hope it does not come to that, then?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes," Coulson answers. "You should get ready."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan blinks. "Huh?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Director Fury wants you out there," he answers, "with the rest of them."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan rubs the back of his neck, a flush to his cheeks. "Well, I'm not sure they want me there. Captain Rogers thinks I'm too young, and Mr. Stark can't stop making jokes about it. It's frustrating."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You'll learn to tune Tony Stark out," Coulson says with a smile. "I cannot speak for the rest of them, but I know that Captain Rogers admires those who stick their necks out for others. You've been doing that, Logan." Coulson considers what he's seen of the security footage. "However, we'll talk more about your performance thus far when the crisis is over. Until then, the director believes you should be deployed."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson and many in SHIELD have their own reservations: age, temperament, decision-making. Admittedly, there has not been /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"much/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" conversation about it - the situation has been ongoing, and until recently, there has not been much they can say at all to one another except to discuss repairs on the Helicarrier's systems and the overall plan to stop Loki. But, Fury thinks it's foolish to leave the boy out when he has skills that are useful, if /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"very/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" unpolished. In the event that a portal opens, leaving someone out who can make a difference in logistics alone would be a missed opportunity at best./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Thank you. I -" the boy stops, staring anywhere but at Coulson. "I didn't expect it to go this far."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson claps him on the back of the shoulder. "Good things happen to those who do the unexpected for others."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An imposing figure covered in corded muscle and shining armor steps from the main Quinjet, blond hair laying across his shoulders. "Wizard. It's time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan tenses, small shoulders taut with stress. Coulson grips his arm and then smiles. "Go get 'em."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy dashes away with a returned, nervous smile, his short stature seemingly carrying the weight of the world on hunched shoulders./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki stands at the precipice of change, a new order to all Nine Realms. This world is but a mere stepping stone to a greater cosmic purpose, a glorious purpose, one that seeks a fit ruler to reach. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"He/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" would be that ruler./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"From the height of Stark Tower, Loki would bring the truth to the millions of small creatures beneath his feet. For once, he would not be a deceiver, for freedom of choice is the greatest of lies. Their betters deserve to rule them, for they know not what wonders rest amidst the cosmos. They think themselves capable of ruling their planet, but they remain trapped without magic or even science to reach greater heights./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The armies of Thanos would bring but a taste of things to come, with Loki at their head. Sacrificing half of the humans to the Chitauri is a small price to pay for a brilliant throne to rule the Nine Realms. From it, he would bring the denizens of Midgard to heel, would usher in a new age to place it at the heart of the universe. They would be grateful, for he plans to deliver the secrets of Asgardian magic to uplift these small folk to a higher station. The loyal leftovers would possess powers and technology beyond that which they could ever dream today./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki senses the coming of the armored Avenger long before he arrives. An admittedly impressive piece of technology, but even the rough can produce a diamond on rare occasion. Twin blasts of energy from Stark's gauntlets do nothing to stop Selvig's machine, covered as it is in the Tesseract's energy. It is already too late - the humans have mere moments before forced capitulation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He watches as Stark's Tower disassembles the red and gold armor around its master, leaving the man nearly helpless in the face of a god. Curiously, one gauntlet remains, covered in odd symbols that do not quite match the rest of the man's aesthetic sensibilities. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Runic emblems? Fascinating./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Loki considers long and hard why he should not blast the man to billions of tiny pieces while he remains so vulnerable, but it is not yet the time. There would be no pageantry without the rest of Midgard to watch!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I must ask, before we begin," Loki says, glancing pointedly toward the one piece of technology remaining on Tony's arm, "how you managed that? You are a man of logic, reason. While I find the notion that sorcery is unreasonable infantile, nothing about your profile suggests you have the talent."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark raises a gauntleted hand as he carefully strides into the chamber. "Oh, this is nothing. A gift from a friend."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ah. The child." Loki cares little for discussions of age - all humans are infantile when compared to gods. But he knows well enough how prickly they can be around the topic, so he prods. "How fascinating that SHIELD would choose to employ such a whelp."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, he's only one of a few whom you've managed to royally piss off," Stark declares. "The Avengers."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Asgardian sneers. Titles from tiny minds add no legitimacy in his eyes. "I've met them."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You want a drink?" the man asks, standing in front of the penthouse bar and holding up a glass bottle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stalling will get you nothing," Loki assures. "The Chitauri are coming. Nothing you do will change that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm going to have a drink," the man says, ignoring the threat and pouring himself a glass. "Let's do a headcount. Your brother, the demigod." Loki turns away at that, more annoyed at the inaccuracy than he should be. "A supersoldier, a living legend, who kinda lives up to the legend. A man with breathtaking anger-management issues. A couple of master assassins, and you, big fella, are completely screwed."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki smiles. "That was the plan." Breaking the team from within before it could even form to stop him was more than serviceable a plan for such tiny people./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not a great plan," Stark challenges, walking forward with drink in hand. "When they come, and they will, they'll come for you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki grins. "I have an army."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We have a Hulk."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The strongest of them by far, Loki made sure to target him first. "Oh, I thought the beast had wandered off. You threw him off your grand boat, did you not?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark continues to walk forward, seemingly unafraid of just how outmatched he truly is. Loki will not relent to intimidation tactics. "You're missing the point. There is no throne. There is no version of this where you come out on top." He pauses, stopping to confidently raise his head. "Maybe your army comes, and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can damn well sure we'll avenge it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki cannot help but smile. It's impressive word-play - the man has a certain charm about him. But it's time to end the charade. He lets the smile fade, stepping toward the human with a death wish. "How will your friends have time for me when they are so busy fighting you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With a thought and a twist to the fingers gripping his Scepter, its energies activate to new heights. With it, Loki can channel his will to override that of his target. A single touch is all that it requires, and the end of the Scepter taps the center of the man's chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The energy dissipates./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki stares, annoyed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark makes a sudden grab for the Scepter's blade with the rune-covered gauntlet, but Loki slips into an illusion with an expression of will, layering his duplication spell with a concealment charm. The human's gauntlet passes through the illusion with a shower of sparks, two magicks meeting with more than a little disturbance./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki, undetectable, wastes no more time and kicks toward the center of Stark's spine. A satisfying /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"crunch/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", and the man crashes through the nearby window with a smattering of shattered glass. A second later, something of Stark's shoots through the wall and flies autonomously after him before he splatters against the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The god glowers at the world below him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A beam of pure energy from the Space Stone hidden within the Tesseract's casing shoots into the cerulean sky above New York City./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All Loki can do is laugh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He nears triumph./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: May 20, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_22_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 21/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A laser rips through the sky over midtown Manhattan./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The intense beam cascades upward until it breaks reality, opening a gateway into deep space where the Chitauri army lie in wait. The rim of the portal undulates with glittering blue energy, occasionally reaching out to touch the skies around it . Even now, aboard the Quinjet, I can see /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"somethings/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" spilling out of it, but from this distance, it's difficult to see if they're flying on their own power, using some sort of technology, or merely falling to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't know which is more terrifying./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint Barton, the only Avenger whom I've not met before this tumultuous flight, stays steady at the controls despite the massive clusterfuck this has turned out to be. A single bead of sweat drips across his cheek as he barks into the comms, "Team Bravo, Team Charlie, there's a hole in the goddamn sky, and we need you working containment."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Understood," two teams of agents declare, though how they were going to manage to contain the chaos is beyond me. Dozens assail the city of New York already, and it will only continue as the minutes go by./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor wastes no time. "Open!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You got it." Natasha pulls the lever from her co-pilot seat, and the exit to the plane opens with a release of pressurized air. Thor takes the opportunity and merely falls out of the jet, determined look on his face while the wind whips his hair into a frenzy, the powerful hammer already swinging to take him in a different direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My fingers itch to become active, my heart thrums in my chest, and I take a deep breath. Magicka flows from my palms and across my body, the spell for /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oakflesh/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" taking shape and providing a layer of protection. Whether becoming more like wood would make a difference against alien technology is unclear, but it's better than expecting /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"skin/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to do it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stark, what's your status?" Captain Rogers asks, pressing into his ear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There is no response./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh, god, there's no response./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I c-can find him," I say automatically, failing to push all nerves to the side. "Keep me on comms."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Captain Rogers nods, and I allow my tattoos to activate fully, slipping from the floor of the Quinjet and into freefall. Flow motion comes easy in this moment - perhaps it's the adrenaline, perhaps it's the need to save Tony Stark. My Heart yearns in the direction of the nearest rooftop, spins around a flagpole, and comes to a complete stop perched atop the edge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The chaos above the top of Stark Tower persists. Chitauri fire blasts of purple plasma onto the streets and buildings of New York, with citizens barely able to track their speedy hovering sleds while they run for their lives. They squeal through the air, nearly drowning out the sounds of a screaming city that has only just started to react to the terror that faces them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It is only going to get /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"worse./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take cover behind a roof access - it might not hide me much if they come from a different angle, but that's the problem with fighting an enemy that can move in toward you from any direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This spell works best at night, but the sky will /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"bend/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" for me. Azyr thrums to life, bringing a soothing calm throughout my system, as the heavens envelop me. I concentrate on Tony Stark's enchanted gauntlet, and for the briefest of moments, my eyes burn with newfound sight. Daytime shifts to twilight in my mind's eye, and the stars begin to pop into the sky in newfound patterns. These patterns can mathematically mean only one thing: the direction to the gauntlet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stark is east of my location," I say into the communicator, twisting around behind cover to see where that meant. Stark Tower? "He should be near the Tower."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Roger that," Captain Rogers declares./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If he's there, why can't I see him fighting? There should be an armored Avenger flying in the sky, blasting aliens with rockets and repulsors. A man in a flying suit should be able to outmanuever any of these guys. But there's no sign of him. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Why isn't he responding?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I check the scroll case in my pocket for a healing spell, perhaps another Restoration scroll, but there's no way to control what scrolls it generates each day, or even what school of magic that they come from. As it is now, I've got some pyromancy, geomancy, and witchcraft spells. Useful at stopping aliens, not useful for healing an injured Stark. Surely that's why he's not responding? Maybe Loki hurt him, or one of the aliens got a cheap shot at him before we got here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony Stark couldn't be /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"dead/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A group of Chitauri sleds races past my field of view, stopping to blast into a nearby office building. I glance around for half a second, expecting one of the Avengers to intercept, but they don't come - the sounds of fighting in the distance are quite clear, the Quinjet on a course directly for Stark Tower. I kick off the side with a blast of flow motion. Leaping off of the edge, I propel my Heart toward one of the sleds, my body pulled along for the ride./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The alien on the back whips around with a metallic sound, technology surrounding its almost insectoid body like a carapace. The strange-looking rifle at its side swings in my direction and fires its corrosive purple plasma with a uniquely horrible smell and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"whine/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" in the air. I flicker my tattoos, and the energy blast passes harmlessly through me and impacts against the windowed wall behind me, causing an explosion of brick, glass, plaster, and superheated dust./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I concentrate on the feeling of Azyr again and force my hands together, T'Essla's Arc firing electricity into the creature's side. He screeches in pain as the electricity cooks his flesh, and a haphazard kick to the side sends him splattering onto the pavement below. The driver, at this point, realizes what's happening, as do the riders on the other two hover-sleds, and I duck to the side as similar blasts of energy barely miss, the energy enough to sizzle my hair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With a snap of my fingers, minions pop into existence on all three sleds, though one is just far enough away that one of the clones disappears due to my range. Two minions leap to tackle the aliens then sacrifice themselves in an explosion, taking out the other sled in a burst of white light that sends pieces flying to the ground. The last minion sends a volley of charged bolts at the Chitauri driving the my own sled. The alien presses on the controls with a metallic whistle as suddenly as it can, nearly knocking us off kilter as the hover-sled dips dangerously./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I snap forward with my Heart and a flicker of lyrium, gliding with speed into the office building, feeling the magic maintaining the clones dissipate as they leave my range. The office is occupied - several workers are injured, dead, or in hiding, some cowering in the back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm friendly! Get to safety on my mark!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Someone brave throws a stapler at me, but I don't even feel the impact thanks to Oakflesh. I pull a geomancy scroll from the scroll case and unfurl it as quickly as I can, already chanting the few words listed across the page in an emerald runic circle. A similar circle of colored magic dances to life around my feet, and as the final word crescendos, I unleash the spell Living Wall. Conjured from natural earth magic, a knot of vines, sturdy branches, and thick earth erupts from the base of the floor and wraps itself around the exterior of this floor of the building, enshrouding windows and broken pieces of wall. It wraps so tightly that sunlight barely passes through its mass, and will hopefully deter the aliens./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Go!" I shout, feeling the scroll disintegrate in an emerald flash in my fingertips./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A group of men and women scurry uneasily to their feet and then rush from the office floor, disappearing down a hallway. A portly-looking man stays behind long enough to check on someone lying on the floor, only to find a still burning hole in the woman's gut. He blanches and then darts back with the rest, pale as a ghost./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Chitauri don't stop their assault, but they get a nasty surprise. The first volley of fire into the Living Wall bursts open a small hole in the mass of twisted vines. That's just what I want. A cloud of dense corrosive poison emerges from the hole, cloying in the air for several seconds before the wind carries it away. I partially phase through the mass of vines, leaning out to see the result. It's just in time to see choking sled drivers collapse from toxic air, crashing into parked cars below./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't celebrate for long./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is one group of dozens, growing by the minute. The fighting in the distance, only a few streets over, confirms the rest of the team, but the only thing on my mind is getting to Tony. This is too much for six people to stop, especially when one of them is potentially down and the other one is not here and might not be coming. If the Hulk and Iron Man are not available, then… does Thor have enough firepower to save the world?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There is only the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"war/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor launches himself forward even as Loki moves to engage, Scepter in hand. Lightning crackles to life around his hammer, but Loki stabs forward with the end of the bladed staff, forcing him to step to the side to avoid a skewering. The two trade blows for several seconds, neither able to get their weapon to make meaningful purchase./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He cannot believe that his brother would stoop this low. Does he not realize that this wanton destruction will get him nowhere? That this purchased army has no true loyalty to him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor swings wildly but hits nothing but air as Loki dodges near perfectly, but he was ready for his brother to slip away and instead charges forward, tackling the other to the ground. The chaos in the sky above continues raging around them both as they tussle, but Thor's strength proves superior as he holds the man to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why!?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Because they /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"deserve/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to know their /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"security/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" is false!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki's Scepter flashes, energy cascading into the side of Thor's leg. He grunts in pain but manages to shove the weapon away from his grip with a forceful shove, and it rolls several feet away, nearly off the side of the balcony overlooking the city. His brother grimaces, but Thor does not relent, sending a punch to the man's sternum./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It will take more than your foul trickery today, brother!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Thor," someone - Agent Barton, Thor thinks - shouts into his ear. "Move."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Asgardian turns quickly to see the Quinjet hovering into position mere yards away. Loki tries to wrestle free on reflex. A gun turret emerges from the base of the ship, and Thor barely has time to roll before the turret sends its first volley of bullets./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The rounds chip into the floor of the balcony, into the glass, into Stark's penthouse, and into Loki's leg. Wincing in pain and clearly furious, the traitorous god forces a palm outward, without even standing. Golden hued light flares to life as Loki summons his magic in an instant. A wave of force pulses outward in all directions, shattering glass, bending metal, and splintering wood. The energy wave hits with all the force of a raging bilgesnipe, and it's all Thor can do to keep from tumbling into freefall. A steel bar impales the god's side, and Thor winces with every breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The god watches in agony as the Quinjet loses its altitude, Chitauri racing after the vehicle with reckless abandon. He tries to force himself to stand, but every flex of his torso sends streaks of white-hot pain. He pushes past the moment with an uneasiness, hammer already swinging in an arc around his hand. His smirking brother reaches out with a hand toward the Scepter, the weapon returning to his grasp from a distance./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The god of thunder takes off with a righteous leap, allowing the hammer to carry him up and then immediately down, following after the Quinjet. The plane crashes only moments before he lands, though the vehicle is largely intact. He dodges two blasts from one of the Chitauri as he forces open a hole in the steel, then throws Mjölnir so hard that their hover-sled - and two others behind them - explodes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Are you unharmed?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Barton, Romanoff, and Rogers exit the Quinjet with a quick gallop, uninjured. He breathes a sigh of relief and then pulls at the steel bar./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, you sure you should-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I will heal," he says simply to Romanoff's question, yanking the bar out with a grimace. It tosses to the ground with a clatter, barely audible over the sound of distant explosions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rogers approaches him quickly, shimmering shield at the ready and half-paying attention to the alien army spilling into the skies above him. "Did you see Stark?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor shakes his head. "I did not. The wizard mentioned he was there, but nothing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan, you got an update on Stark?" Rogers asks into comms./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few seconds pass. "Kinda busy!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Barton aims his weapon so quickly that Thor does not even see him release the arrow. An explosion destroys one of the flying sleds more than one hundred feet away and sends Chitauri to their demise. Impressive - Thor is glad that the man is on their side after all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We can't just sit here," Barton declares. "Your fucking brother brought this mess."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We need to get back up there," Steve agrees. "Any updates on the machine, Thor?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It is protected," he explains. "I can try to overwhelm it, but Loki will not sit idly to let-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A mechanical growl roars loudly across the city, its source clear to everyone miles away. Their attention centers on the cascading energy from the portal only a few hundred feet above their heads. Another warble, and a giant something swims through the portal. It reminds Thor of Midgard's whales, only covered in metallic plates and flying under its own power. Hundreds of feet long and nearly as thick, it carries dozens of Chitauri with it, their armored suits allowing them to leap off and cling to the sides of buildings, using their high perches to fire into anyone they see below./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor looks to the others, in shock at the size of the behemoth. "I must." Mjölnir returns to his hand with a whirl of air./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rogers nods once, still staring, and the god lifts off with a swing of his hammer./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is too much!" I shout as I leap from one building to the next using flow motion, picking up tremendous speed with each whim of my Heart. A group of Chitauri have landed on the rooftop of an apartment building nearby, and I force myself toward it, dodging shots of plasma from a sled team that seems fit to follow me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I flip to a stop to allow three of me to appear, sending my own volley back at them. Two shots miss wildly, but a third hits one of the controls, and a fourth slams into the driver's head, knocking him out cold. The driver's gunner pulls the trigger just before the sled tips to a crash landing, and a bolt of plasma burns one of the minions alive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't let myself think about it, continuing my forceful chase. Captain Rogers asks a question, but I have to blow him off as I land on the roof, the Chitauri firing wildly into the street below./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Letting my Heart pull me toward the nearest alien, I punch forward toward his weapon with enough speed that his gun explodes in his hand, sending both of us flying back, the Chitauri falling off the side of the building. Magicka billows around my palm as I reactivate /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Oakflesh/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", barely in time too as one of the shots burns into my left shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hear a strangely loud noise, loud enough that it rings out above all the rest of the fighting and explosions nearby, but I don't let myself stop. Heart racing, I race forward to slam full force into the next Chitauri, but this one was more prepared, catching the tackle with a grimace of pain. It screeches in my ear, trying to force me off./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I barely have time to think as lyrium burns to life and then abruptly stops./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Chitauri falls dead, my fist covered in the blood from the interior of his upper torso./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minions intercept the final two Chitauri, and I have time to think about my next move, glancing upward to see more and more sleds coming, but also-/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh dear god./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth now understands why her mother told her to leave Manhattan after what happened in Harlem a few years ago. It had not yet been ten years after September 11th. Beth was not anywhere near the state of New York back then, but she /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"had/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" been present when the Hulk fought the monster the media calls the Abomination and wrecked the neighborhood. Beth had argued so stringently that she was going to be safe, that she was going to stay out of trouble, that she was going to be /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"fine. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She loved this place way too much to give it up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Now?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She was starting to get it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, Geraldine, you gotta get up! We gotta move!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An explosion rocks the foundation of the cafe, and the windows warble and threaten to break. Markos holds open the side door into the alleyway, but hushed voices of patrons and workers alike argue about what they should do, where they should go. Rubbing sweaty palms against his apron, he calls out, "Whoever wants to stay, stay! But the rest of us, we need to get somewhere higher and away from here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Higher? They can goddamn fly!" A large blonde named Rutger shouts from his crouched hiding place, a stain from his regular coffee order all over his shirt./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We don't have a choice!" a woman she doesn't recognize shouts. "We're all going to die if we stay or if we go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth looks toward her supervisor, barely conscious just from sheer fright. "We need to move," she says carefully. "Markos, I'm coming to you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The cook fervently agrees, ushering the two of them out the door and into the cramped alley space. A man at the other end of the alley dressed in a suit points and shouts for the group that is leaving to follow him, but a nearby explosion blows the man from his feet. Beth gasps in fright and nearly turns around, but one of the aliens' flying things soars overhead, and the group books it down the other direction, as far away as they can./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth doesn't let go of Geraldine, the woman almost catatonic and barely able to support herself. Another patron grabs the woman's other arm and the three of them pick up speed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This way! To that bank!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She looks up to meet the gaze of a police officer shouting orders, directing the flow of traffic toward the right and down the street. She does not let up, blonde hair almost falling into her face and plastered with sweat. Dozens of people are already running that way, and Beth follows after them, hoping a bank would have thicker walls than the café./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The mechanical behemoth of an alien floats through the sky, smashing into buildings with its fins, with its spined tail, and with its impressive bulk. Shattered glass and displaced concrete clatters against pavement below its path, and not one of these skyscrapers could hold up to the force of this thing's movement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Storm clouds swirl into the skies above, and lightning crackles above in twisting shapes, before arcing downward to strike at the behemoth. Even from where I'm standing, taking just a moment to breathe behind cover, the Asgardian descends his godly might to intercept, an impressive display of power./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Okay, I'm glad that he's on our side./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lightning races across its metallic shell, gouging holes into its rarely exposed and more organic flesh. Nearby Chitauri, the ones between myself and Stark Tower, begin turning around their flight patterns to intercept the Asgardian./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have a small window of opportunity to get to Tony Stark./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My body flickers into flow motion with sparks of white light, leaving a trail behind me. I leap from wall to wall, pole to pole, vehicle to vehicle, performing feats of parkour that would outwit the Jumpman himself, Mario. Once I get the hang of this, it should be easy-/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something grows more frigid in my pocket, air filled with frost leaking from my front pocket and joining the trailing light of flow motion. I pull the crystal from my coat without even stopping, the gemstone glittering with soothing cold air. Stark Tower is a mere block away, and construction crews and scaffolding lie around its base./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't stop getting distracted by this thin-/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The heart of a glade./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An enchanting song./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A white-blue crystal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A frozen forest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A crying babe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A joyous mother. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flashes of memory - a vision of the past - flutter across my mind's eye too fast to focus on any one flash. My head swims in a malaise for several seconds, the crystal tight in my grip, my entire left arm encased in frost almost like a second skin, an aura of cold that solidifies as it reaches the air./span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I… /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"know./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I know what this does!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I dart toward Tony Stark, determined to save him. Whatever comes next, whatever I face?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It cannot stop me./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_23_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 22/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Focus presses past the growing exhaustion, the Winds of Magic billowing toward and around me like rivulets of chaos made manifest, bending to the heavens and then to my whim. The stars in my mind's eye align, as though I can see beyond the cracks in reality far above the city and into the deepest reaches of the cosmos. The celestial energies bend into patterns, and… there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I maintain the spell, feeling Azyr's touch throughout every pore, every muscle, every nerve - this is it. Tony Stark is in trouble, and I push as fast as I can on flow motion and as often as I can on lyrium. Vehicles, brownstones, billboards, clotheslines - none can slow me down. I don't have time to acknowledge frightened New Yorkers who cower in their bedrooms, who hide in their bathtubs, who crouch behind their makeshift barricades that are useless to the Chitauri but cannot stop me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I ping the heavens every few seconds and allow Azyr to triangulate where exactly I am headed, and have to force flow motion to orient my body in the right way. I zip beneath a construction zone filled with heavy cranes and steel girders, gripping the mid-section of Stark Tower like an out-of-fashion belt. A headache rightfully begins pounding in my skull, but I cannot stop here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"will/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" not./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can feel I'm getting closer, but I do not slow for one second, ignoring the distant whispers of alien blasters and trick arrowhead explosions. The buzzing of a once healthy metropolis has become almost entirely alien. The rest of the Avengers are fighting, but I have to leave it to them for now. If I don't, every passing second is another second later. My head throbs anew, but I push past it and kick off of the side of Stark Tower, aiming down once more with flow motion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The touch of Azyr closes in on a building below, a cement block of a bank covered in scorch marks and explosive debris. Once decorative towers have collapsed into the street below, smashing taxis and halting tour buses. A throng of people gather at the front, trying to force their way inside the grand double doors, while some injured, unconscious, or… worse litter the area./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up without halting my movement, maintaining focus on the Finding Divination spell from Azyr, and find a trio of Chitauri sleds heading directly toward the door, while a half-dozen approach from the ground. Lasers begin to pepper the area, and I curse under my breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I drop to the ground amidst the group of aliens with a dash of speed, conjuring a half-dozen minions at the same moment to draw their fire. I rush at the nearest one, abusing my tattoos to bypass their armor and impale its chest, yanking my arm out with the next moment as the creature drops. Another burst of flow motion grants me the opportunity to punch through the next Chitauri's arm, turning it into paste with a flicker of lyrium./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A clone manages to launch a well-timed burst of minion magic into the bottom of an overhead sled, sending one of its riders into a heap on the ground, but the rest are not doing so well. A Chitauri gun blast separates the head from the torso of one of the clones, and its body - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"no, my body/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" - drops like a sack of potatoes before it fades from existence. A bladed weapon jutting from an alien's gauntlet cuts into the thigh of another, forcing it to back away as it grunts in pain with a voice that's too high-pitched./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"These were not meant for war./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I launch a kick toward the nearest one, shoving it away, while thunder booms somewhere overhead. Thor's divine lightning cascades in a perfect, crackling arc that melts the flying sleds into smithereens, their remains crashing through brick, mortar, and glass./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pushing past my fast-approaching limits, I reluctantly conjure more minions to provide cover and approach the entrance to the bank. "Get the hell inside! Now!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voice barely carries over the din of battle, but by now, they don't need any excuse. The small crowd continues to shove their way inside, and slowly begins to clear. The large doors quickly close the moment the last woman crosses the threshold./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I almost turn to consider my next move, but /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oh god./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The patterns in the stars align as Azyr swirls to give renewed understanding./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony Stark is right inside./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve Rogers once more considers the ramifications of his own actions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This entire battle? A beginning to a war for the safety of Earth? More than a little of this was on him, his burden to bear. A few months ago for him, he'd lost the damn Tesseract in the ocean. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"It should have stayed there./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A logical part of him knows there was little more that he could have done to get rid of the Cube in his final moments, before the crash into the frozen sea. But the human part, the honorable part, the heart - he couldn't help but feel this way. HYDRA's special weaponry from the war is but one piece of a long chain of events that led to this moment. If he could have hidden it away, kept even his allies from finding it, maybe none of this would be happening./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve sprints around a nearly ruined street corner, knowing there were aliens with energy lances following him. Their best plan was simple - keep the fighting contained to the few blocks around Stark Tower. Police, first responders, and the other SHIELD squads were in place to direct an evacuation and to mitigate losses, but this was too much and it only gets worse by the second./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Spinning the shield into position to catch an energy blast, it diverts into a shop window that shatters into superheated shards, spraying over his back and cutting into his uniform, his skin stinging with pain. He ignores it and brandishes his shield once more, a thrown Chitauri blade clattering uselessly to the ground at his feet. Distantly, one of the SHIELD agents from the other squads shouts into his ear, but he doesn't have time to respond as three more aliens approach on foot from another angle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The vibranium weapon tanks their energy blasts but forces Steve on the backfoot, as he slowly peels away from the nearby shop where he can hear a woman hiding inside. In dismay, he rolls to the ground to dodge, launches himself back onto his feet, and uses the same momentum to hurl the shield as fast and as hard as he can./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The shield impacts hard against a Chitauri warrior's jetpack technology, their powered armored torso exploding suddenly. It arcs away like a discus, slamming once more into the wall nearby, and then returning to his hand. He starts to dart away and continue to draw them further into their acceptable perimeter, but three aimed shots to the chest and torso drops half of them before he can really consider it, ears ringing slightly in pain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Miss me, flag boy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve has enough time to smirk at Natasha before he has to step between them to block recovering fire. One of them hurls something that seems suspiciously like a grenade, and he takes no time to grab for its place near Natasha's feet, hurl it as high as he can into the sky, and then shield them both./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In twenty-five years of life and nearly five years of military experience, Steve has never heard an explosion that loud. Ears ringing as he tries to recover, he starts to pull Natasha away, knowing that she's worse off. She struggles in his grip for a moment before she seems to realize that it's him, nods once, and then releases covering fire into the oncoming assailants./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're screwed if we don't get a goddamn miracle," Widow mutters, forcing a finger to her earpiece and rubbing at her aching head. "Please tell me someone's got something."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint cuts in from his position above them all, letting loose a volley of arrows that turn distant Chitauri tech to slag. "This is probably the only time anyone will be grateful for this, but we've got an inbound jolly green giant leaping down 39th Street."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I slip into the large bank through one of the second-floor windows. The greater interior of the space is filled with dozens of people, crowded and cowering. A few policemen and bank security wrestle people away from windows and exterior doors, trying and failing to calm anyone down. Hushed whispers and tearful sobs fill the space, and every loud noise from outside stirs renewed panic. Some tend to wounded while others cover the dead./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"From my position on the balcony, I scour for any sign of the billionaire in his crimson armored suit, but there's too many to see in this space. Perhaps he's not in the crowded lobby of the ban- Oh. Something tumbled hard through the roof above, a ray of sunshine from a makeshift skylight enveloping a few terrified civilians down below. From the size and shape, that's… gotta be him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Attention!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No response./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I conjure three minions in flashes of white light, brighter than a camera flash, and the four of us yell together, "Attention! Where is Iron Man?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Panic fills the room as they spot me. Someone - I don't see who - throws a rock, spurring others to do the same, but it only threatens to alarm everyone more. Indiscriminate shouting drowns out anything that I can say./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Get the hell out of my city!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck you, alien!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Wait, it's that guy from the news… !"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I activate the tattoos lining my flesh and slip to a different side of the room, just to try for a different angle. "I'm not one of them! I need to see Tony Stark. If he's hurt, I can get him some help. We don't have time for arguing, just show me!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He helped us outside," someone shouts near the front of the lobby. "Without him…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's just trying to get us to trust him!" a heavyset policeman argues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Several people yell in protest of the officer's suggestion and the officer's words all at once, and damn this is not going anywhere./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We don't have time! Show me!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Iron Man is back here!" It takes a second to find the source of the voice, finally spotting a half-dozen teenaged tourists covered in dust and wearing matching laniards. I wave at them and then propel myself through any wall, any obstacle, and any person, much to the fright of the crowd./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lying prone in the midst of a group of men and women is the armored Avenger. A wrecked office desk lies amidst shattered glass, and a blonde woman carefully tries to use a pen to pry open Stark's faceplate. The ice-cold crystal stirs to life in the presence of someone in danger, and I push the crowd aside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hang on, hang on, I got him!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He's replaced his armor from the Helicarrier, though it's not completely untouched. Thankfully, there's more damage to the cratered floor than there is to most of it. The rune-covered golden gauntlet is probably the worst piece, but the defensive suit must not have worked well enough to avoid damage completely. I don't understand how this even happened - why is he here? Did the flight systems fail on the new suit?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Who are y-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cut the woman off without even looking at her, trying to study the crystal in my hand and the extent of the armor. "I'm here to help, but I need you to give me the room. If you stay, what I'm about to do might hurt you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The touch of the crystal's power grows into a seeping cold. It coatss my fingers, my palm, my wrist. The frozen area - noticeable, but not painful - expands to cover my left forearm in an icy-blue frost, while the temperature in the room dips drastically. As soon as the room realizes something supernatural is going on, they begin to back away, shivering. I look up toward the one person still remaining and gasp./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blonde waitress and the first person who helped me in this universe backs away, an icy breath leaving her mouth as she shivers. "W-what are you d-doing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hesitates to leave Tony, but doesn't seem to recognize me, thanks to the bandana covering my lower jaw, but I don't have to time to fret over identities. "Just trust me, back out into the hallway."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The zone of swirling cold expands like an aura with myself at its center, draining the heat from the environment and coating everything in its wintry embrace. The decorative rug, the office floor, the mahogany furniture, an old desktop computer - all turn to ice. Overhead, the fluorescent lights in the ceiling shatter under the weight of icy shards, forcing the room not into darkness but into an ethereal white-blue glow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth retreats as the destruction showers the room, but I don't stop to look at her or think deeply about how damned dangerous it is that she's here, in the city, in its epicenter. The café… god, I should have checked it first./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ice magic drains more and more heat, but I don't feel anything. It is more than subzero in this space, but I don't notice anything at all. My influence begins to build across Tony's armor, small specks of frost growing into its normally inaccessible seams to reach into the man inside. An faintly audible alarm activates somewhere in the armor's systems, but it is rooted in place with no conscious pilot and has no choice but to subject Tony to the effects of the crystal's magic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An icy connection solidifies with the hopefully just unconscious man inside the armor. I know what I need to do - a cold magic bond between us must form, and using that connection, I can provide him with enough vitality to jolt his body into rapid healing. He's… I don't know how injured the man is, what bones are broken, what organs are bruised, or where there is bleeding. The armor's in the way, and I don't know the first thing about getting it off./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I just have to hope./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A tendril of connection becomes visible in the air, like a string of cold that emits snow as it twitches. End to end, my heart connects with his, and the moment that the elemental power coalesces into visibility is the moment a sudden weakness builds in my own body. I fall to my knees, clutching at my head and wiping sweat from my brow that freezes in the air and falls like hail. Distantly, someone - no, Beth cries out for help, but I wave it off./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The crystal in my left hand to continues to glow, the tendril of magic continues to bind, but Tony… Tony has not woken up. The vitality is going… somewhere, so he's not dead, but it's not - he's not waking, not healing, not fast enough! We need him up there, fighting, not down here dying!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ma'am," I weakly say, gesturing to Beth amidst the crowd of other New Yorkers watching with shocked interest at the door. "I… need some of you to volunteer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth glances down at herself and locks eyes with me. "What do you mean? Do you need water or food or…?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No." I gesture to the circle of swirling cold, almost like a winter's wind gathers around the office's edges. "If some of you enter this space, I can… use your health to help Iron Man. You'll feel tired and cold, but it won't," I sigh, breathing heavily from exhaustion, "it won't hurt you. I can't give him enough energy on my own to heal his wounds. He's dying - he has minutes, at best, before the point of no return. Please, Beth, I need you and whoever else is brave enough."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She starts at the mention of her name, her eyes flashing as she meets mine…./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Recognition fills her face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What? Log-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head fervently. "No time," I mutter, pleading. "I'll explain later."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hesitates for several seconds and then nods down at herself. "You heard him," she says quietly, then louder, "let's help Iron Man!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth rallies a handful of younger, braver members of the crowd to step into the office and the area of effect. The frigid room begins to sap at their heat, but I reach out with concentration and begin diverting that heat into tendrils of connection, tethering each and every one of their lives to his./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk crashes into a nearby skyscraper with such force that his rebounding leap destroys an apartment three doors down from that exterior wall, alongside everything in-between. He relishes the destruction - every ounce of it is /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"his/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to enjoy, to cut loose, to have /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"no limits!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He snaps the neck of a Chitauri as he soars through the sky, aiming for the great, flying monstrosities of metal and flesh. A laser blast hits him on the side of his chest, but it's not going to stop him. Nothing can!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk smashes into the side of the machine, unleashing a shock-wave impact that instantly sends the creature careening off course. A building topples under the giant, whale-like monster's weight, dust and debris filling the streets below. A Hulk-sized crater forces the creature to land, no longer able to fly under its own power. Chitauri on sleds and jetpacks fire plasma toward him, but he just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"roars/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" and launches the nearest heavy thing, a section of wing-fin from the great metal beast. The projectile spins through the air and splatters nearly that entire group, and Hulk just smiles and then leaps again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk can hear Banner telling him what to do, telling him to go toward the tower with the giant laser./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He doesn't get a chance to listen when something explodes hard against his chest, throwing him off-balance and nearly toppling him to the ground. Hulk feels the familiar peppering of bullets against his toughened skin, chuckling inwardly as he spins around to the source. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"The military./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" A tank fires at /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"him/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", not at the aliens, and it's all Hulk can do to not crush them./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do not hurt them!" /span/emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Banner's voice shouts in their head. /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Go to the Tower! Take out the threat!"/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk ignores him and chooses his own path./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He leaps, cratering the asphalt beneath his feet. He lands amidst a huge group of aliens on a nearby rooftop and continues the near-wanton destruction that only /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"he/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" can produce./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No Ross./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No Fury./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No Banner./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rage./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rogers' voice is the first thing Tony hears as he stirs, some barked order that he cannot remember if he tried. Something burns brightly, probably doing damage to his retina, the moment he opens his eyes. Temperature readings are in flux and inconsistent with reality./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The armored faceplate lifts away as he gets his bearings, the gyros shifting up as he comes to a rest sitting up, wiping away what feels like something frozen on his forehead with a gauntleted finger. Oh… there's ice? And a whole people looking at him expectantly, including an exhausted but familiar face: the Boy Who Magicked or Something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Glad to see you conscious, sir," Jarvis says. "You were, by my calculations, two point three minutes away from exsanguination."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh. Right. He… fell. Why doesn't he feel…?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Jarvis, medical diagnostics," he says without hesitation, closing the faceplate to allow the HUD provide them. A diagram of his current condition shows bruising, scar tissue, a contusion near the spinal cord, damage from the embedded shrapnel near his heart. "What am I not seeing? I'm not bleeding out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I healed you," the brunette boy explains, holding up a blue crystal. "The ice should melt soon, by the way. I couldn't, uh, figure out how to find skin."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony doesn't know how to compute any of that. "Jarvis, give me readings from before… the kid did his thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He doesn't have to be a doctor or hear Jarvis' predict it to know what was going to happen. Massive cuts on his right hip, a shattered femur, four broken ribs, and a bruised skull…. All gone, now, unless his AI and his own perceptions were failing him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm dreaming."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Jarvis interrupts, "Sir, brain waves are inconsistent with those of REM sleep."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm dreaming about an alien invasion, a wizard boy, a freaky magic cube." Tony wipes at his eyes, disbelieving his own disbelief by the second. "It has to be the only explanation."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy clears his throat. "Mr. Stark, it's not a dream. New York City needs you. The /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"world/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" needs you. We gotta close that portal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony slowly nods, blinking, as the alien in charge of all this comes back to him. The kick to his spine, the glass window, the release of the Mark Seven armor, the rapidly approaching ground…. "Jarvis, we should, uh, decrease the timing window on the mid-air assembly and increase efficiency in our flight systems."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Noted, sir."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If the Mark Seven armor were enough, then maybe he might have avoided the ground entirely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark closes the armored faceplate and shifts up and onto his feet, but it takes way too long for a dramatic exit. The left leg's armored plates are not… not moving correctly, and it feels off in more than one way. He bends slightly to check with his eyes, and there /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" damage but it's not to level that he'd expect to make the gyros hitch up. Did the ice build-up in odd ways, or did he land on that side?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony doesn't have time to consider repairs. Loki and the Chitauri are still on the loose. He pushes his way through the doors, the wizard boy joining him. "Thanks, kid, for doing… whatever you did."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan laughs lightly, those markings brimming to life across his skin. "I'd have done it for anybody." He takes a deep breath and then exhales, moving sluggishly. "… I wish I could heal the whole city with it."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Since the foray into the bank and bringing Tony Stark back into the fold, the chaos has only become more intense. The Chitauri whale-ships come by the half-dozen, bringing with many enemy infantry each. Sleds pour from the portal by the second, dropping bombs and shooting plasma lasers into any building they see./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up, even while moving, in time to see Thor on the move. He bottlenecks the portal with crackling bolts of a stormy tempest, a massive display of force that would inspire mortal awe in anyone who could see it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Including me. No wonder the ancient Vikings thought them gods./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As impressive as Thor's destructive force is, he is not the only Avenger that inspires me to do more, far more. Iron Man fires missiles into sleds and repulsors into heads, forcing the aliens to follow after him and away from the city. Black Widow commandeers a hover-sled of her own in an attempt to be as badass as possible. Captain America directs police on the ground, diverts infantry away from crowds, and defends the innocent with a shield that disobeys every physical law but somehow is not magic. Hawkeye clings to the edge of a building on his perch, sniping better with a bow and arrows than he could any actual rifle with bullets built for the task. And even the Hulk wrestles with dozens of Chitauri infantry who somehow thought - with their last thoughts - that rushing him all at once, in melee, was a good idea./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The six of them have been doing this for a while. Maybe not aliens, but they've been fighting the good fight. I've had some successes today, that much is undeniable, but man. I can't help but feel I could be doing more./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Widow, you on Stark Tower yet?" I ask into the communicator, readying to fight, even this exhausted, a nearby group of Chitauri on sleds that have not quite got the memo to follow after Iron Man./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Getting there," she mutters with a gasp of breath. "These guys do not let up."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint huffs into the communicator. "It's less that and more that they keep sending more. Whatever's up there, it's relentless."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An idea arises in my head. If we could get someone up there, then maybe we can slow them down before they even reach the atmosphere or hit wherever they're coming from. "Thor, any chance you can fight in space?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not for long, but I do not know how that helps."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How long is not for long?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, minutes, I'd say," Thor explains. "But anything I can do up there I can do down here to keep them from /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"coming./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"" He emphasizes the last word with another crack of thunder that shakes every nearby skyscraper's windows, hurling another bolt of supermassive lightning into the rim of the portal, energy cascading./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Nothing we do matters here if we cannot stop that portal," Widow declares. "I'm nearly there. Loki's not going to like me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tony, ideas for the energy shield around the machine?" Clint asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Nothing I can bet on right now and keep everyone safe," he answers. "You'd need to overwhelm it with enough energy that the shield fails, but the blowback might wipe out Manhattan. Maybe all of New England. Worst case scenario, the local atmosphere goes up like a sparkler and we lose the Northern Hemisphere."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh man./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Somehow, the idea of slavery to an alien overlord sounds preferable to billions of people dying worldwide in a nigh-instant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But we can't have that either. I abandon the fledgling idea and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"move./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow motion carries my body, even through the exhaustion. I was tired before, but healing Stark took more out of me than I would prefer. I could not do this all day. If we don't stop them here, now, then what are we even doing any of it for?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I angle my focus up to climb Stark Tower, pushing off the exterior every few seconds to propel myself further upward, appearing to run full-sprint up the wall with a white trail of light behind me. I can already hear the sounds of fighting above me, as Black Widow forces the Chitauri sled riders to rush toward the Asgardian. A blast of blue light from the Scepter barely misses the sled, but Widow takes the moment to leap off and tumble onto the roof./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blast up and over the side, almost hovering in the air for a second, before continuing flow motion a split-second later to get into position behind Loki - or where I think the lithe Asgardian is. He's got tricks, but so do I./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pulling heat from the environment leaves the area around me frosty, while ice begins to build across both of my fists, almost like armored gauntlets of my own. I launch toward the Asgardian a second later, while Widow takes a shot at him from the back. He tanks the bullet to his left shoulder - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oh, that's the real fucker/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" - but it does not phase his armor or him. A grin fills his annoying face, but I do not care. Flow motion and a frozen fist to the cheek sends him tumbling to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I come to stop a few feet later, sliding across the ground like its ice slightly as frost continues to build from the aura around my body. "Don't let up!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha launches a sting of electricity from her glove, but as it strikes his prone form before he can stand, he merely laughs and gets up anyway. "You think a bit of paltry lightning from your little tech would hurt me? I've tasted worse!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She smirks. "I know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks, and I zip forward in that moment and try to smash into him with another icy fist, though he angrily catches the blow and tosses me effortlessly. I narrowly avoid falling off the edge. "And ice? Don't you know who you're fighting at all?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Six minions emerge with a snap of my fingers and send forth a volley of white, soul-attacking blasts. He raises a hand and bits of debris rise up swiftly to defend against gravel, metal, and pieces of concrete shattering to pieces but leaving him unaffected. Dust fills the space around him, but not before Natasha moves into position, lifts some kind of unique pistol from her leg, and pulls the trigger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A piercing bolt of orange light surges toward the Asgardian, and when it impacts against the center of his back, super-heated energy sears through his armor and cooks his flesh. He howls and collapses to the ground, the Scepter rolling to a stop a few feet away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha brandishes the energy pistol before her, smoke slightly rising from the hole in Loki's armor, from the exposed and harmed flesh beyond. She stops in front of him, taking aim. "That was for ruining the life of a comrade."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A long pause. "So-" he dry-heaves, coughing for breath against the ground, "s-sentimental. You dramatically declare y-your actions here as selfish, not the selfless defense-" he coughs again, this time louder, "-of all of humanity from a foreign threat."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Says the tyrant who just wants everyone to kiss your boots," I add, pressing my finger to my ear. "Black Widow and I brought Loki down."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You can call it whatever you want, jackass," Natasha declares. "You don't get to decide how I feel, nor how I act, nor how anyone else on this rock acts. You failed."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki tries to lift his neck up to see the sky, but he can't move well. I conjure a large number of minions to hold him down, but he seems to be in too much pain to move well for now. "You think /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" failure?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I do," Black Widow answers simply. "You wanted the world to bow to you, and that's not going to happen today."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He tries to chuckle but the effect is lost while he's practically gasping for breath from an injury to his lung and surrounded by a group of twelve year old me. "You're too late to stop it. My army will spill from the heavens until the last of your resistance crumbles."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How do you stop the machine?" I ask, signaling one of my minions to drive a blast of white energy directly into the man's lower back, and Loki winces in pain. "Tell me!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think I know how."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Black Widow and I turn to see the scientist, bleeding from somewhere on his head, approaching us. Dr. Selvig, I think. Loki tries his best to stand, but the minions deter him with charged shots of white light point blank, their magic attacking the soul of the Asgardian to hold him where he lies./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Explain."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Scepter," Selvig says weakly, barely able to sit upright. "The energy. The Tesseract can't fight, but you can't protect against yourself." He pauses, swallowing. "I built in a safety to cut their power source."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha blinks in surprise and maneuvers to pick up the Asgardian weapon. "The Scepter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""NO!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki pulses outward with all his weakened might, and yet the minions fly away and disappear as they leave the limited range around me. He conjures knives and hurls them, but I've been expecting something like this and activate my tattoos, the lyrium allowing the daggers to fly right through me. Natasha rolls to the side, twists the Scepter in her hand, and unleashes a torrent of eldritch energy to hit Loki square in the chest. He tumbles, end over end, and lands in a heap near the end of the Tower's balcony, unmoving./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I let out a breath, staring at her, exasperated. "That was fucking aweso-."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A gurgle catches my attention, and one of his knives sticks from the throat of Dr. Selvig. Blood spills onto his jacket and the rooftop, as he sputters to do anything to stop it. A second later, the knife disappears, causing the bleeding to only accelerate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No!" I shout, draining the heat from the area in an instant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Everything within ten to twelve yards flash-freezes, including the blood pooling around the prone man's wound. I feel the tethered bond attempting to form, and I will my own vitality to the forefront./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Widow." I shakily point to a spot for her to stand. She hesitates for a fraction of a second before stepping forward, now caught in the wintery area atop a hot rooftop in the beginning of May./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The small line of frost forms in the air and connects the three of us, and I pull too on her vitality. Her figure droops, her shoulders fall slightly, and her eyes grow heavy. I can't feel much of anything at all, so determined that I ignore my own exhaustion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The magic flows into Selvig's heart, coating the wound on his neck in frost. Vitality equalizes for but a moment, and he gasps for breath. "You must… t-to-ouch the tip to the c-crown."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Save your strength!" I shout, but he rejects that with his eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Crown?" Natasha asks, solemn and exhausted, the elemental energy still pulling on her heat, her vitality./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The pla-place where the power is mos-most de-ense."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We need med evac. Selvig is down." She nods to the man and then looks at me. "Is your magic working?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The bond cuts off abruptly as one side of the three way connection ceases./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can, I can still-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha places a hand on my shoulder as the icy magic fades, remnants of ice already beginning to thaw. She reaches with her other hand to check for signs of life, and I know that she won't- won't find - won't find any. "Dr. Selvig is dead. I think I can close the portal. Anyone copy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do it!" Steve orders./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha stands and holds the weapon steady, then aims the tip through the energy barrier toward the crown, the spot where the energy is most dense. It pushes further inside, seeming to take effort as it shows significant resistance. I can barely stand, barely able to keep my eyes open while the horror of what just happened runs through my memory over and over and over and over./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up to see more of the aliens coming through the shimmering dark blue hole in the sky, even as Iron Man, Hawkeye, and Thor continue to engage the air. All of us, at this point, are lightly injured and slowing down. I don't think I could fight again, but I would if this doesn't work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Among other colors, something vibrantly orange shimmers in the center of the portal for but a split-second and then disappears, even as Black Widow finally touches the crown of the machine. The machine's geyser of Tesseract energy overhead shudders then fades, and the portal begins to close like a rapidly narrowing whirlpool. The moment that it collapses finally, returning the sky to its normal shape, Chitauri begin to collapse, their sleds begin to crash, and their whale-ships fail and drive themselves into nearby buildings until they finally stop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I collapse to my knees, letting loose a breath I did not know that I was holding./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why did they drop?" Widow asks, shading her eyes to see the remnants of the sky better. "Did they all stop moving?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I couldn't see any stragglers on rooftops or on the streets. "Just be glad that it's over."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Until the Tesseract is out of Earth's hands," Natasha states seriously, now leaning against the rooftop's guard railing, "this is far from over."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She has a point. There's a long list of people from Marvel comics who'd love to get their hands on technology capable of reaching outer space, for an alien army or no. Any one of them could be a threat to the safety of the Earth. Opening a portal to a Kree world could spell disaster, or could invite the Skrulls to do their secret invasion far sooner. I didn't even know about the Chitauri before this, so imagine how bad it could get for one of the more popular galactic threats?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clutch the, uh, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"cryo/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" crystal in my hand and then slip it into one of my trench-coat's pocket./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is only the beginning./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 16/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: ?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Future perks will also be listed at the bottom of the post they're acquired in. As more categories are acquired the accordion will get bigger./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Apologies for the delay. Other projects and a renewed DD campaign have taken up my creative juices for the last couple weeks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Next chapter is primarily an interlude, but we also catch up on some perks, for the Grimiore has plenty of new goodies to share (one of which involves portals that spawn little alien creatures of his own that might have been very useful to have during this conflict)./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Jun 25, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_24_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 23/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The director of SHIELD is not a religious man. How could he be? Every year, every month, every week, every day the organization encounters a new mystery that stresses any modern belief system that exists. Gods, enhanced, aliens - nothing at all suggests that any one religion or myth has it right, has an explanation for everything. Best he can do, best anyone can do, is to just believe everything is weird./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"So it is that the weird becomes the foremost interest of himself and his employees, his agents, his comrades. SHIELD exists to fight the weird, to contain the weird, to ensure that the weird does not destabilize /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"everything./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" But they can't do that alone. No, sometimes, humans just are not weird enough on their own to face these unique and far too numerous challenges./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Therefore, a team /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"of/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the weird was planned in secret. Allied with the interests of humanity and equipped to deal with often whimsical problems, the Avengers Initiative was a potential idea. At the end of the day, Fury knows that conflict ends when the right resources are used to combat them. The Avengers were a theoretical weird solution to the world's new weird, a resource to be used to keep the humanity on track./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Then, a year ago, an extradimensional - extraterrestrial? - hammer fell to the Earth and brought with it beings that can level a whole town in an afternoon. Discussions followed among the chain of command and resulted in the abandonment of the Avengers program before it could even start. He'd advocated for the Avengers personally, believing there was still merit to the idea, but others were more convincing, and Fury followed their whims./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, they'd make weapons out of limitless energy to fight the weird, to restructure the Earth's infrastructure, to ensure that they have the tools they need to go to battle against interstellar threats. Wars on the ground would change, but that'd been happening for millennia as new technologies rose to prominence. SHIELD and the powers that be decided that that was a worthwhile sacrifice for the greater good of protecting the Earth from the weird./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ultimately, the world was not ready for the weird to hit as hard as it did, when an alien brought an army from outer space onto American soil. SHIELD was not ready - their limitless energy weapons were not ready for deployment, and it was unclear the impact that they might have had on their chances of success. Fury hastily assembled the Avengers, and now the world knows their name. Defeating the aliens and stopping the invasion was just the end of the beginning for a new weird./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury sighs as the masculine voice cuts through his reverie. The shadowed forms of Gideon Malick and the rest of the World Security Council are on display in Fury's clandestine office at the Triskelion, where SHIELD would be operating for the foreseeable future while repairs are made to the Helicarrier./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Malick shuffles papers in front of him and the crosses his arms. "Director Fury, understand that we did not intend to harm any civilians any more than your deployment of the Avengers."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You disrespected the chain of command to my own men and fired a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"warhead/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" at Manhattan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He clears his throat. "A warhead with a predetermined flight path /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"into/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the portal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury saw the data earlier, and to the best of his knowledge, it made sense. The nuclear missile would aim directly for the wormhole, slip inside, and then detonate on whatever was on the other side, hopefully removing wherever their central command was and the bulk of the fleet. It made /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"too much/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" sense, and there were many things that could have gone wrong, with unique alien technology that could have forced potentially deadly interactions. What if a pulse of energy from their rifles or an odd fluctuation in the wormhole itself caused a chain reaction explosion in the nuclear warhead and detonated before reaching beyond? What if they redirected it toward the folks in D.C.? Or across the ocean to Russia? There were fail-safes in place to prevent annihilation, but what if those fail-safes fail?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You can't know the outcome. There are too many loose ends, too many exploits, too much wrong with the whole damn situation. You gambled with the lives of millions."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Malick shakes his head fervently. "Director, with all due respect, we can and will use our authority to make the hard calls to save the planet from an alien invasion." He pauses for a moment, steepling his fingers into the shadowed camera. "Just as you used your authority to make a hard call and trust an untested team with the safety of our entire civilization."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury bites his tongue on that topic and shifts to another, related one. "Malick, do you have an explanation for this?" A seconds-long video from a news station's footage of the wormhole reveals a ring of orange light opening at its mouth and releasing something beyond it. "Your warhead never cleared its flight path, Malick. Something happened. You know what or why?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury knows faces, knows body language, can predict reactions to good news, bad news, and everything in-between. No one on the Council in the video conference shows surprise. They've done their homework, seen the footage. Malick starts to speak, but Alexander Pierce cuts in and says, "Director, I'm afraid I have no idea what to do about that information. Someone tampered with the missile. Someone with Enhanced powers, or advanced technology, or something else entirely."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury clenches his jaw. "You leading to a point, Mr. Pierce?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Any Enhanced member of your team could have done it, or perhaps it was something Stark cooked up," Pierce suggests. "Do we /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"really/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" know the true capabilities of everyone you sent into the field that day? Especially the one we did not expect to be involved? The glowing is a little pretentious if you ask me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury considers for a long moment how to respond. "No one on my team engaged with the warhead, but if they had, I'd have been grateful. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"You/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" should be grateful that this happened, because whomever or whatever did this ensured that millions of lives were not lost in an instant because of a stupid-ass decision."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Be that as it may, Director Fury, I don't like the idea that someone out there can intercept a nuclear weapon without our knowledge," Malick adds, earning terse nods of agreement from other members of the Council. "And I cannot help but be concerned that you've not explained the circumstances behind this additional member of the Avengers. The rest of them were thoroughly vetted before you considered utilizing them for a team. Why not this one?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury expected this conversation, but he has wheels to spin and meetings to attend. "Information about the dynamics of my team at this time are on a need-to-know basis. At the moment, you do not /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"need/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to know." He checks his watch. "If you'll excuse me, I have a memorial service to attend."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He cuts the connection before they can complain and then steps into the next hallway and nearly into Agent Hill, carrying a clipboard in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other, and dressed for a funeral./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, we have confirmation that Thor, Loki, and the Tesseract are heading back to Asgard within the week." She shows him a short report of the conversation. "Additionally, Analytics released their report about the public's reaction to our existence, and things are predictably mixed but overall positive."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's nothing like saving the world that will boost your popularity," Fury adds with a slight smile, shifting the paper on Hill's clipboard to reflect that information as well. The figures looked good. "I don't like this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Hill cocks an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Publicity," Fury explains simply. "The world has irrefutable proof now that another boogeyman intelligence organization exists. It's one thing to prepare models for that in advance, Hill. It's another thing to have our exposure happen during the aftermath of a thwarted alien invasion where thousands died. We're in for a world of hurt in the next few months."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hesitates as they walk down the secluded hallway of the Triskelion, surrounded only by those of some of the highest clearance level as they go about their duties. "Speaking of, we /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"do/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" have an update." She pulls him aside into a secure meeting room and hands him a slip of paper decorated with photos of a particular woman surrounded by scientists. "They are preparing her and the others for initial trials."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury nods. "Good. Get it done."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes, sir." She starts to exit but stops and turns and makes direct eye contact. "Sir, are we certain that this is the right play?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Morse is an asset we cannot afford to lose," he explains calmly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Hill slowly nods. "Understood, sir."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""They're calling you the Wizard," Matero the fairy says from his position lying flat across the table, staring up at the Great Hall's reflection of the Internet in the ceiling. "I don't know where they got the name from, but it fits like a glove, does it not?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can barely hear what he's saying while I try to sew disparate materials together. A thick piece of warped leather, the tears of an undine, the breath of a salamander. The Grimoire provided a bit of the esoteric supplies and the knowledge of how to make it, but it wasn't good enough to just give me the clothing. I didn't mind, at the end of the day, because there was an entire section now about crafting and enchanting magical items, and I could hardly pull myself away from the Sanctuary since I discovered that. It'd make my work with SHIELD that much better, and I suspected Matero would be happy to take any armor I make and make it even better./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can you hand me that piece?" I ask, pointing to an already cut and roughly fitted piece that would, with tailoring, protect my back from an inferno./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero scoffs. "I don't think I will."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fine." A minion shifts into position nearby and grabs it, pushing it into my hands. "Thank you. At least some of you have manners."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minion laughs. "Yeah! What else can I do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero leans back against the table and chuckles. "I won't be made your slave that easily. I'm not into the bondage scene."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I ignore him and gesture to the vial of salamander breath, a bottle with a red-tinged gas so hot that it nearly threatens to melt the glass from the inside. A pair of metallic forceps sits next to them for easy lifting. "If you could hold that at the ready, that would be great."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minion happily moves to assist, and my smile at the assist fades far too quickly when I perfectly remember each and every one of their gruesome deaths to the Kitchen Irish, to the Hulk, to the Chitauri, to Loki. This? This feels… better./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't afford to spiral./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero shifts away from the scrolling news feeds ethereally displayed in the ceiling and picks up a strip of leather affixed with pouches, lightly worn as though whatever process created it and sent it here through the pages of the book left it in less than pristine condition. The fairy holds it out with a single finger, nose turned up in disgust. "Please tell me you're planning to hide this garish bandoleer in one of your bottomless pockets when you're out and about in costume."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I turn away from him and tightly hold up a piece of leather, arranging it so that the minion can hold open the bottle of salamander's breath in just the right angle to treat it. Sweat pours down my face from the onset of its sudden heat. The treated leather takes in the gas, almost absorbing the effects into its material. Once it's complete, I'll be very fire resistant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I will not be ignored-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm not ignoring you, Matero," I say with a frown, signaling for the clone of younger me to stopper the bottle before I run out. "I actually agree with you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks. "What? Oh, please /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"do/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" say more."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I want to look cool while I'm out there as much as the next guy," I admit. "Bandoleers for a bunch of magic grenades are cool, but they don't fit the aesthetic of someone dubbed the Wizard. I don't want to be Jorgen Von Strangle."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He mumbles, "Who?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Never mind," I concede trying not to laugh at the thought of Matero with a crew cut. "I'm still gonna use it, I just don't want to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"look/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" like a soldier out there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fairy grins with sparkling inhuman eyes. "Wonderful news. You almost finished?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Getting there. Any chance you'd give me a freebie and clean it up?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero grins and pulls a small sliver of plastic from the tight briefs. "I won't do it for free, but with your permission…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I thought you ate that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""For the last time, I don't eat the money," Matero clarifies, annoyed. "You want me to charge him or not?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wince, considering it. "He won't notice, right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark is richer than god - he won't notice whatever measly amount a simple job would cost. But…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Never mind, I'll just do it." I reach for the card, but the fairy disappears in a flurry of dandelion petals. "Don't use his damn money!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A chuckle echoes throughout the Sanctuary./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The news cycle does not stop. Never before has something so extraordinary happened in the history of the world, and it is difficult for Pietro to tear his eyes from the television screen. Only one local news channel focuses a bulk of its attention on Novi Grad, but even then, the crawler on the bottom of the screen reveals more details about the so-called Battle of New York. "U.S. to unveil its Department of Damage Control, expected to begin clean up efforts following the Incident."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the younger kids rushes over to try to take the remote from him. "Give, give, give me!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He lightly shoves the younger kid, Mikkel, away and pulls the remote close to the chest, while the other two children try to pull at him from the other side. "There's another television downstairs!" he shouts. "Don't you get it? This is a bigger deal than your silly cartoons!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The kid pouts and shoves him back. "Deztin is hogging it! Just let us, please!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro forces himself to his feet, standing several inches taller than the nine-year-olds. He raises the remote even higher and continues watching the news, ignoring the kids. "Nope. Nope, I'm not budging. Go bother someone else."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Defeated, the three kids dart through the rest of the orphanage, shouting obscenities and promising to tell on him. Pietro just settles back into the couch beside his sister, knuckles white as she buries her nose in her homework and tries desperately to avoid looking at the television screen./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voice of Everhart, the anchorwoman, returns from commercial, Sokovian subtitles ready at the bottom of the screen. "The U.S. Department of Defense confirms the existence of S.H.I.E.L.D., whose field agents were boots on the ground during the Incident last week. There are many questions regarding the operations of this uncovered clandestine organization, and many independent investigators have begun putting pieces together after its arrival. One such investigator for the New York Bulletin suggests that the late founder of Stark Industries, Howard Stark, may have been at the heart of the organizations founding following World War II, but such details remain unconfirmed as of now." A side-by-side image of the father and the son appear on screen. "Given the appearance of Iron Man during the Incident, many believe the theory has merit."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What should we do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro blinks, focus now on his sister. Wanda meets his eyes intensely, chemistry book forgotten at her side. "Do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes," she mutters, teeth clenched. "Do."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't understand-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You do not see what is happening?" she challenges, rising to her feet and gesturing animatedly at the television screen. "Americans have their pet billionaire fighting /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"aliens/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" now. Marta brought an Iron Man /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"mug/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to lunch today! This is only going to get worse."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro can feel every bit of that anger, but he does not know where to put it. "Marta wouldn't do that. She -"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Has a family," Wanda finishes for him, tears in her eyes. "She doesn't get it. And neither do you, if you do not agree that we should do something!" She finishes the point with a finger jabbed into her brother's chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He softens slightly. "Wanda, I do not feel any differently than you. What are we supposed to do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wanda paces back and forth for a long few moments across the common room rug. "We organize more protests, after school, on weekends."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro frowns. There'd been protests throughout the last few years, since the bombings. They had not… accomplished much of anything at all, but they were infrequent. "How are we supposed to do that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wanda steps closer to him. "We'll do it together. Talk to classmates, teachers, friends, the community. We push hard, we make posters, we march. We don't stop marching until our voices are heard."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro wants to do something. Wanda wants to do something. If this is the path that they are on, then he'll accept whatever challenge the world throws at them. They'll counter whatever love the world will heap on the Avengers, on Stark, on SHIELD. What happened in Sokovia, to their parents, will not be forgotten./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The dress-shirt cuts into the skin around my neck, but I ignore it, trying not to move or otherwise make a nuisance of out myself. I already feel too many eyes on me, and I want nothing more than to be anywhere but here. I grip the back of the pew in front of me, remembering years of boredom in church, listening to messages that were lukewarm at best, downright hateful at worst. At least there's been no sermon, but there's also no program or hymnals to distract me from teary-eyed loved ones./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A year ago, I remember my youth pastor, Sam, reached out and offered a seat among the rest of the youth group. He was a nice enough guy, and he tried like many to be with the times. I chose instead to sit with my mom in our usual place, in comfort, and I…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A woman near the front releases a cry of anguish, breaking me out of the swarm of memories. She clutches at her two children, sobbing desperately and forcing the priest to pause the program for a moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sister Laura, we thank you for your strength. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we must stand together in the face of such tremendous tragedy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I tune him out and start to stand, to leave, to go and deal with all of this somewhere else, but someone grasps my shoulder gently. Phil Coulson delivers a concerned smile and then beckons for me to follow him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I slip out of the service, hopefully mostly unnoticed. Not like they'd remember me in a few minutes anyway. Coulson stands just outside and offers a seat on a bench a few dozen feet from the entrance, away from busy foot traffic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Does it not amaze you slightly that there are people walking to and from work like nothing ever happened?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson settles in calmly. "It's The City That Never Sleeps for a reason."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We sit for a while, saying nothing. Distantly, cranes and helicopters lift chunks of debris and Chitauri tech from the tops of rooftops, from alleyways, from back-streets. Even days later, the city is starting to look relatively normal, but it's not going to happen overnight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I almost didn't recognize you in there," Coulson says. "You've got this… thing about you now that confuses the hell out of me. New trick?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You could say that," I mutter, thinking of a ritual I'd performed the other day. "Keeps people from recognizing and remembering me if I don't want them to."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Huh," he says with a glimmer. "That's useful."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Keeps the face tattoos from being an issue," I explain. "Secret identity intact."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We fall into a comfortable silence, listening to the sounds of a slowly recovering population./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""One hundred and sixteen people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson glances up to meet my eyes. "We face a heavy toll."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I expected thousands," I say truthfully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Me too," he adds. "We're lucky."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I bristle at that. "Lucky implies that this was an accident. Nothing-" I frown, not even sure what I'm saying. "Nothing about this was accidental."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson declines to say anything at all about that, leaving it open-ended. He thinks for several seconds and then pulls something from his pocket and drops it into my palm. "Penny for your thoughts? You didn't… seem okay in there. Or out here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I grin and put the coin away. "I've never been to a funeral before, never lost someone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Never?" Coulson stares distantly as I shake my head. "My dad explained it to me one day. 'Philly, it's a fact of life that we spend every moment collecting new loved ones, but as we grow older, each of them slips away from us one-by-one, 'til we're all alone.'"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's… depressing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I look at it like this: we can't skip to the end and avoid collecting altogether. Those people in there? They were lucky to have Agent Morse for as long as they did, as they didn't have to walk through life alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But now they do. And I…" I swallow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson raises an eyebrow. "And?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Didn't I do that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But I-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You didn't," Coulson says firmly. "Bobbi Morse and her team joined S.H.I.E.L.D., became field agents, and accepted the possibility that they may not come home from a job. Organizations like this have leadership to make the tough calls - you didn't send them on that mission any more than Dr. Banner did."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But it was /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"my/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" spell that-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He puts a hand on my shoulder gently. "Son, the job we do comes with risks. We wade into these risks each and every day. Fury might send me on a mission tomorrow that kills me." He hesitates at my reaction and then continues. "Don't let what you feel paralyze you from doing the good work that you did, that you can still do. Agent Morse would be proud, and so am I. You helped save the world."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't know to feel, but I know it isn't good./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple addition./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A complex twist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A momentous alteration./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Eye of Agamotto rests on its pedestal, bathing the chamber in glittering green light. One cosmic consultation with causal infinitum later, and she begins to piece the truth together from its disparate, unconnected parts. She directed her foresight toward the conundrum and revealed that something had changed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something that she cannot quite see./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She waves a finger through the air, a jolt of orange ethereal energy streaking across the cosmos and out of sight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A moment later, and similar energy sears into the background of the chamber. "Ancient One," the voice of Karl Mordo declares, the dark-skinned man stepping into view through a shimmering portal. The Staff of the Living Tribunal rests in his hand, dripping an oddly purple liquid./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Watch the carpet," she says without chastising the man, who has the decency to wipe away the gunk with a napkin from the nearby room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Apologies," he declares with a grimace at the smell. "Your message interrupted a spar with a particularly angry Lem."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How'd it go?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks. "What-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Were you winning?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Mordo laughs. "Oh, but of course." Despite the circumstances, she's able to beam at him for a second. "How can I be of assistance, Ancient One?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She considers her words carefully and the implications of the situation. "With each moment, we stray further and further into a morass of mystery."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Mordo says nothing for a long moment, eyes filled with confusion. "Come again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She smiles tightly. "I must leave to visit an old friend. Kamar-Taj is in your hands."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ancient One, I-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shakes her head. "Until I return, they answer to you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He stutters. "Ancient One, you /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"must/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" explain. This is highly irregular."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Explanations will come," she answers simply. "With luck and a bit of insight, I'll be back soon." She pulls a smart phone from her pocket and shoots a quick text to the others. "Drumm, Rama, and Minoru have been warned."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Mordo stares in disbelief. "The Sanctums will answer to me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""For the time being," she clarifies, "yes. Now, run along and don't leave the place a mess when I get back."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The section of tonight's feast for desserts is long gone, the rest of the four tables mostly undisturbed. Coulson's words from earlier haven't left my mind, and it is all I can do to even leave this spot. The Celestial Grimoire lies open to a section about simplistic finger signs that do a few tricks, but even as I contort my fingers to practice and get a few results, my mind is not able to think of anything else./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I want to just skip to the part where I feel better. I read a whole page in the book about that earlier, about spending less time per task or something, but it doesn't work like that. More than a hundred people /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"died /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"and if I'd been faster, stronger, smarter, I could have saved more of them. If I'd been less weak, then dozens of clones wouldn't have died in front of me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dr. Selvig would not have /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"died/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" in my hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Could I just… feel nothing for a change? To push past all of that, to keep moving forward, to become desensitized to the deaths from my own actions. To compartmentalize, to break it all down, to keep the parts that are good and chuck the rest away. To just… deal with it and move on./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Celestial Grimoire clatters hard to the ground, spine up and pages down. I curse under my breath and rest it in my lap, the thick tome feeling strangely light. Maybe /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I'm/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" just the one feeling heavy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's not on the page I left it, but as I start to turn the pages back to the section on magical Signs, something glimmers. A single, twisted eye swims amid the page, slitted almost like a reptile. When it comes to a stop, it starts to bulge from the page before stopping, the eye flashing with a deep purple light./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The book has never done this before. I place it on the table and lean over to study it, but the eye follows my every movement. "Hello?" I call out, but there's no response from the eye. Like that would be a totally normal thing to do if it had./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach out and draw my hands across the eye, expecting to feel ink./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, I feel Nothing, Nowhere, All at Once./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 16/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: The Wizard/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. With it, he can absorb nearby heat into his body to cool the area around him and to create constructs of ice on his skin like armor. Additionally, he can "equalize" the life force of others nearby him, allowing him to heal the wounds on himself or another target, in exchange for exhausting the targets that are not healed. Chapter 1 = Benevolence /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 1 - Benevolence/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"= Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of multipurpose clothing that was created by imbuing it with a salamander and undine's magic power. It protects the wearer against fire and the cold along with being resistant to water and heat based attacks. It also enables the user to swim better in water and reduces water resistance and water pressure. It is also resistant to wear and tear along with it automatically cleans any dirt and filth from it. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some strange magic enshrouds your form. If you so wish it, your features shall become… distorted. Nothing truly changes, but onlookers will only be able to recall you as an extremely generic version of your race or species. They would be able to recognize you on sight, but attempting to describe you to someone else would only result in their frustration./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 21. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's plenty of dangers in the Mansus. It wouldn't do you any good trying to tackle them at anything less than your full capabilities. With this perk, you now possess the uncanny ability to lucid dream, allowing you to remain in control of your actions whether you are asleep or forced in a dreamlike state. More importantly, in this lucid state it becomes easier for you to manifest your own perks and powers inside dreams or illusions, granting you the same tools you'd have available as if you were physically there./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7: Making/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With all these mystical artifacts going around, someone had to be making them. You're a drab hand with decent skill in multiple forms of craftsmanship, from blacksmithing to weaving, but where this perk really shines is a special property you can imbue your creations with. Just about everything you make can enhance people in some way shape or form, be it increasing strength, increasing their endurance, and if you're skilled with magic you could also find a way to imbue elemental properties into equipment. There are even ways for you to boost your own mana capacity or elemental affinities, though that will take some time./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200. Obtained during Chapter 18./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This simple leather strap is meant to be worn around the chest to allow for easy access of high explosives during intense situations. It has hooks and loops to hold a dozen grenades at once and is always extremely comfortable to wear. The Bandoleer always starts each morning filled with twelve simple, but effective, fragmentation grenades made out of a canister, a lot of nails, and as much gunpowder as possible. However, it is possible to "tune" each grenade to an element by exposing the explosive to a bit of magic. Shock the device with a small amount of electricity magic and when you pull the pin it will explode with the force of a lightning storm instead of nails. You can even get creative, exposing it to the power of love will give the grenade a charming effect instead of a violent one. Experiment at your own peril, as you might not always get the effect you are expecting when you dip into more exotic elements./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 18. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the most useful tools in a Witcher's arsenal is the bastardized form of magic known as Signs. These simple spells can be used with one hand and require little knowledge about magical theory to use. There are a variety of Signs with various powers and you know all of them, though you start out with only a basic level of skill with them. With practise you may be able to improve their power and duration. If you also understand how to utilize magical spells you may become able to alter these spells into new signs, though they retain their relative simplicity and cost./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 20. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The foul empty magic granted to those that gaze upon the Void and are consumed. This hideous power works by creating portals to the void and unleashing what lies within. Pull out raw negative energy to poison your foes, or small void monsters to devour them. With practice you will even be able to bring forth nightmares to infect your enemy's minds./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 22. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Time seems to fly whenever you're having fun doesn't it? One moment it seems like you just started, and the next it's already over. To be honest, it seems that the older you get - or rather, the more experienced you get - the quicker everything seems to move along. For a brief period of time, you can accelerate any actions you are performing, whether it is casting a spell, or just reading a book. This extends to even group activities as well, affecting all of your allies involved./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks List /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator)/span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_25_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 24/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The environment undulates in a deep darkness, movements too off-kilter to be anything but threatening. Twinkling gossamer strands of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"reach into and out of view - no, into and out of existence, providing brief reprieves from the darkness beyond. Unique sounds never before experienced by man forcefully whisper into the empty expanse, like the discordant chorus of a tragedy so terrible that it shakes its audience for months. Foreign scents shift from wonderful to awful in seconds, punctuated by tastes so horrific and succulent that they belie any sense of reason./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Overwhelmed, I float amidst it all, touching nothing yet feeling adrift in a sea of… mystery./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is not real./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is no dream./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is not real because the space /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"rejects/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" space. A repudiation of the nature of things, of stuff, of mass and depth and height./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, I float amidst unreality./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Every passing second could be an eon. Momentary epochs come and go, ravaging against the rhythmic beat of the heart in my chest, the speed of the alarming thoughts in my head. The dissonance is actively painful, nerves shooting signals to my brain too fast and too frequent to comprehend amidst the weight of nothingness, amidst the weight of eternity./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No… what is this?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A tendril of undistinguishable mass reaches for me, a motion that I cannot resist for nothing I do has meaning in unreality. Infinitudes later, it makes contact with the skin of my forehead, and a soothing discomfort spreads through my mind, through my body, through /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A distant thought forces the lyrium swimming through veins, through muscles, through flesh to activate. Faintly sapphire light pierces the darkness, revealing an unfathomable object both massive and miniscule. I try to push away, but there is nowhere to go in a soup of unmaking. Lyrium's touch of the Fade, of a world of dreams, does not have the intended effect, and the light merely diffuses like food-coloring spilled into a drink. The tendril remains connected to my forehead, carving a message into skin, into blood, into bone, into neurons, into thought, into memory, into being./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Help!" I cry to the nothingness, struggling in the presence of an empty place that couldn't possibly be more /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"full./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" The voice does not reach past the vibration of my own skull, for there is no air to vibrate audio. "Anyone? Please!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No one answers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nothing makes sense!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The feeling of something watching precedes the appearance of a single reptilian eye, so gigantic that it dwarfs anything I'd ever seen, taller than any skyscraper in Manhattan, larger in width than the Helicarrier. The corrosive environment continues to harm my very existence, while this… thing watches. The focus of its attention is wild, but never leaves the core of my being./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A voice so alien it defies reason echoes throughout non-space, and surroundings rend and reform, integrate and disintegrate with its every syllabic utterance./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Somehow, I understand its words./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The tendril grasps my forehead and bulges like a serpent after a meal. It empties a mass of something into me, releasing nothing into being, into memory, into thought, into neurons, into bone, into blood, into skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voice echoes once more its meaning, and I wish it did not have meaning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why do you touch us?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Eye ominously grows closer, and I could almost touch its titanic form./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I d-don't even know what is happening! Please, let me go!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I try to concentrate on the feeling of Azyr, but there are no stars, no heavens, no celestial forces to channel. Chaotic Winds begin to flow through the environment, but I cannot reach them. Magicka builds in my palms and waits for purpose, perhaps a bound dagger to cut me free of the tendril or an oakflesh for protection. The power fizzles as quickly as it appears, suffused throughout the soup of nothing. I snap my fingers to generate minions, but they are swallowed into the ethereal emptiness the moment they appear, disappearing into the greater organic mass. The fear of the darkness and the terror of helplessness drown my Heart, and the Eye blinks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Before you, we were void of purpose, void of understanding, void of perception, void of intent, void of things."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dozens of Eyes as large as the First begin to open, ever-close and ever-far./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We were satisfied before, not having experienced a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"before/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot physically move, my spells aren't working, I don't have the mirror or the bandoleer or the uniform or anything, and I… I try to twist my fingers into the shape for Igni, a Sign for fire, but the heat does not even flare./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do you want? Please!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The tendril writhes as it releases under pulse of something indescribable into my form, and the Eye twitches./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Before you, before before, we had no desires."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The squelching ocean of nothing begins to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"breathe /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"and strands of possibility begin to manifest, first an expanding web of incomprehensible matter until the entire piece /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"snaps /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"taut. New sensations begin to form./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The cityscape of New York comes into focus, bathed in the odd light of a purple eye high above them. Impossible monstrosities revel in the destruction of property and the devouring of innocents, as bad or worse than anything the Chitauri thought to do. Entire buildings collapse in the maw of great beasts. Streets crumble in the webs of insectoid predators. Vehicles crash into the titanic hides of behemoths./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A humanoid figure hovers in the air, watching the chaos of unreality unfold as his clothes billow in the wind. Eyes aglow, tattoos blazing, he unfalteringly lifts his arm and scrapes against the sky. More nothingness spills into everything, and where they collide, everything begins to disintegrate like a mist into nothing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Reality slowly but surely unmade in the wake of Void./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In the wake of me./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth cannot help but pace back and forth, anxiety oozing from her pores. She knows her hair must be a mess, because she can't stop pulling out the knots. The/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Incident knocked the water out at her apartment, but she's not had much reason to go anywhere anyway. The government's closed that whole area of the city, for good reason, and she's starting to worry that nothing will ever go back to normal. Geraldine's old - will she even open things back up at all?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The news won't stop talking about it, radio, internet, television. She doesn't blame them - that's their job, and she can try to tune it out. She lived through it, damn it, and had a close encounter with the one in costume that the news knows about the least. Someone she thought she knew well!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're going to carve a trail through the carpet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She glances over sheepishly as she stops pacing, a small but understanding smile on the handsome face of the man she loves. His own blond hair shows signs of worry and disrepair, as they'd both spent most of the last weeks roughing it here. "Look at us. We should probably go to your place."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael shrugs, brown eyes sparkling with mirth. "It gets too hot, love. We'd have to choose between air conditioning or running water."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Okay, okay, okay," she sighs and takes a sniff of her shirt, blanching at the stench. "Then we, uh, we need to find an open laundromat. We can't just sit here in filth."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael's smile grows. "True. My clothes drawer in there is looking mighty slim." She laughs. "Maybe we should make room for more? I could head home tonight and bring some things tomorrow…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth realizes what he's doing, and she's thankful for the distraction. Even still, it doesn't work. "It's just… not the right time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael frowns, face tight above a jawline that could cut glass. "Laundromat it is then." He beckons her to come closer. "But first, why don't you come sit down and tell me what's actually on your mind?" He pats the sofa and her favorite throw, and she wants nothing more than to cuddle with him and think of nothing else./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can't," she argues, gesturing to the watch on her arm. "It's about the kid, Logan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael leans closer, arms in his lap. "What about him? Is that who you've been calling all day?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth fights the urge to pace. "He's -"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He didn't make it." Michael's face softens./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, no, no," she rejects, hurt at the thought of it. "He's… the Wizard."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man's brow tightens. "I don't - I don't understand."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's what they're calling one of the Avengers," she explains, reaching for her phone to show an article about each of the team that just saved the world. He swipes through each of them until his finger stops, eyes studying the blurry image of a glowing figure in a trench-coat, mid-dash across the street. "He's just a kid, Michael. He was on the street a few weeks ago, and now he's, he's, I don't know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael frowns and continues studying the phone, skimming the article. "How'd you figure it out?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We were hiding from the invaders," she begins, recalling the moment. "We got Geraldine and some of the other patrons to a safer place, away from the action, and there were dozens of us hiding together. Something fell through the ceiling, crashed really, and it was Iron Man! Tony Stark was injured, unconscious, probably dying, and a few of us did what we could, but then Logan showed up. He used some kind of… ice stuff to heal, and Stark got better. I was front and center, Michael! I saw his eyes, and he looked so scared behind that mask."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael listens carefully and then slides the phone back toward her on the coffee table. Distantly, a tea pot boils over, a forgotten water bottle coated in condensation nearby. "So, the kid you pulled off the street is actually some kind of superhero. Weird."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth takes a step back, confused. "No, not /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"weird. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Not okay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That explains the government job from his dad," Michael adds, thinking. "You think it's FBI? CIA? Or this… S.H.I.E.L.D.?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Probably that one, but Michael - he's not safe. I don't know what the hell is happening, but I know kids don't need to be fighting aliens!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael stands from the couch and approaches her gently. "Beth, I don't disagree, but how can you even see the whole picture when he's been keeping all this from you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth huffs. "I don't need to see the whole picture to know that using teenagers to fight a war is not okay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""For all we know, he's older than he looks," her boyfriend suggests, earning a look of bewilderment. "Or maybe it was a one-time thing. The kid has abilities, there were aliens, it was the end of the world. Do rules like that matter in the potential end of all things?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She stares, indignant, as Michael shifts to the kitchen to make them both a mug of tea. "Shouldn't they? Norms shouldn't break when it's convenient."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael contemplates that as he prepares their mugs, grabbing her favorite /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Teen Titans/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" one from the cupboard. He pauses, laughs, then waves the mug in front of her. "They fight aliens every other week."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"They/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" are a cartoon that my little brother loved. It reminds me of home," she says, taking it from him but chuckling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Let's make a deal," he says with a grin. "You promise to stop frantically calling him all day, and I'll take out the trash the rest of the month."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She rolls her eyes at the suggestion. "Why shouldn't I try to reach him again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Because if he really is a superhero, then the kid's just busy," he answers. "The city's probably filled with crime right now, even with the feds breathing down everyone's throats. Give the kid a break."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth could not deny that he has a point. "You /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"know/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" I can't help but worry. And I still don't think it's right that they'd put him out there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""True," Michael says again, taking a sip of tea. "But you have to admit, that it's kinda badass."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She punches his arm in indignation, and he giggles his wonderfully annoying laugh./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When I tumble out of bed, coated in sweat, my throat itches with the aftermath of mid-slumber screams. It takes more than a few seconds to recognize the interior of the Hospital Wing, the nearly transparent ghostly figure of its genius loci, the Phantom, standing near the entrance, watching intently. Near him, several medicinal implements hover under his power and influence, and despite the lack of facial features, I can tell his concern./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What… happened?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Great Fairy brought the Master of the Sanctuary to the Hospital Wing for his care," the Phantom explains. "The survival of the Master has been uncertain for quite some time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Distantly, I nod and reach for a hovering gown, barely noticing that I'm nude as the day I was born. I'd feel embarrassed about that, but, well, who cares? He's not real. "How long?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master of the Sanctuary has been unconscious for twelve hours. The Great Fairy reported four missed calls from a cellular device."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink. Who could that be? Coulson ordered some time off after the battle, and well, I doubt there's anyone else who really cares to check in four times. Thor's off-world by now, Banner's in the wind, Stark's probably ass-deep in a bottle or a reporter or both, and… well, I don't know enough about Clint and Natasha from the comics to make a guess. Steve? Maybe it could be him… but I think he's reluctant to involve me in anything after what happened. I'm too "young."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My fingers rake like claws at nothing, and a seam in the air unravels as something forces its way into reality. Spindly appendages covered in a thick purple exoskeleton rip their way through the gap, as though crawling through a tight space. The crack expands until its widest point, and then the abdomen of the insectoid creature plops through onto the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A… voidling is, for lack of a better word, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"born/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;". It stretches almost like a dog waking from a nap and then skitters across the floor of the hospital wing, barely noticing the portal to the space between universes closing behind it. It comes to a stop a moment later, its pulsing three eyes glimmering with power./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Grab my phone, would you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Its central eye blinks while the other two remain open, their pupils nearly identical to First Eye from… before. A moment later, it skitters into the deeper Sanctuary, and I turn my attention to the Phantom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How do I look, doc?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The genius loci hesitates, its attention on the space where the voidborn emerged. "The Master of the Sanctuary is in near-optimal health. Engaging in a balanced diet will-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't need you to tell me to lay off the sugar," I interrupt. "Forgive me if I stress eat after I let someone's life slip through my fingers."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Phantom says nothing to that, and I don't expect it to. The personification of a place is not going to be a good conversationalist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do whatever it is that you need to do to get me healthy," I order. "I'm in a hurry."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead of listening, it simply puts away its tools with a telekinetic flourish and then disappears into the aether. Huh. Guess it was done with me after all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hear the movement of the insectoid appendages in my mind before I hear them with my ears, and then it appears around the corner, a smart phone resting in its mandibles. I reach down and wipe away the ooze covering the bottom of it, lightly surprised that it didn't shatter the screen by mistake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A missed call from Steve several hours ago, and three missed calls from Beth throughout the day, including one only a few minutes ago. I'd be surprised that there's good cell service in a pocket dimension, but there's internet too, so who knows? An email from Pepper Potts with a subject that reads, "Thank You!" lies unread, but my mind goes back to Beth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She saw me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She recognized me in costume./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maybe it was the tattoos, maybe it was the voice, maybe the mask doesn't really cover all that much. Whatever the reason is, she knew it was me, and that makes things complicated. Do I explain things further? Do I let her assume whatever the truth is? Do I just leave it alone? Do… do I care if she tells people?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A spell from the Grimoire already keeps people from remembering what I look like when they try to recall seeing me. Makes things hard to track me down, even with the facial tattoos that are nearly identical the ones the Wizard has. The exact pattern of them was mostly covered during the battle, but it was distinctive regardless. If she tells people, it'll be harder to stay hidden, but not impossible./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voidling nudges my leg with the side of its head, and I just smile as it meets my eyes with its own. Do I even care about a normal life anymore? S.H.I.E.L.D. employs me, I'm effectively an Avenger if they ever meet up again, and I keep getting new abilities every time I turn around. Even now, I want to check the Grimoire for more, but I turn to the phone first./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I settle into the headmaster's office, the Grimoire resting atop the desk with several ritual components scattered throughout the space. I click the contact and wait for several seconds, hearing it ring three times before the man finally answers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, Mr. Rogers," I answer. "Sorry I missed your call."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's fine, son. Just call me Steve," he offers, before continuing. First-name basis with Captain America. No big deal. "Listen, we talked on the Helicarrier, but I know how this all is. It can be overwhelming. No pressure, but I know some guys who'd love to chat with you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't… I don't want to go to a group. "I'm more of a one-on-one person. I've got an appointment with Dr. Samson coming up soon."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's good news. Kid, don't beat yourself up for anything. You did well. We'll catch up soon."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The conversation ends, but all I can think is that it does feel nice to know that someone cares, that someone can see what this is. Has dealt with what this is. The seven of us are in a place no one else has ever stood, but perhaps I'm the most out of place there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One text message later, and then I'm on my way to Beth's place for some much needed explanations./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson approaches Director Fury with a careful gait, uncertain how to address the elephant in the room beyond the anger that simmers in his chest. "The project was shelved."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And we're un-shelving it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Diagnostics, including biometric readings, dance across a screen in the most secure room in the facility. Among the reports are the status of each GH compound and its intended effect, as well as the probable output./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shakes his head, hands clipped carefully together to avoid displaying too much frustration. "I made it abundantly clear years ago that I want no part in this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury turns, face intense, the singular visible eye shining amid the light of each display. "Clear as you may have been, it must and will be done. Agent Morse was on the short list to consideration for the Avengers. She is integral to the life of Clint Barton. The math /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"adds/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"up/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clenches his fist. "Director Fury, will all due respect, this math is grounds for my resignation. The experimentation, the side-effects - I cannot, in good conscience, continue working here if that is the route you wish to take. You trusted my judgment once - trust it today."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Director Fury does not answer for the longest time, and Coulson grows impatient. With a heavy sigh, the super-spy meets Couslon's eyes. "I need you and your expertise on this. You were there in the initial trials of T.A.H.I.T.I. and you saw the effects first-hand. If the treatment is effective, Agent Morse will need to be monitored, evaluated. If things go wrong, then we-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Terminate?" Coulson challenges. "What? You plan to kill her again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We never leave the option open again, and we give her the help that she needs to live a comfortable life," Fury explains, ignoring the dig. "Phil, I'm not a monster for wanting good people to keep living, to keep moving, so that innocent people can live without fear."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson considers his words. "It's stupid."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So we do it smart. We do it the right way, with the right guidelines."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There aren't exactly guidelines for resurrecting the dead," Coulson quips./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Already, he can feel the gears turning. Maybe… maybe they could do it. For more than a year, he worked on the project and saw truly horrifying things. At the heart of it is an idea that works, and replacing memories seemed to solve a lot of the issues for different patients. But not for all of them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We need better biologists," Coulson says finally. "If you're truly planning to do this, Fury, we need better science than we currently have. We can't risk psychosis or worse in Agent Morse, just because we decided to tamper with natural law."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Directory Fury smirks. "We tamper with natural law every time we swallow down a pill, Coulson. I don't see death as a problem medicine can't solve."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson bites down a sarcastic retort. "I don't either, but until we look over the data with a fresh pair of eyes, then I don't consent to move forward."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury slowly grins, swiping his hands across the screen, revealing a profile. "I have just the right folks in mind."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 16/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: The Wizard/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. With it, he can absorb nearby heat into his body to cool the area around him and to create constructs of ice on his skin like armor. Additionally, he can "equalize" the life force of others nearby him, allowing him to heal the wounds on himself or another target, in exchange for exhausting the targets that are not healed. Chapter 1 = Benevolence /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 1 - Benevolence/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"= Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of multipurpose clothing that was created by imbuing it with a salamander and undine's magic power. It protects the wearer against fire and the cold along with being resistant to water and heat based attacks. It also enables the user to swim better in water and reduces water resistance and water pressure. It is also resistant to wear and tear along with it automatically cleans any dirt and filth from it. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some strange magic enshrouds your form. If you so wish it, your features shall become… distorted. Nothing truly changes, but onlookers will only be able to recall you as an extremely generic version of your race or species. They would be able to recognize you on sight, but attempting to describe you to someone else would only result in their frustration./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 21. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's plenty of dangers in the Mansus. It wouldn't do you any good trying to tackle them at anything less than your full capabilities. With this perk, you now possess the uncanny ability to lucid dream, allowing you to remain in control of your actions whether you are asleep or forced in a dreamlike state. More importantly, in this lucid state it becomes easier for you to manifest your own perks and powers inside dreams or illusions, granting you the same tools you'd have available as if you were physically there./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7: Making/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With all these mystical artifacts going around, someone had to be making them. You're a drab hand with decent skill in multiple forms of craftsmanship, from blacksmithing to weaving, but where this perk really shines is a special property you can imbue your creations with. Just about everything you make can enhance people in some way shape or form, be it increasing strength, increasing their endurance, and if you're skilled with magic you could also find a way to imbue elemental properties into equipment. There are even ways for you to boost your own mana capacity or elemental affinities, though that will take some time./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200. Obtained during Chapter 18./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This simple leather strap is meant to be worn around the chest to allow for easy access of high explosives during intense situations. It has hooks and loops to hold a dozen grenades at once and is always extremely comfortable to wear. The Bandoleer always starts each morning filled with twelve simple, but effective, fragmentation grenades made out of a canister, a lot of nails, and as much gunpowder as possible. However, it is possible to "tune" each grenade to an element by exposing the explosive to a bit of magic. Shock the device with a small amount of electricity magic and when you pull the pin it will explode with the force of a lightning storm instead of nails. You can even get creative, exposing it to the power of love will give the grenade a charming effect instead of a violent one. Experiment at your own peril, as you might not always get the effect you are expecting when you dip into more exotic elements./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 18. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the most useful tools in a Witcher's arsenal is the bastardized form of magic known as Signs. These simple spells can be used with one hand and require little knowledge about magical theory to use. There are a variety of Signs with various powers and you know all of them, though you start out with only a basic level of skill with them. With practise you may be able to improve their power and duration. If you also understand how to utilize magical spells you may become able to alter these spells into new signs, though they retain their relative simplicity and cost./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 20. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The foul empty magic granted to those that gaze upon the Void and are consumed. This hideous power works by creating portals to the void and unleashing what lies within. Pull out raw negative energy to poison your foes, or small void monsters to devour them. With practice you will even be able to bring forth nightmares to infect your enemy's minds./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 22. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Time seems to fly whenever you're having fun doesn't it? One moment it seems like you just started, and the next it's already over. To be honest, it seems that the older you get - or rather, the more experienced you get - the quicker everything seems to move along. For a brief period of time, you can accelerate any actions you are performing, whether it is casting a spell, or just reading a book. This extends to even group activities as well, affecting all of your allies involved./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Jul 14, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_26_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 25/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael slides a bowl of garden salad onto the table in front of me, grinning a handsome smile. Beth might be the luckiest person alive, because this dude's shockingly good looking. The other Avengers are movie star hot - literally - but Michael has them beat. Short blonde hair perfectly coiffed, eyes far more blue than my own. The top two buttons of his white shirt are open, revealing a hint of chest that is distracting enough that I have to force myself to look toward Beth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't- I'm not hungry." I'll nibble at it to be polite, but this is the second salad in a few hours. The Great Hall never fails to give a wealth of options, healthy and not healthy. Since the battle, there's been far too many ice cream meals and desert foods for comfort, and Coulson could call me in at any time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth waves it off. "No biggie. It just, uh, didn't seem right to not share."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They did have the good Italian dressing, so at least there's that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How have you been holding up?" I ask, thinking back to how stressful it must have been for both of them. I knew that Beth avoided most of the fighting, but I don't know how the experience was for Michael. Was he in the city for the Chitauri?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth peers at me, brow furrowed. "There has been /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"adjusting/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", to say the least."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When I look expectantly toward her boyfriend, he waves in dismissal. "I wasn't midtown," Michael clarifies. "A bunch of folks on the street rushed into a police precinct, and I spent most of that day in a sweaty cell."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's good to hear," I reply, thinking of the implications. "This actually isn't half-bad."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth beams. "My father always said to add raisins."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The conversation lulls while I consider what to say next, wondering why she so urgently called me. Was it worry? Concern? Fear? Something else? She probably wants to talk about what she saw, but with Michael here, she probably can't do so openly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Did you… ," the man asks, watching me carefully as he considers how to finish the question. "Did you see any of the fighting?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lock eyes with Beth, who grips her fork tightly and then decides to divert her attention to the table runner. That's a… weird rection./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth glances toward her boyfriend and then looks away quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Huh."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My heart skips a beat as realization comes crashing down, and the fork clatters loudly against the side of the bowl, directing both of their attentions to me. I swallow deeply against the pounding in my ears, and my face burns as anger, resentment, and fear rush to the surface. My voice stammers before I finally catch myself, eyes intently focused on Beth, whose own facial journey of emotion seems to be reaching the same conclusion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why would you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her brow furrows, and Michael sits back in an expression I cannot read. Amusement? Annoyance? I don't know, but I wish he weren't here for any of this shit./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Don't lie to me, Beth."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her jaw clenches shut, and Michael clears his throat. "Like /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"you've/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" been honest with her?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She stammers, but my attention is now fully on the man I met tonight, a man Beth has known for barely three months. "This is between me and her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He raises an eyebrow, a smirk on his face. Before he can say anything, Beth places a hand on her boyfriend's bicep. "Logan, anything that you say to me can be said to him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, I don't agree with that," I argue, wishing fervently that the Grimoire had given me a spell to rid the room of unwanted pests. "I don't trust this guy with my secrets, and I was right not to trust you. How many others have you told?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I didn't tell anyone but him!" she cries. "I wouldn't."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How long have you been dating?" I challenge, remembering perfectly stories Beth told me of how they got together at a night club. "Nine weeks and three days, if I remember correctly. He's practically a one-night stand that stuck around a little too long. I might be less annoyed if you'd told someone you knew for years, someone I had met, someone I had known more about. But I don't know him, and you practically don't know him either."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth tries to interrupt, but Michael beats her to it. "We don't know /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"anything/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" about you, except that you're a brave idiot with superpowers who took advantage of my girlfriend's kindness."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My teeth grind in annoyance, and I have to swallow once more against the slowly building negativity in my chest. Michael seethes in his seat, and has the lack of decency to think that he's on the right side in this damn situation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I didn't take advantage of anything. I had no one!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael rolls his eyes. "You're lying."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" damn close to actually -/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Look, Logan," Beth says resolutely, jaw set. "I trust Michael. I've known him for longer than I've known you, and yet I trust you too. I don't like any of this right now, so I- I need you to leave."/span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"God /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"damn./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ah yes. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"You/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" don't like any of this right now," I spit. "I'm glad the conversation is over when /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"you/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" don't like something." She stammers helplessly, and Michael shoots from the table, at least six inches taller than myself as I rise to meet him. Without any of the magic at my disposal, I might have been intimidated./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Before I leave, I reach into a coat pocket and slam the old bandana-style mask on the table. "Next time, try taking a second to think over why I wear this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hands in pockets, I fumble around for a tiny bar of charcoal, crush it under my grip, and whisper, "Obscurus." The warmth of the illusory magic of the Stranger ritual wraps around myself as I leave, washing the memory of my presence from the two of them and anyone else I might encounter for the rest of the shitty evening./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Damn them both./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Ancient One binds the esoteric energies of eldritch eternities into her sling ring and then propels herself once more through realities, with naught but a twisting of the hands and a manipulation of thought. The familiar styling of true material realms fade far from form, until finally she steps into the realm some would call fae./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A frozen cliff's edge stretches before her, while the eternal forest of Avalon lies behind her, though she feels a pang of sadness at is frigid, dead state. Heavy snowbanks drown root systems, choking even the greenest and liveliest of trees until they have no choice but to rot, to decay, to become barren and lifeless. She ponders, for a moment, how difficult it would be to set things right, but such a feat would surely be beyond her means at this time, at this juncture. Perhaps with a bit of study as to the cause of this frozen calamity, she may be able to generate enough natural energy to offset its…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her thoughts trail off as a single figure sits on the edge of the cliff, eating an apple half-coated in ice. An elfin frame, the winged fairy's gangly limbs belie an eternal teenaged youth, long before she sees his face once again to prove that fact. Cradled in the creature's lap is the frozen, desiccated corpse of a fellow fairy, its wings almost statuesque as it twists near him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Goodfellow," she says, bowing to show respect and offering a gift - a tiny mahogany rod coated in honey./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I hate that blasted name," he says with a surprising bark. "It puts my whole identity to shame."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She smiles slightly at the antics of fairies, remembering stories both lived and heard from the past. "If it pleases you, would you prefer Sprite? Or perhaps Puck?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At the mention of Sprite, his face twists in disgust. "No, no, no, not that. Upon my head, Puck shall sat."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Ancient One nods in understanding, and he takes the rod, sucking on the honey with abandon. She wonders idly if he remembers the last time she gave that to him, centuries ago, but decides to ignore it for now, far more concerned about the state of things. "Avalon does not look how I remember it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not just Avalon," Puck explains, tossing the rest of his apple over the cliff to focus on the honey. "Nearly all of Otherworld is gone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She ponders this for several long seconds, frigid air pounding against her face, against her hands. It bothers her very little, muted as it is by the powers she possesses and the enchantments she wears. Even still, it bites her at skin, adding to the growing pit of discomfort in her soul./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Avalon is supposed to be an eternally beautiful place, a place untouched by the corruption of mankind, unbothered by those who live within it for it is just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"that/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" vibrant. What becomes of its forests, its wildlife, its fairy denizens when faced with this false winter, something that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"must/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be born of magic?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be thwarted with a counterspell, a resisting ritual, a confluence of energy that must be aimed properly to target the weakest parts of the offending spell to unravel the whole thing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"must/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why is this happening to Otherworld?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And more importantly, how had she not heard of it? The multiverse is a vast place of mysteries, but Otherworld and its realms? They were known to her, perhaps more than any other place in the multitude of dimensions that run parallel to her home./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A complex question in different spaces," Puck begins, "but one that involves many familiar faces. Foreign magic sweeps for her call. With it, frozen death becomes all."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Ancient One halts at the mention of her, skin colder than the ice trying to build around her feet. This is… in line with what she was thinking, and the thought genuinely worries her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Puck, no one has ever thwarted my Sight in quite the way that she does." The fairy says nothing immediately, so the Ancient One continues, "Have you sensed recent movements into the material realms? Something caused a large disturbance, and I cannot see why, but it has the signature of her power."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The wind grows more rapid, more forceful, and dead trees begin to buckle and bend, entire branches snapping off at the trunk and becoming frozen detritus on the forest floor. Something moves toward them, and the Ancient One readies herself. Puck slips away without answering, disappearing into the ethereal in the way that only the Fae can./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The tree line explodes as a charging behemoth raises a shimmering blade high above its head, splintered pines and oaks falling from its very weight. She has barely any time to study the creature's armored form before she raises a construct shield to defend herself. Their clash sends shock-waves of energy so forcefully that the snow melts into a frozen slurry from the impact./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The long way home - back to a temporary HQ for S.H.I.E.L.D. to use that is off the public record, like most of the now public organization's bases - could have been shorter with a simple twist of a mirror, but I decide to take the scenic route, to clear my head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Much of central midtown lies in shambles. Cranes still work to lift from buildings what S.H.I.E.L.D. now calls Chitauri Leviathans, the massive whale-like organisms that do part-time hours as spaceships. Alien blaster rifles, blaster spears, blast grenades, armored exoskeletons - I don't doubt that there are folks trying their damndest to get inside who don't need to be there, and I don't even want to know how many have been arrested. The mayor and the government are tyring to cut down on scalpers, for the entire section of the city around Stark Tower is under a demanding curfew, and in some places mandatory quarantine. Alien bodies are lifted from the streets and carried into custody for who knows what kind of dissections by the government. Their bodies were horrid-smelling things, all flesh and metal, and some of the Chitauri were so covered in cybernetics that they felt more robot than alien. Any of that tech could be useful, if we can interface with it safely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pass by a section of brownstones that might have to be condemned, even if they didn't face a large brunt of the chaos. It's just on the edge of the police line, with shattered windows and part of the roof caved in. There must have been dozens of people living in this block, but now where could they go? What does… what does the city do for people? They - I consult my memory - they were planning shelters! Yeah, that's it. There should be one down the street, and I don't even want to think about how crowded it must be./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Actually… it might be better to think about how crowded it is. The alternative is that I think about how goddamn pissed I am about being outed. It hurts enough when people out you - out you, but at any time, Michael or even Beth could ruin any sense of safety and freedom from expectations that I might want in the future. And all that after the experience in the Void?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck, I'm doing it again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I change directions and head toward the shelter, thinking of potential diagrams for my newer abilities to craft magic items. I'd need materials for any of it, but one particular plan in mind is a wrist guard that helps agents in the field to hide in shadows and maybe to add a level of protection. Nothing Wonder Woman, but I figure I could present it to Fury for the okay. Any bit I can do helps, and I can make anything like that happen faster from other people's perspectives. Should help with production time over all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How soon do I even have before the next big conflict? I've been getting better and better with Azyr each day I've had a chance to study, but I'm still a ways away from its truly prophetic spells. What I have been able to sense in advance has been vague, simple, and ultimately inconclusive so far, but it'll get better. At the very least, if I predict the next big alien invasion even just an hour before it happens, then I'll be satisfied./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Who knows? Perhaps the Grimoire will provide a more accurate prophecy ritual in the future. It could happen tomorrow for how pattern-less things seem to be sometimes. About the only thing I can think of is that there were far more new sections of the book available after the invasion, so maybe… maybe it's conflict? Do I need to punch bad guys for it to grow faster?/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"… Do I want it to?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The damn thing just gave me an hours-long-journey into parts unknown, a horrifying experience that I can't forget because a spell doesn't let me. All I can do is redirect, redirect, redirect away from the Void and its tendrils, its presence, its fears. The abilities sure seem useful though, and are more intuitive than learning Azyr or the books about magicka in the library./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The line outside the shelter extends halfway down the block, filled with regulars and newly homeless folks alike. At least this event happened in the summer, because this would be dreadful for them in the wintertime. I push past the line, not wanting to be served but wanting /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"to/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" serve. I could probably… I could do a lot for them right now, powers or no powers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A man in blue near the front serves as light security, the dark skin of his forehead shining in the summertime sun. He directs someone inside as I step up, and he clears his throat. "Back of the line, kid-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, Officer, uh… Davis, I want to help. You got a place for someone with idle hands?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He studies me for a long second and then gestures within. "That way." He points to a collection of people near the back, dressed in yellow shirts. "I bet they can help you get set up."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I give him my thanks and lightly push through the opening, glad that the Stranger will wipe away any real description of who I am from those who see me. It's harder to connect the dots on even something distinctive like facial tattoos if they don't know to think of it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The yellow-clad volunteers split off for their jobs quickly, leaving only a couple behind, sitting behind a table littered with sign-up sheets and job descriptions. Middle aged with dark hair, the man and woman look excited and proud to be here, and I clear my throat. "I'm Logan, and I'd like to volunteer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The brunette man without hesitation stands to shake my hand firmly. He looks familiar… Timothy Olyphant? Here? I don't recognize the woman, but she's similarly pretty. "It's nice to have another. Just sign your name there. Can you wash dishes?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, sure," I mutter, thinking nothing of it as I sign my day away. "You got any more of those shirts?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""'Fraid not," the woman says with a brilliant smile. "It'll be fine. Honestly, my nephew could use the help. The kitchen crew are right in there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You know how to use a proper kitchen sink to wash dishes?" the man with Timothy Olyphant's face asks. Or maybe… this is him and his wife? When I nod, he continues, "Would you show the little guy the ropes?."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod, glad for the distraction from everything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They show me through the door, and after washing my hands and putting on gloves, I make my way to the industrial sinks, where several people are trying to keep up with the load of dishes that the shelter uses during a time like this. Included among them is a young boy no more than twelve, maybe, wearing dish gloves that reach all the way up past his elbows as he furiously scrubs to keep up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I introduce myself to the adults with a quick nod and then lean over to the kid. "Hey, I'm Logan. Your aunt and uncle asked me to look after you in here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He makes a face that is unrecognizable, brown hair covered slightly in suds. "I don't need any help."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I smile. "Maybe not, but I'm here anyway, so I figure it doesn't hurt."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I unfurl the magic of Whittling Away the Time, a section of the book that is incredibly useful for something like this. There are no flashy lights or sound effects, just a magic over perception and time that lightly bends things to my will to speed things up for the outside world. I can't keep it up for long and it won't change anything for those of us in here, but for everyone out there? The kitchen crew would look to be much faster at their jobs, better able to handle the throngs of people who are forced to stay in shelters like this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I know a trick that will make your life easier," I offer to the kid. "Make circular motions and add pressure - just not too much pressure - and you'll get all that right off."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He initially refuses to change his mind, but after a second or two of watching me with the scrub brush, he tries to mimic what I'm doing. Slowly, a smile builds on his lips. "It's working!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah! You don't want to have to work too hard at this kind of thing," I answer. "If you work too hard at the start, then you're too tired to help more people near the end."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He beams again and goes back to work, satisfied. A quiet couple of minutes pass before he finally says, "It's nice to meet you, Logan. My name's Peter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The plate sinks suddenly into the dish water. He stares in alarm, and I pull away for a moment. "What's wrong?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh? Nothing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't need to consult the Winds of Magic to know what /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"his/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" future holds, and the great conflicts that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"he/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" may face. I wanted something simple to think about, something to avoid remembering the Void, to avoid the argument with Beth, to push away the negative emotions. Somehow, I found a thing almost more complex than any of that, and I fight the urge to just leave. I get back to work, trying not to step on a landmine that will send a boy about ten so far off course that he never becomes Marvel's greatest hero./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 16/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: The Wizard/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. With it, he can absorb nearby heat into his body to cool the area around him and to create constructs of ice on his skin like armor. Additionally, he can "equalize" the life force of others nearby him, allowing him to heal the wounds on himself or another target, in exchange for exhausting the targets that are not healed. Chapter 1 = Benevolence /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 1 - Benevolence/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"= Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of multipurpose clothing that was created by imbuing it with a salamander and undine's magic power. It protects the wearer against fire and the cold along with being resistant to water and heat based attacks. It also enables the user to swim better in water and reduces water resistance and water pressure. It is also resistant to wear and tear along with it automatically cleans any dirt and filth from it. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some strange magic enshrouds your form. If you so wish it, your features shall become… distorted. Nothing truly changes, but onlookers will only be able to recall you as an extremely generic version of your race or species. They would be able to recognize you on sight, but attempting to describe you to someone else would only result in their frustration./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 21. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's plenty of dangers in the Mansus. It wouldn't do you any good trying to tackle them at anything less than your full capabilities. With this perk, you now possess the uncanny ability to lucid dream, allowing you to remain in control of your actions whether you are asleep or forced in a dreamlike state. More importantly, in this lucid state it becomes easier for you to manifest your own perks and powers inside dreams or illusions, granting you the same tools you'd have available as if you were physically there./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7: Making/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With all these mystical artifacts going around, someone had to be making them. You're a drab hand with decent skill in multiple forms of craftsmanship, from blacksmithing to weaving, but where this perk really shines is a special property you can imbue your creations with. Just about everything you make can enhance people in some way shape or form, be it increasing strength, increasing their endurance, and if you're skilled with magic you could also find a way to imbue elemental properties into equipment. There are even ways for you to boost your own mana capacity or elemental affinities, though that will take some time./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200. Obtained during Chapter 18./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This simple leather strap is meant to be worn around the chest to allow for easy access of high explosives during intense situations. It has hooks and loops to hold a dozen grenades at once and is always extremely comfortable to wear. The Bandoleer always starts each morning filled with twelve simple, but effective, fragmentation grenades made out of a canister, a lot of nails, and as much gunpowder as possible. However, it is possible to "tune" each grenade to an element by exposing the explosive to a bit of magic. Shock the device with a small amount of electricity magic and when you pull the pin it will explode with the force of a lightning storm instead of nails. You can even get creative, exposing it to the power of love will give the grenade a charming effect instead of a violent one. Experiment at your own peril, as you might not always get the effect you are expecting when you dip into more exotic elements./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 18. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the most useful tools in a Witcher's arsenal is the bastardized form of magic known as Signs. These simple spells can be used with one hand and require little knowledge about magical theory to use. There are a variety of Signs with various powers and you know all of them, though you start out with only a basic level of skill with them. With practise you may be able to improve their power and duration. If you also understand how to utilize magical spells you may become able to alter these spells into new signs, though they retain their relative simplicity and cost./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 20. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The foul empty magic granted to those that gaze upon the Void and are consumed. This hideous power works by creating portals to the void and unleashing what lies within. Pull out raw negative energy to poison your foes, or small void monsters to devour them. With practice you will even be able to bring forth nightmares to infect your enemy's minds./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 22. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Time seems to fly whenever you're having fun doesn't it? One moment it seems like you just started, and the next it's already over. To be honest, it seems that the older you get - or rather, the more experienced you get - the quicker everything seems to move along. For a brief period of time, you can accelerate any actions you are performing, whether it is casting a spell, or just reading a book. This extends to even group activities as well, affecting all of your allies involved./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the perks I just rolled upon completing this chapter is wonderful. The other is ridiculous fun. You'll be introduced to them in the next chapter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Also, I wrote that first scene twice, one of which took a very different direction that somehow ended in a reasonable discussion after a bit of anger. I did not like how that went at all, because it didn't feel true to recent experiences for any of the characters involved, so I wrote it to have a new direction. Let me know what you think./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_27_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 26/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The analyst, a handsome ginger agent named Cameron, closes the application and tucks the tablet under his arm with a pleasant smile. "These are the names you requested?" Two other analysts watch intently from a nearby cubicle, the overhead lights of the underground bathing them in light that reminds me far too much of a school. I… well, that's more appropriate now than before./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah. If you c-could… -" I cringe at my own nervousness, something Agent Cameron definitely notices but has the decency to say nothing. "These people - look out for them. They matter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man's smile shifts to a smirk, no doubt wondering why a kid is on the list. "These Parkers… are they relatives?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I start to say more, but stop myself and just declare it as classified. The three analysts nod and head back to work, leaving me alone amidst the hidden facility's deepest sector./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It feels strange to avoid answering, but, well, S.H.I.E.L.D. operates on a need-to-know basis, and thus, not everyone needs to know. The idea of 'leveled' operatives within an organization has several strengths, and I'm officially higher than someone like Agent Cameron, even if it feels like a teenager shouldn't have a clearance at all. Otherworldly powers tend to involve breaking the rules of reality as much as they do espionage. Something like this… it's probably only a courtesy anyway, but I'll take advantage to keep people safe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth, Michael, the Parkers…. they deserve it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're learning."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nearly jump out of my own skin at the sound of his deep voice, but Fury loves a dramatic entrance./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh? Uh, yeah, I'm trying."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury strides from the hallway into the small conference room, the steel walls reflecting the light from above in odd ways, almost catching a reflection. He produces a manilla folder from his leather coat pocket. "Thank you for coming. I hope your rest was effective?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod, taking a moment to follow what he means. "Yes, I think so. I'm ready for wherever you need me, sir. I'm a little surprised to see you and not Coulson on my first day."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Coulson has been re-assigned."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink, uncertain how to feel about that. With Coulson, things are easy. Comfortable. He seems to get me, in a way that someone like Fury might not. I don't even think the director /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" get someone, stuck behind that many walls./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If I were in his shoes, I'd do the same thing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Permanently?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury takes a seat at the head of the glass table and gestures to sit next to him, manila folder still in hand. I follow suit, the familiar feeling of a swivel chair taking me back to childhood, playing with my brother on my mother's teacher chair in the hallway outside her classroom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Temporarily, if all goes well. I'm certain that you'll be seeing each other soon." Fury calmly nods once. "It is good to know that you've made connections here. This is a big change for you, Logan, but one that I think will bear fruit in the future."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The future./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The nebulous future - I worry about it from time to time, especially now that I've seen how truly 'early' things seem to be in the Marvel stories. Spider-Man hasn't even got teenage acne yet, and I'm already meddling in his life by asking S.H.I.E.L.D. to keep tabs. Aunt May, Uncle Ben, 'With Great Power-?' I could topple some butterfly somewhere, intentionally or no, that leaves New York without its friendly neighborhood hero. For all I know, I've already done it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I just… can't imagine letting Uncle Ben die, if I knew it would happen and did nothing to stop it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The super-spy slides the manila folder across the table's surface, gloved fingers lingering for a moment before he releases them. I open the folder to reveal several profiles of agents, none of which I recognized personally or from memories of the comics. I only really remember Fury, Hill, and Quartermain, so that's not really a surprise. The profiles include an estimation of their intelligence and a pre-assessment of aptitude for new skills, talents, or knowledge, based on several tests that S.H.I.E.L.D. must have used at some point in the Academy. Demographic information, level of security clearance, and several other factors I can't guess are censored, but I'm not surprised by that either./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Hill mentioned that you may have the skills to teach others to do some of the things that you do," Fury explains, his face shifting to one of mirth. "You think you got what it takes to use that Hogwarts of yours?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I feel nerves shake me to my core, my fingers dancing across the pages as I stare anew, wanting to avoid making eye contact for long enough to give me time to think./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is much bigger than being an individual hero on the streets of New York or as a consultant for Fury. This is an opportunity to give superpowers to others, to trust others enough to gain the knowledge of magic from across the multiverse. Give it to the right person, and they could save lives. Give it to the wrong person, and they… they might not./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The call to Maria Hill might have been a mistake, but I want to be helpful. This could help, could give purpose to my working with S.H.I.E.L.D. as more than just some research subject. If I could train even a handful of agents to have one spell, that's another option in the field that they don't have. They already have access to several of the scrolls from the scroll case to decipher and utilize in the field, should they choose to do so, so is giving actual knowledge of the stuff really all that different?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I want to try, but it has to be done the right way," I explain calmly, meeting his face. "I don't want to rush into anything. Let me have some time, Director."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A long moment passes before Fury nods. "Take all the time you need. Before anyone starts experimenting on my agents, I want this new research team to take a look at you and at any other factors. I don't want my team to start growing warts and turning people into toads."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint enters the hospital with practiced ease, slipping past their front desk and any security concerns with little more than old-fashioned disguise work and a bit of charm. How he managed to do that while the entire world was gushing over his handsome mug on the news is anyone's guess, but a hat and glasses are apparently enough. Charisma really is a wonderful tool in his line of work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The papers he swiped from the visitors' desk are clear: his intended guest is three floors up, six doors down from the lefthand side. Waiting in the elevator is an agonizing forty-five seconds, so long that he has time to think over his next steps within that liminal space. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"This is my right, given the circumstances,/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" he thinks. Anyone would do this, in his shoes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The elevator breaks his train of thought when the door opens to another bland hospital floor, the smell of chemicals thick in the air. Nurses and custodians shift from door to door within their respective duties, and it surprises him little that this particular hospital would be /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" busy. S.H.I.E.L.D. likely has their eyes, ears, and physical bodies already in this place, and he's surprised that they haven't moved to extraction. It's been weeks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint waits nonchalantly until a nurse exits his targeted room, and then he waltzes inside with every bit of charisma he could muster. It wasn't the smoothest affair, but if he truly wanted no one to see him, he'd approach the patient differently./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The window in the room has the shades pulled, leaving very little natural light to combat the overhead fluorescence. A days-old bouquet of flowers rests at the end of the bed, slightly wilting under a lack of care. Life support machines whir with activity, provided breath and monitoring what activity exists within the man lying prone on the bed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dark hair pokes from beneath bandages covering most of the head, the gauze trailing to the left part of his chest. His right arm rests in a cast that lies across his torso, and his breathing is regular, if assisted. More gauze peeks around his shoulders, belying the bandages across his back. Clint can't help but imagine how badly the injuries must be, even after weeks of recovery, to be unconscious and still covered almost head-to-toe in fresh bandages./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He paces back and forth, eyes never leaving the patient./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sam Douglas. Gave up the life after he developed severe anxiety attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder. Had a falling out with his wife and children, recently finalized his divorce. Parents are alive but estranged, no siblings. Clint knows their files are not so perfect as to list every possible friend that the man may have had, but there were no notable associates worthy of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar. Online activities suggest that the man is close to radicalization, if not quite there, and with the secrets the man must possess? The medical charts - well, they don't look any more positive than the man's personal life. He's not expected to awaken, and they're doing little more than trying to make the man comfortable for his final days./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint never worked with Douglas, who was little more than a Level Four agent before leaving the organization. He knows that there are others in the same boat as Douglas, agents who are underserved upon exiting or even before. Agents whose lives fell apart, whose lives don't recieve the support they need. As loyal as Clint is to the mission S.H.I.E.L.D. stands for, he is not blind to its faults./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It surprises Clint little that he gave the man's name up to Loki./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A man whom Loki branded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A man whom Loki turned into a monster./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A monster who led directly to the death of his wife's sister./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint grips his knuckles tight, clenches his jaw so firmly that he nearly draws blood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flashes of memory race across his mind. The Scepter. The brainwashing. The highway. The agent-turned-frost giant. The arrow through his sister-in-law's heart. The guilt, guilt, guilt buried under the haze of Loki./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint has relived those moments every day for weeks. Every traded blow atop the truck, every arrow fired into the S.H.I.E.L.D. team, every bullet fired from brainwashed soldiers. He has come to several conclusions: without Clint, Sam Douglas would have never been Loki's brainwashed ally. Without Clint, Sam Douglas would have never turned into a monster. Without Clint, Bobbi would have gotten the Tesseract. Without Clint, Bobbi would be alive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If not for the frost giant's surprise appearance, Bobbi would be alive. Maybe she could have bested Clint, maybe she couldn't, but she'd have gotten away relatively unscathed. It was that single moment of shock, of surprise, that gave Clint a window of opportunity to put an arrow through… through her…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A spike of rage forces Clint to leave./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Forces Clint to walk away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to be a monster. Does not want to misplace his rage. Vengeance… no, justice, he reminds himself. They already delivered justice to the person truly responsible./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Why does he feel this guilt?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clutches in his hands a single sheet of paper filled with data that he cannot parse himself single-handedly, but thankfully he is not short on friends to do so for him. Their recommendations in the margins are clear enough to see and parse, revealing /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"another/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" failure./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The GH-325 fluid provides revitalization to dead tissue but at the cost of potentially life-changing consequences to the neurological system. A tweaking of its formula, an assessment of a new variable, proves similar results and yet increases chance of fatality even after recovery. This new test, the fourteenth of its kind since his re-assignment, is the first test that successfully revived each lab mouse, and yet similar patterns of neurological decay are clear and rampant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson idly steps into the facility's laboratory, filled with plastic enclosures for their various test subjects. Dozens of mice skitter silently within their homes, rabbits lounge lazily on beds of straw, and blue jays chirp audibly enough that Coulson can hear them from across the room. The lead scientist steps forward, a promising young mind with enough untapped potential that she may actually change the world one day. Offering a hand to hers, she smiles as she shakes it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello, sir. We're just getting started for the day. We have two more tests scheduled before lunch," Simmons explains, her accent pleasing on the ear. "This has been a rewarding experience so far. Groundbreaking, really! With it, we could revitalize natural ecosystems lost to disease or natural disasters, or perhaps eliminate illnesses in livestock. If we widen its applications, it may be on the shelves of veterinarians everywhere."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson admires her exuberance and her innocence. "Yes, Agent Simmons. Have you any additional data that shows promise?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She takes a moment to think and then shakes her head lightly. "I'm afraid not yet. We're working hard to isolate the factors of GH-325 that lead to neurological dysfunction, but it has been slow going. This chemical is unlike anything I've seen before, with unique trace elements that are incredibly rare."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson considers her and the rest of her team, a collection of scientists with varying pedigrees among S.H.I.E.L.D.'s history. Thier best and brightest, in many ways, are here, working hard to make changes to the formula and improve its technology. During the initial phase of Project T.A.H.I.T.I., the scope of scientists were kept to a minimum, and many of those same men and women were still part of this research team. Jenna Simmons is the perfect lead for the project as she holds uniquely impressive skills in biology and has a fresh pair of eyes to lead the team toward new horizons./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson considers next steps and remembers that they are, in fact, on a time crunch. "You have one week."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She sputters. "Sir, one week is not enough time to-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""One week," he stresses. "You have one week. Orders from Director Fury himself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This was the concession Fury gave him to return to T.A.H.I.T.I. If there is not improvement with the process after two weeks, then they move forward /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"without/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" that improvement to revive Agent Morse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, with all due respect, can you ask Director Fury why he intends to accelerate this research? Good science is not done in a day, sir, or even two weeks, no matter how skilled someone may be. The variables alone are a complex web of-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shakes his head, cutting her off. "I do not disagree, Agent Simmons. This is your timeframe."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For a long moment, she says nothing, her mind whirring with activity. She seems to realize something a few seconds later, her eyes widening with shock./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes, sir."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson does not envy her position, nor the position of anyone else on this team./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They're being asked to make magic happen./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You sure this is a good idea?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The question hangs in the air as Agent Fitz carefully straps my arms into the chamber, while another researcher does the same to my legs. The machine-lined metallic chamber is an ominous beast from the inside and the outside, and even though I know it is merely an adaptation of an MRI machine, it still fills me with dread to be strapped into something that I don't understand. It helps, a little, to know that I can escape at any time with little more than a thought and a flicker of lyrium./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Positive," he says with his damn dreamy accent. "We're going to study your vitals while you empower yourself with your magic. This device will hopefully catch the changes to your body's major systems in real time, so that we may see its overall impact."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It made sense, in a way, for Fitz to be the lead of the research team. He was far and away one of the smartest of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s scientists that I've met, and one that showed more than a passing interest in how the magic I wield ticks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Honestly, I'm interested in that as well. How could I not be? Something must unify these disparate pieces of magic together in my body. I have a connection to the celestial winds of Azyr, the dream-realm of demons known as the Fade, and the terrifying Void between realities leaks power and creatures at my whims into this one. I can harness elemental magic through my Vision and can channel elemental magic into crafted creations. And there's more than that besides. Is it all just filtered through the Grimoire, or is there more to it than that?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few moments pass before he announces the beginning of the test. Through the viewing window, I can see others among the research team watching with undeniable interest, their fingers tapping away at monitors to measure my results and their own findings. Part of me is skeptical that they'll truly find anything at all, but I thought that the last time that Fitz examined me with his modified spectrometer. Surely they'll learn something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""When you're ready, Logan," Fitz began, "activate your connection to Azyr."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pure magic of the Heavens filters into my grasp and soothes any nervous turmoil in my head, forcing a pleasant calm into the forefront of my emotions. Lightning crackles at my fingertips and wind lightly blows within the closed chamber itself, just strong enough to blow the ends of my hair from side to side. In my mind's eye, patterns orient from the chaos of the stars, patterns my mind can understand, patterns that ultimately mean /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hold the connection for as long as Fitz needs, and his next direction almost does not breach my thoughts. I cut the connection to the Winds of Magic with an abrupt thought, emotions other than serenity returning a moment later. With them, an uncomfortable reminder of the man who died in my arms comes roaring to the surface of my thoughts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"almost/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" tap into Azyr again just to make it go away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Almost./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I know that Dr. Selvig would be a wonderful addition to this team./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If he were alive./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 17/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: The Wizard/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. With it, he can absorb nearby heat into his body to cool the area around him and to create constructs of ice on his skin like armor. Additionally, he can "equalize" the life force of others nearby him, allowing him to heal the wounds on himself or another target, in exchange for exhausting the targets that are not healed. Chapter 1 = Benevolence /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 1 - Benevolence/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"= Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of multipurpose clothing that was created by imbuing it with a salamander and undine's magic power. It protects the wearer against fire and the cold along with being resistant to water and heat based attacks. It also enables the user to swim better in water and reduces water resistance and water pressure. It is also resistant to wear and tear along with it automatically cleans any dirt and filth from it. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some strange magic enshrouds your form. If you so wish it, your features shall become… distorted. Nothing truly changes, but onlookers will only be able to recall you as an extremely generic version of your race or species. They would be able to recognize you on sight, but attempting to describe you to someone else would only result in their frustration./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 21. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's plenty of dangers in the Mansus. It wouldn't do you any good trying to tackle them at anything less than your full capabilities. With this perk, you now possess the uncanny ability to lucid dream, allowing you to remain in control of your actions whether you are asleep or forced in a dreamlike state. More importantly, in this lucid state it becomes easier for you to manifest your own perks and powers inside dreams or illusions, granting you the same tools you'd have available as if you were physically there./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7: Making/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With all these mystical artifacts going around, someone had to be making them. You're a drab hand with decent skill in multiple forms of craftsmanship, from blacksmithing to weaving, but where this perk really shines is a special property you can imbue your creations with. Just about everything you make can enhance people in some way shape or form, be it increasing strength, increasing their endurance, and if you're skilled with magic you could also find a way to imbue elemental properties into equipment. There are even ways for you to boost your own mana capacity or elemental affinities, though that will take some time./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200. Obtained during Chapter 18./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This simple leather strap is meant to be worn around the chest to allow for easy access of high explosives during intense situations. It has hooks and loops to hold a dozen grenades at once and is always extremely comfortable to wear. The Bandoleer always starts each morning filled with twelve simple, but effective, fragmentation grenades made out of a canister, a lot of nails, and as much gunpowder as possible. However, it is possible to "tune" each grenade to an element by exposing the explosive to a bit of magic. Shock the device with a small amount of electricity magic and when you pull the pin it will explode with the force of a lightning storm instead of nails. You can even get creative, exposing it to the power of love will give the grenade a charming effect instead of a violent one. Experiment at your own peril, as you might not always get the effect you are expecting when you dip into more exotic elements./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 18. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the most useful tools in a Witcher's arsenal is the bastardized form of magic known as Signs. These simple spells can be used with one hand and require little knowledge about magical theory to use. There are a variety of Signs with various powers and you know all of them, though you start out with only a basic level of skill with them. With practise you may be able to improve their power and duration. If you also understand how to utilize magical spells you may become able to alter these spells into new signs, though they retain their relative simplicity and cost./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 20. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The foul empty magic granted to those that gaze upon the Void and are consumed. This hideous power works by creating portals to the void and unleashing what lies within. Pull out raw negative energy to poison your foes, or small void monsters to devour them. With practice you will even be able to bring forth nightmares to infect your enemy's minds./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 22. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Time seems to fly whenever you're having fun doesn't it? One moment it seems like you just started, and the next it's already over. To be honest, it seems that the older you get - or rather, the more experienced you get - the quicker everything seems to move along. For a brief period of time, you can accelerate any actions you are performing, whether it is casting a spell, or just reading a book. This extends to even group activities as well, affecting all of your allies involved./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The following are new perks from last chapter and this one. They are currently unlisted above but will be added./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magister Professor (Warhammer Fantasy: Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 500 CP. Obtained during Chapter 25/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You were an apprentice once, taken in by the Magisters of your Order. While they taught you much of magic, it is through your own observations that you learned the art of teaching. You now have a grasp of everything a teacher in an academic setting needs - the construction of lesson plans, the ability to command respect and attention from your students, and the use of visual aids in the classroom. If you have an Apprentice of your own, they will be more than grateful to study under your wing. For another 200 Aethyric Humors in addition to the base price, you may notice a strange thing happening. Should you take someone under your wing who is neither of this world nor in possession of native aptitude for magic, your Wind might blow upon them so that they can learn more properly from you. Use this provision for the continued advancement of the magical arts wisely. Should you fail to impart upon your student the importance of controlling that power, you will have only yourself to blame./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bibliovore (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore: Cost 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 26/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's so much knowledge out there, and so little time. With this perk you have the innate ability to instantly memorize the contents from text and other visual media with just a touch. This ability can be used on any kind of visual medium, from engravings on ancient pottery, to diagrams in crumbling parchments, to blurry text in waterlogged codices, or even books written in a language you don't speak. The actual understanding of these contents is an entirely different matter, but you'll figure it out with time. This ability can be toggled on and off at will, so that you are not burdened with unwanted knowledge./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Apologies for the lateness of this chapter. I am a teacher, and my last update to this story was right before the school year was going to start. This has kicked me in the teeth, as I'm sure you can imagine, and what writing I have done has been for other things. This story is not dead, however, and I do plan to update again soon (promise)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I consider this chapter to be the last of this initial arc, though I use that term loosely. We're going to jump ahead a few months next chapter, to pick up the pace and begin a new focal point. Much of these last few chapters has been focused on the aftermath of the invasion and the settling in to the new role at S.H.I.E.L.D., so we're moving past that and onto new frontiers./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_28_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 27/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Leopold Fitz scans his eyes across disparate medical readings and technological readouts. A full-body scan of something called a "voidling," as well as diagrams of its eyes, its claws, and torso. A blood sample that actively radiates enough light and electricity that it had to be placed into a rubber-lined lead container just to be sure that it was not going to irradiate everyone in contact with it. The inner molecular structure of the uniform that the Wizard's minions wear when created, something that utterly confuses him as much as the tissue sample from one them that they managed to salvage before it vanished./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"These are but a few of the avenues of research with Logan that they've accomplished in a short time, but accomplished is too strong a word. Every conclusion leads to a new round of questions, and even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s brightest minds are having difficulty./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can't we just send this to Thor?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The question interrupts Fitz from spiraling down another rabbit hole. The researcher - Dr. Flores, a promising woman with a background in microbiology - holds a stack of papers in hand while she asks the question. The papers detail notes about the effects of the dream substance lyrium on blood cells and gut bacteria./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fitz shakes his head, though he's starting to wonder if the question is worth asking. Research always takes time, and leaping ahead into a new field? That will, of course, take precedent. From everything they've gathered, Thor and his people have advanced knowledge on magic. Asking them to help navigate their research into the Wizard's capabilities seems a fair question in theory./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""'Fraid not," he answers simply. "Anything we learn, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"we/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" learn."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Orders are orders. Thor - and by extension, Jane Foster - are off-limits to anyone from the organization. He and the rest of the Avengers were exploring their own lives, and Fitz couldn't blame the god-alien-guy any more than he could blame Stark or Rogers or Banner. As much as it would be helpful to borrow from Asgardian expertise, he was not sure how much difference it could make./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No rhyme or reason./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It is still early in their research. But initial conclusions? The energies that Logan commands have no interconnectivity - each ability he demonstrates is distinct, requires different resources, different methods, different outputs. There was no pattern, no connected tissue, nothing. Nothing except Logan himself, who seemed nearly as clueless as to how it all worked together as they did. He merely had the abilities./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A timer in the distance begins to beep, and Fitz re-asserts himself into his surroundings, focusing on the two members of the team who've not yet gone home for the night. Dr. Flores turns away from writing in the margins of her notes to watch the end of Dr. Morrow's latest test, the man clearly frustrated already as data begins to populate nearby monitors./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fitz leans over a screen, rubbing at his face, feeling more than a little dehydrated. The blue light of the screen is more than starting to bother his eyes, and he /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"needs/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to tuck in. "This is data from the test on gutamine and acetylcholine?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dr. Flores taps him on the shoulder, a concerned look on her kind eyes. "You mean glutamate?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fitz blinks. "Yes, yes, right. Sorry."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The engineer has never missed Jemma more than he does right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dr. Morrow cycles through data reports and frowns more deeply, the older man looking more and more disgruntled as their window of research expands. "Extracted neurotransmitters show… ugh, no abnormal reactivity to so-called magical stimulus. Within expected values."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fitz sighs and signals an end for the night. "Wrap it up. We'll start fresh on Monday."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Morrow settles into a nearby chair, face slightly red and sweat running down his scalp. "I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"know/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" that we'll get somewhere. We just need the right tools, the right tests, the right machines. What we have is not working so far, to tell us anything more than bread crumbs."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's not everyday that a modern scientist is asked to delve into fantastical thinking," Fitz replies, mind spinning with energy readings, potential output, and material science from the Wizard's uniform. "We'll crack it."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro feels, for the first time, that his life has /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"meaning/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;". Among the throngs of people who have awoken to the truth, he has a place to belong. A place to matter. A voice to force the very world to tremble beneath his desires. Not all are sycophants to the West, to the so-called heroes on the news. People are afraid of handing the reins of protection to gods, monsters, and madmen./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No - he would find a place here. He would shout, he would scream, he would trample, if it meant that more people would join their cause against Stark and the Avengers. Many in his home country and in other communities across Eastern Europe know of the tragedies that the so-called genius and his family have wrought for decades. It is only a matter of rallying the right people, the right groups, the right organizations to assist them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wanda interlaces her fingers in his as she shouts in protest, her voice joining the rest. He can't help but smile - how wonderful it is that he does not have to do this alone? Even among a crowd as large as this, shouting outside the Berlin headquarters of Stark Industries, he is glad to have her by his side./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Throughout the morning, the protest has grown more intense. The company continues to ignore them, so those closest to the front lines of the growing crowd have become more restless. He eventually becomes one of those near the front, pulling Wanda alongside him, and the shouting continues to accelerate in fervor. Picket signs with Anti-Avenger slogans, posters decrying Thor as a threat from the stars, and more are all that they can see from those fancy windows./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"him./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He feels a tap on his shoulders, and a balding middle-aged man with a hoodie obscuring most of his features leans close and hands him a brick. "Make him pay!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro grins./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With a Herculean effort, the brick tumbles through the air and shatters one of the second floor windows. The crowd goes wild, some tumbling to make their own next moves. Stark's security detail are bound to engage now, but he doesn't want to stop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He grips Wanda's hand in tight excitement, her own eyes filled with wonder and hope for change. "We're making a difference!" he shouts. "You'll see!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wanda nods and reaches for anything on the ground to throw, to join him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro turns to see if the man is still behind him, to ask for another brick, but he doesn't see the man among the crowd. His single throw does its job - others begin tossing whatever they can find, defacing the property of a billionaire so filled with pride that the man will /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"hate/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro grins and prepares to continue the onslaught./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Jemma Simmons has never worked this hard. She stubbornly aches for her partner in crime, her shadow, the other half to her dynamic research duo. With every conclusion she makes, she cannot share it with Fitz, and it hurts. No, her work with Project: T.A.H.I.T.I. cannot be shared with anyone without Level Nine or above clearance. Something only the top brass possess, which means that, well, she jumped the clearance ladder overnight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When she began her work, she thought the project was merely a chance to uplift society, to combat the rising needs of a changing environment that would devastate animal populations. After all, GH-325 could be used on many types of organic compounds to revitalize tissues that have long since died. She has no true idea where the compound originated, but she suspects that it cannot be from Earth. Until the Incident, she would never have expected extra-terrestrials to be real, even after working at S.H.I.E.L.D. for years. Perhaps this is the co-opted work of an alien civilization./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Test after test, she continues her work long-past the initial week promised to her. Had she not made a potential breakthrough on that sixth day, she might have failed to secure more time. Her breakthrough? Jemma speculates that Erskin's Vita-Radiation may act as a stabilizing force for the GH-325's properties. It was potentially nothing more than a shot in the dark, but considering what they were going to do with the compound in short order if she had been unsuccessful in that week time limit? She thinks it was worth it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sparing Bobbi Morse from the potential insanity of GH-325's side effects is worth it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Every medical law, every ethical code, screams for her to put it all away. To walk away from S.H.I.E.L.D. and never look back. Successfully integrating the properties of nitramene to create Vita-Rays into the GH-325 formula was nearly as dangerous as creating a compound that could revive the dead, at great cost. Much of the organization's work on nitramene ended after an almost explosive incident in the late forties. One wrong move, and this base could implode./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir," she asks as she steps away from the shielded container full of the yellow radioactive compound to look toward her superior, "I am not certain that we have the expertise here to integrate nitramene correctly into the compound. We need-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is the team," Coulson says without letting her finish. "As much as I might agree with your assessment, Agent Simmons, we must make strides with the resources that we possess. Bringing more individuals on board threatens to neutralize the security of this secret program."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She can understand the reasoning, but there has to be a different way. A different approach. "Can we afford to invite someone to the team without telling them everything? Compartmentalize what they need to know. As it is, I'm running out of ideas on how to build a device that can successfully integrate these two compounds together."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson rubs at his chin. "The most I can do is forward your concerns to Director Fury."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Thank you, sir."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An uppercut threatens to slam into my midsection, and I slip away to the right, only to meet a well-placed kick to the shin. Disorienting pain shoots up my side, and I have no defense against the shoulder-check that forces me to double over. A knee to my shoulder knocks me to the mat several feet away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lay there for a second, panting from breath, sweat sticking to my clothes. I reach toward my belt and point to the gem. "May I?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The combat instructor - one Agent Melinda May - shakes her head curtly, eyes flashing across the Cryo Vision. "You think any field agent got to where they are without enduring a few bruises?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm not exactly your average field agent, am I?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She pulls me to my feet and gives a good-natured smirk. "No, but leave 'em. You're young - you'll heal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I relent to her request. With a burst of magic from my Vision, I could equalize our health. Given how many hits I managed against her during that bout and others throughout the last hour and a half? May's undoubtedly better off, and healing a few bruises would be nothing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes locking on the onlookers watching the latest bout. I've attracted an audience during these sessions, though it thankfully shrinks over time. It's not every day that S.H.I.E.L.D. takes on a seventeen year old for training, but one with mysterious magic powers? I couldn't blame them for their interest, even if it makes me incredibly nervous. They've seen me knocked on my ass more times than I care to count./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is all about your fundamentals," May explains not for the first time, wiping at her face with a fresh towel before throwing me one from the rack. "Get your baseline where you want it to be. Let your tricks be-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Like a force multiplier?" I finish./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I didn't disagree with her assessment. My magic slots nicely into the S.H.I.E.L.D. playbook about the use of weapons, which can also be force-multipliers in the right circumstances. There were situations where I might be forced into a melee fight, where I might not be able to rely solely on my magic. Training in hand-to-hand, like any field agent, made sense./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nothing in my previous life could have prepared me for how physically strenuous this would be. In third grade, I took karate for a few months, but my mother was a teacher and couldn't afford to keep it going. I don't remember anything about it, honestly, besides thinking at nine years old that a "lunch punch" was a thing. Had I stuck with it, perhaps I'd have a stronger foundation for these training sessions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Incremental improvement is still improvement, but there is a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"long/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" way to go. I might have improved more today, but there's more on my mind than simply all this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Melinda May is delightfully good at this, even though I'm fairly sure that she's uncomfortable about anything magical. A good teacher regardless./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Have you considered the rest of your day?" May asks when we finally come to a stopping point./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm probably going to hole up and take a long nap," I answer, not speaking exactly honestly. I expect to be unconscious./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Using your, uh, time thing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod. "There's something so wonderful about sneaking a three hour nap to decompress while the rest of the world only experiences a few minutes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"May shakes her head. "Your life is too weird for me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Me too, but the perks are nice."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The crowd dissipates as May heads toward the exit, but not before turning around a final time. "Check your inbox later for some notes on this week's sessions. You're - well, dreadful. But I can see signs of promise."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sheepishly grin, a bead of sweat rolling down my cheek./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Following the usual paths through the innards of the base, I depart for rest at the Sanctuary. Agents, analysts, contractors and who knows who else maneuver throughout this HQ with purpose, and only occasionally do some of them pay attention to me. Each of them has an assignment, a mission, a goal - something they are planning to do soon, something they are working on now, or something they recently finished. A lot of work, form what I gather in slightly overheard conversations, involves managing the fallout and clean-up after New York, a process that may take /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"years/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to fully finalize./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have a free afternoon, with the added benefit that I could make that afternoon last much longer for me than for others. Perhaps the most useful of all the magic that I have, I can spend additional time each day resting, studying, practicing, and training than others could in the same twenty-four hours. It has its limits, though - if I leave it on too long, a lethargy grows that can only be removed when it's inactive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This would be the perfect day to do it, I've decided./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I slip into the room on the base and lock the door behind me. A simple room that is only slightly more extravagant than the one that I once held aboard the Helicarrier. What personal details I've added here, like the photographs on the corkboard above the desk or the false flowerpot on the bedside table, are only for show, so that no one catches on that I don't sleep here, but rather one unusual door further./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Key twists eagerly into my hand and affixes itself to the padlock on the wardrobe in the corner, almost pouring into it like a slimy liquid. It snaps back into a solid form as I pull the door open and slide inside the Entrance Hall once more, admiring the four great flags that represent the houses of a school that… likely exists somewhere in the multiverse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Celestial Grimoire rests in its usual place, on the desk of the Headmaster's Office. Portrait frames line the walls, while the shelves that once held baubles of great and whimsical power for one of the greatest wizards who ever lived lay empty. Outside the frosted windows rests the Cosmic Beyond, a swirling mass of colors, stars, and distant nebulas that may very well be fragmented worlds and dimensions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scattered notes lie in disarray around the open book, alongside a few other tomes that have been procured from the library downstairs. Zip-lock bags of alchemical reagents, like the tail of a horned lizard and the poison from weeping oleander, rest on one edge of the table behind the desk, readying themselves for future use. A single, simplistic silver locket I bought from a thrift store on Twenty-Ninth Avenue is the focus of my attention./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Someone clears their throat, and the Great Fairy saunters into the room from the spiral staircase, vines crawling behind him. "Logan. I expected to find you in the classrooms or in the Great Hall, not here." Matero glances toward the collected ingredients and rubs at his immaculate chin, too angular to look human. "Does that mean what I think it means?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm considering it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero's eyes widen. "Why?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not mind the question. The Great Fairy is the only conversationalist who knows the ins and outs of my powers, my /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"true/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" powers, and what they all may entail. Telling S.H.I.E.L.D. about the Grimoire would open up too many questions, too many concerns, and ultimately trusting them with knowledge of its existence would lead to so many bad outcomes. Keeping all of that bottled up is difficult, but considering that Matero can't leave the Sanctuary and is more or less inclined to listen to me as long as I feed him gold on occasion to improve equipment? Well, I may as well tell him what I know./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Battle of New York was almost an unmitigated disaster," I answer truthfully. "I may have done some good, but I could do more, and there were far too many close calls for comfort."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lives lost. Property destroyed. Alien weapons left unchecked in the world./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And… I held myself back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For what? Discomfort? Moral panic?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Power is power./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I am /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"already/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" tapping into questionable sources of power. Lyrium has connections to the Fade, something I fully expect will try to rear its ugly head at some point. Untempered Azyr could bring all flavors of Chaos into the world. I can expose someone's mind to whispers from the Void and potentially drive them insane, or throw the Voidborn onto them to rip them apart./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Why am I looking at this one any differently? I won't lose myself in those abilities. I refuse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero places a gentle hand on the shoulder, perhaps the most caring he'd ever been. He knows of this ritual and what it entails./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Will you stay here until it's done?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Fairy pulls away for a moment. "You intend to do it now?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Now is as good a time as any," I grumble. "The next alien invasion might happen tomorrow. Or a magical cataclysm. A robotic army. A multiversal war."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero scoffs. "Reality is not that ill-defended. Or chaotic. If it were, it would be more /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"fun./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, but if I do this, it can be even better defended."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero's inhuman eyes watch me for a long moment, studying my movements as I prepare the reagents. A snap of the fingers and thoughts of emptiness later, and three minions appear to begin helping as well - now with two additional pairs of purple insectoid arms and a swirling mass of an eye where their foreheads used to be. I could summon them normally, but this let's them stick around for longer and go much further than the base range limitation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Please tell me that you plan to keep your face. I would hate to see it go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why would you care?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It would be terribly difficult to find the right patterns to match bone-white. A shame, really, that's all."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I roll my eyes and steel myself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A moment later, my phone is in my hand, a familiar number still saved. I… I almost text her, writing out the message in case this goes wrong, but it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"shouldn't./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" The Celestial Grimoire has yet to lead me astray. Instead, I send a quick update to Fury through our special channel, letting him know where to find me if I don't report back soon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the minions scoops the Grimoire into its arms and takes it toward its usual hiding place among the locked, protected shelves of the library. Only need that if I'm expecting visitors. I don't particularly know how long this ritual will take - the spell indicates it may take hours, or days, or minutes to recover./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Have I told you that your little you's are terrifying?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shrug at Matero's attempt at conversation, waiting for the right moment to start channeling magicka into willpower, to brew the elixir, to forge the connection with the locket, to drink the elixir as per the spell's components and timeline. It is not difficult to remember each step - I've stared at the pages long enough that I'd remember it if my memory /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"wasn't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" nearly perfect./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magicka fills the room as it exudes from my hands, a black ichor-like pattern bathing the walls and obscuring Matero slightly from sight. Of the sources of magic I can channel, this has potential to be some of the most potent in its raw power and utility, though I have limited means to use it beyond a few simplistic tricks I learned from the library. This is by far the most powerful thing I will do with it, and the feeling of each second that passes drains me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The magicka takes shape and hangs in the chamber like an oppressive curtain, twisting and undulating of its own rotten accord. I gather the materials to brew the elixir, following each step in perfect sync to the expected outcome. I had enough for one attempt at this, so this would not be a ritual I could repeat, unless the Grimoire starts giving out more materials. Not that I'd need it personally - once I've finished this, there /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" no going back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I crush the burning eyes of a salamander. I grind the frozen horn of a narwhal. I dip the finger-bone of an ape into a jar of charged ozone. I chop the horned tail of a forked lizard using three different poison-dipped knives. Each piece, one by one, falls into a desktop cauldron made of iron, filled to the brim with rarified water. A dusting of silver, flecks that catch in the light of the Cosmic Sanctuary beyond and in the light of the magicka flowing around the room, binds the ingredients together as they melt into the hot pot. Every few seconds, magicka bubbles into the flames beneath and warms the mixture, suffusing into each piece as it carries itself to completion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The controlled magicka sweeps away any boiling gas, capturing the elements of the elixir before they can escape the bounds of the ritual site. Each time the magicka from the spell pours back into the cauldron's heat, the escaping vapors return to the elixir to begin the process again. If I had the energy to continue this forever, it could be a perpetual cycle of spellcraft. This is, of course, part of the design from the King of Worms, a powerful necromancer whom history in another world would remember as first and most powerful of liches./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"After six cycles that correspond to schools of magic, I reach for the locket and hold it in hand, dropping it into the elixir. The instant it touches the churning liquid, the jewelry siphons the black magicka in the air nearly as quickly, absorbing its power into its metal. I pull the locket from the suddenly still liquid, its churning motion ceasing as the elixir's elements charge the object./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Glancing toward Matero, the Great Fairy watches with interest as I place the amulet around my neck, keeping the small little lock closed. Part of me wonders if this is at all what it was like for Tom Riddle to create his first horcrux, the diary. Certainly this is a dark spell, but Rowling was explicit that it required murder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"did/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" murder aliens./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It was me or them. It was /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"New York/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" or them. Under the control of a Chitauri mothership or not, they were people just the same. The other Avengers were not pulling their punches either - these are not the kind of heroes who are afraid to kill when necessary. An alien army? Can't take any chances./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magicka surges within the amulet, itching across its metallic surface, its chain. It matches the quick drumming of my own heart./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chanting, the last of my magicka leaves my fingertips and draws the liquid out of the cauldron. It floats in the air for a precious second before my will draws the elixir into my waiting mouth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For only a moment, I hesitate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The liquid meets my lips and enters my throat, forcing itself into my gullet with a burning sensation I have never felt. The pain wracks every nerve, every cell that lines my esophagus, the interior of my stomach. Without even conscious thought, lyrium tattoos burn to life and my body becomes intangible to avoid the pain. It does not help - the liquid does not fall through and hit the floor. No, it too enters the Fade momentarily, the process already having come too far to end now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I force the lyrium to become inert, barely able to stay conscious enough to avoid collapsing to the ground. The locket vibrates with intensity, rattling soundlessly, as the elixir tears through my very being./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And then…/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Death./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 17/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: The Wizard/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. With it, he can absorb nearby heat into his body to cool the area around him and to create constructs of ice on his skin like armor. Additionally, he can "equalize" the life force of others nearby him, allowing him to heal the wounds on himself or another target, in exchange for exhausting the targets that are not healed. Chapter 1 = Benevolence /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 1 - Benevolence/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"= Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of multipurpose clothing that was created by imbuing it with a salamander and undine's magic power. It protects the wearer against fire and the cold along with being resistant to water and heat based attacks. It also enables the user to swim better in water and reduces water resistance and water pressure. It is also resistant to wear and tear along with it automatically cleans any dirt and filth from it. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some strange magic enshrouds your form. If you so wish it, your features shall become… distorted. Nothing truly changes, but onlookers will only be able to recall you as an extremely generic version of your race or species. They would be able to recognize you on sight, but attempting to describe you to someone else would only result in their frustration./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 21. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's plenty of dangers in the Mansus. It wouldn't do you any good trying to tackle them at anything less than your full capabilities. With this perk, you now possess the uncanny ability to lucid dream, allowing you to remain in control of your actions whether you are asleep or forced in a dreamlike state. More importantly, in this lucid state it becomes easier for you to manifest your own perks and powers inside dreams or illusions, granting you the same tools you'd have available as if you were physically there./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7: Making/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With all these mystical artifacts going around, someone had to be making them. You're a drab hand with decent skill in multiple forms of craftsmanship, from blacksmithing to weaving, but where this perk really shines is a special property you can imbue your creations with. Just about everything you make can enhance people in some way shape or form, be it increasing strength, increasing their endurance, and if you're skilled with magic you could also find a way to imbue elemental properties into equipment. There are even ways for you to boost your own mana capacity or elemental affinities, though that will take some time./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200. Obtained during Chapter 18./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This simple leather strap is meant to be worn around the chest to allow for easy access of high explosives during intense situations. It has hooks and loops to hold a dozen grenades at once and is always extremely comfortable to wear. The Bandoleer always starts each morning filled with twelve simple, but effective, fragmentation grenades made out of a canister, a lot of nails, and as much gunpowder as possible. However, it is possible to "tune" each grenade to an element by exposing the explosive to a bit of magic. Shock the device with a small amount of electricity magic and when you pull the pin it will explode with the force of a lightning storm instead of nails. You can even get creative, exposing it to the power of love will give the grenade a charming effect instead of a violent one. Experiment at your own peril, as you might not always get the effect you are expecting when you dip into more exotic elements./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Enhancement Ore (Genshin Impact) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 27. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Legend has it that this refined ingot contains the memories of battles past. It is not known how or why, but weapons are able to absorb this special ore and become stronger for it. It is even said that the weapons that benefit from these memories naturally become sentient. Whether that is true is yet to be seen, but one fact that has been proven time and again is that it does make the weapons better. You have received a dozen chunks of fine enhancement ore, as well as a steady supply of a dozen more each month./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magister Professor (Warhammer Fantasy: Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 500 CP. Obtained during Chapter 25/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You were an apprentice once, taken in by the Magisters of your Order. While they taught you much of magic, it is through your own observations that you learned the art of teaching. You now have a grasp of everything a teacher in an academic setting needs - the construction of lesson plans, the ability to command respect and attention from your students, and the use of visual aids in the classroom. If you have an Apprentice of your own, they will be more than grateful to study under your wing. For another 200 Aethyric Humors in addition to the base price, you may notice a strange thing happening. Should you take someone under your wing who is neither of this world nor in possession of native aptitude for magic, your Wind might blow upon them so that they can learn more properly from you. Use this provision for the continued advancement of the magical arts wisely. Should you fail to impart upon your student the importance of controlling that power, you will have only yourself to blame./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bibliovore (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore: Cost 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 26/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's so much knowledge out there, and so little time. With this perk you have the innate ability to instantly memorize the contents from text and other visual media with just a touch. This ability can be used on any kind of visual medium, from engravings on ancient pottery, to diagrams in crumbling parchments, to blurry text in waterlogged codices, or even books written in a language you don't speak. The actual understanding of these contents is an entirely different matter, but you'll figure it out with time. This ability can be toggled on and off at will, so that you are not burdened with unwanted knowledge./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 18. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the most useful tools in a Witcher's arsenal is the bastardized form of magic known as Signs. These simple spells can be used with one hand and require little knowledge about magical theory to use. There are a variety of Signs with various powers and you know all of them, though you start out with only a basic level of skill with them. With practise you may be able to improve their power and duration. If you also understand how to utilize magical spells you may become able to alter these spells into new signs, though they retain their relative simplicity and cost./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 20. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The foul empty magic granted to those that gaze upon the Void and are consumed. This hideous power works by creating portals to the void and unleashing what lies within. Pull out raw negative energy to poison your foes, or small void monsters to devour them. With practice you will even be able to bring forth nightmares to infect your enemy's minds./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 22. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Time seems to fly whenever you're having fun doesn't it? One moment it seems like you just started, and the next it's already over. To be honest, it seems that the older you get - or rather, the more experienced you get - the quicker everything seems to move along. For a brief period of time, you can accelerate any actions you are performing, whether it is casting a spell, or just reading a book. This extends to even group activities as well, affecting all of your allies involved./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The following are new perks from this one./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Enhancement Ore (Genshin Impact) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 27. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Legend has it that this refined ingot contains the memories of battles past. It is not known how or why, but weapons are able to absorb this special ore and become stronger for it. It is even said that the weapons that benefit from these memories naturally become sentient. Whether that is true is yet to be seen, but one fact that has been proven time and again is that it does make the weapons better. You have received a dozen chunks of fine enhancement ore, as well as a steady supply of a dozen more each month./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Jan 23, 2023 /span/p
p class="19"strongspan style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"By: Hmmaster/span/strong/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Caught in the grip of a deal with a tricky fey spirit, a normal teenager from our world must put on the performance of a lifetime, to take on the role of a hero./span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan must fight to keep the Celestial Grimoire from every god, alien, and villain he encounters, for if something like this falls into the wrong hands, it could spell doom for every multiverse./span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Status: ongoing/span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Published: 2021-12-29/span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Updated: 2023-01-23/span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Words: 137522/span/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapters: 28/span/p
p class="24"span class="15" style="font-family: Cambria;"Original source: /spana href=" threads/985633"uspan style="font-family: Cambria; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" threads/985633/span/u/au/u/p
p class="21"span style="font-family: Cambria; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Exported with the assistance of /spana href=" /"uspan class="16" style="font-family: Cambria; color: #0000ff;" /span/u/a/p
p class="25" style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_nav_xhtml"/aspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Ascension [MCU / Celestial Grimoire]/span/strong/h2
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_introduction_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Introduction/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_1_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Prologue/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_2_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 1/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_3_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 2/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_4_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 3/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_5_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 4/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_6_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 5/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_7_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 6/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_8_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_9_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 8/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_10_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 9/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_11_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 10/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_12_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 11/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_13_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 12/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_14_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 13/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_15_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 14/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_16_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 15/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_17_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 16/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_18_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 17/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_19_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 18/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_20_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 19/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_21_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 20/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_22_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 21/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_23_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 22/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_24_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 23/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_25_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 24/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_26_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 25/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_27_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 26/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="26"a href="file:/C:/Users/Kaviyarasan/Downloads/doc%20files/Ascension_MCU_Celestial_Grimoire_by_ #Top_of_chap_28_xhtml"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 27/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanu/u/p
p class="25"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_1_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Prologue/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thunder shakes the chamber's walls, threatening to topple one of the old-fashioned light fixtures. The raging weather is audible even over the sound of the orchestra's attempt to crescendo into the next scene, distracting many from enjoying the moment. The crowd tenses in reaction to the storm's sudden impact, and I cannot help but latch onto the armrests./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not like storms, especially ones that have /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"thunder-snow/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm surprised they didn't cancel the show," I mutter to my right, thankful that I have an aisle seat to my left. "I should have stayed at the hotel."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can they not turn up the heat?" my aunt whispers next to me, her arms clenched over her chest as she shivers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Woman, can you please stop for once?" her husband Dave asks too loudly next to her, earning a look of indignation from the elderly couple in front of us. "The insulation in these old buildings could use some work."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hushes him with a forceful glare, showing that fiery spirit that I love so much about aunt Sandra. She tries to return her attention to the stage, but whatever immersion I had in the play is lost./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Leg shaking with boredom and nerves, the air feels like it's getting colder by the minute. The balcony seats are too damn small for someone who isn't a petite elderly woman, and it takes focus to blot out the literal pain in my ass to hear the actors put on what I'm sure is the performance of a lifetime. The lauded wedding preparations of two famous ancient Greek figures continues unabated, despite the terrible storm raging around the theatre./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The rest of the audience seems to be enjoying the experience, but I just cannot wait for a moment so I can slip the fuck out of here. I enjoyed the first half-hour, I truly did, but this is starting to feel like torture! It's not even the play at this point, but that too has become a bit boring. I've seen this in so many iterations before. Anime, books, movies…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The movie's better. Stanley Tucci's awesome. Hell-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan!" Sandra admonishes next to me, while Dave chuckles beside her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Suite Life /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"episode was better."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is Broadway! You should be grateful for the experience!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She has a point, and I have enough respect for the arts to let my annoyance slide. At least in this moment. Pulling off my glasses long enough to clean them with the too-white button-down shirt that the trip forced us to wear, I almost miss the scene transition./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can't believe you'd say that…" my aunt mumbles under her breath. Her dark eyes alight with the entrance of the four lovers once more, a confusing mix of actors standing amidst the paper Mache trees. It's rather elaborate for a stage production, and I have to wonder if they have different styles for the forest scenery based on the season. Branches barren of any leaves, amid the darkest part of winter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A chill runs down my arms, almost like a light breeze caressing my skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I dig the effects," Dave mutters. "That really does look like a donkey."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The actor on stage bumbles around like a fool, the head of an ass strapped to his neck. Some in the audience laugh, somehow, as though this joke has not been told thousands of times before. Another rumble of thunder throws off the acoustics in the room, and someone in the orchestra skips a note from surprise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The only thing this play's missing is a little bit of modern," I explain with a conspiratorial smile, trying to ignore the pit in my stomach at the sound of the storm. "The four lovers are /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"not /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"in a complicated enough net. It'd be so much spicier if it were gayer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imagining Lysander bumbling his way into a foursome nearly brings a tear to my eye./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That I can agree with," Sandra says with a giggle, though she doesn't look away from the stage, captivated by the actors' rhythmic pattern of speech./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It really puts the bottom in Bottom…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shushes me with a blush rising to her cheeks, before she pulls her jacket ever closer. Her eyes alight with wonder at the show./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I really cannot focus on it like she can./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few of my classmates were lucky enough to sit together rather than with their accompanying chaperones, and occasionally I can hear them whispering in reaction to the play. I doubt a significant chunk of them truly care about the play at all, but I can't say that I don't relate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A jock group sits two rows down from me, their exuberance noticeable even with their relative silence in the theatre. I think they'd rather be anywhere than here, because I heard them talking animatedly about their hotel afterparty with "all the chicks" while we were in line to get into the auditorium. I have to hope their room is nowhere near mine, because I cannot handle my aunt and uncle getting pissy. They'd never think to invite me anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One girl I barely know from my Trigonometry class - Makayla, I think? - brings out her phone and ruins the whole darkened theatre. A few groans from the adults taking this thing way more seriously is all it takes for her to shut the damn thing off. Teenagers are stupid, and it takes one to know one!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The familiar music cue draws my attention, despite the sound of the thunder. Before I can shift to catch the only reason to be excited for this play at all, I feel someone tap on my shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Please, come with me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up to see an incredibly attractive usher looming over me. Tight red vest, dark sleeves that fit in all the right places, long legs with well-shined shoes. His facial hair is tidy, perfectly enveloping his lips. If he notices me looking him up and down, he's kind enough to not say anything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd never be this bold back in my hometown, but the confidence of being on a trip thousands of miles away in a far more liberal city? It's a nice feeling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Is something wrong?" I whisper, looking toward my aunt for assistance. Both Sandra and Dave wave me off, unconcerned by the usher./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Come with me, sir."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The college-aged man offers a hand to help me up out of my seat and then gestures for me to head up the stairs to the back of the auditorium quietly. As soon as we pass through the double doors, it's evident just how terrible the storm outside truly is. Snow and ice coat the outside streets, ruining any ability to discern details about the streets beyond. Lightning flashes outside, flickering the entire room with odd light, and the resulting thunderous boom reverberates the glass-framed doors./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Excuse me, but this is really weird. And the storm looks bad." The air is even more frigid in here than it is in the auditorium. "I should get back to the sho-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Two more ushers join him, though the others do not remotely hold a candle to Mr. Tall, Blonde, and Handsome. He shines with perfect teeth, a benefit that must truly help in a job like this where you must work with the public. Must be nice to be conventionally attractive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I apologize for the inconvenience, Logan." The mention of my name from a complete stranger throws me for a loop. "But your teacher, Ms. Clarkson, has arranged for a select few students to meet with the cast, during intermission. You are one of those students!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes nearly bulge out of my head. "Uh… what?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something like that would be absurdly expensive. Way more than my tiny southern high school could afford. How and why?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan, if you'll make your way through those doors," the hot usher points toward the end of the hallway where a female usher waits with a smile on her face, hands clasped in front of her, "the crew will get you set up for your meeting. Trust me, you/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" don't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" want to miss it!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink, shock still forcing me silent. The wind batters against the glass doors leading out into the busy New York streets. The music of the play changes as the scene transitions once more, one step closer to the beginning of intermission./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uhh," stalling, I clear my throat. "Who else from my group will be there?" It feels out of character that my English teacher would favor one student over another - she's usually fair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, a handful. They'll be arriving shortly. Our team is on top of it!" The usher places a warm hand on my shoulder as he beckons me toward the end of the hallway. "Your reservation can be given to another student, Logan, but you'll never get a chance again. Seize it!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Slowly, a grin forms on my face. He's right - as much as I was disliking the show earlier, it was far more for the theatre's amenities than it was for the show itself. These seats are dreadfully small. And yeah, the play has been done to death, but getting to see a few famous Broadway actors? That feels much cooler!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The female usher - a redhead truly covered with freckles - opens the door with a tight smile and beckons for me to head into a hallway that the public likely does not see. It's darker than the rest of the lobby, but no warmer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Is the heat busted?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The usher does not answer immediately, a forced smile coming across her face. "Oh, yes, but a solution is on its way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Shouldn't they cancel the show for the night? Let people get home before the storm gets worse?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No sir, the company is very proud to have never had to cancel a show, barring some pretty clear global issues."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't think I've ever been in a winter thunderstorm before, but this feels like an ongoing danger. Or maybe my Southern senses are just wrong about what constitutes a threat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She passes through another set of double doors, stopping just inside. "This is as far as/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" I /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"go. Keep moving straight then down the stairs, and the crew will be expecting you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The interior as I press on a bit more nervously without an escort continues to get bleaker, more empty. A rack of costumes lay abandoned in a hallway, just outside a room marked for storage. A partially open dressing room reveals no one, though it looks like it'll be used any minute now from the state of it. Make-up still lies opened, the room smelling of the stuff./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where's… the crew? Ms. Clarkson? I pull out my phone to shoot a quick message, but the battery is dead. Why is the battery dead? I swear I charged it!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of stairs beckons me downward, and the sounds of the play get louder. A breeze thickens, and my glasses fog with the rapid change in temperature. Hair stands on end, and I pull my suit jacket closer around my form./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Descending the stairs finally reveals the stage decorations, makeshift trees and bushes shoved close together to make room. This area must be directly backstage, because the orchestra and the projected voices of the actors could not be louder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But there's no crew member waiting for me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What kind of Broadway play doesn't have four stage managers running around everywhere? Where're the sound techs to make sure the mics are working? The actors waiting in the wings for their entrance into the next scene?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The more I walk and explore, the colder the area becomes. Fake snow builds up in little piles beneath trees, like cotton pillow stuffing in little swirls… Wait… no, that's real snow. The wind blows, and there's gotta be an open window or something back here. Maybe even a open hole in the wall, letting the storm inside the auditorium, because none of this makes /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"any/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" sense./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Even the trees look to be… real?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What roots that poke up from the snow banks seem to extend into the ground of the stage, which feels less like wood and more like solid earth the more I step. The humidity changes, and with it, the scents of a forest ensnare my senses. The tree branches in reach/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" feel /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"real too, like they used bark to decorate this instead of some other material./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I've been drugged./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The usher must have done something. Maybe he hit me with a needle when he took my hand, and I didn't notice? My fingers shiver as I check my palms, but there's no sign of any blood. Whirling around to make my way back, and I only see more trees, more of this false forest stretching behind me. The wind flurries, bringing with it fresh snow to almost burn against my cheek./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Every inclination to be quiet backstage fades, and I cup my hands over my mouth, ignoring the fact that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"my breath is visible!/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" for a moment. "Help! Anyone?!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I rush forward through the trees, listening with surprise at the real crunch of snow beneath my shoes. The ice bites at my face, stings at my eyes, and I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"really /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"wish I had worn that scarf that Dave offered me. I don't know where I am going, but I am hopefully getting closer to the exit./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Someone clears their throat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My head snaps toward the sound, where a young /spana href=" . "uspan class="16" style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff;"boy/span/u/aspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" of about eleven in a greenish tunic perches in the branches of a dead oak. With auburn hair cut short and nearly the same shade as his rosy cheeks, he lounges lazily. Damaged leaves rest in his hair, but a pair of horns rest on his forehead. The tip of his nose has a bit of frozen snot, but he doesn't make any effort to get rid of it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello," a singsong voice declares./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, hello," I say with a bit of relief. Someone else must know what is happening, weird costume be damned. "Are you one of the actors?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy turns his head slightly, revealing /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"pointed ears. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I have played many roles, so you could say that." His accent is clearly English, but there's a lilt to it that does not quite compute. "I have worn many a hat."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right, okay. So, could you tell me what the hell is happening? Because I really am at a loss here. It's like this building's holding some kind of botanical garden, which doesn't make sense on so /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"many /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"levels." I'm grasping at straws for any errant explanation that can make this make sense./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy giggles. "Lost you are, 'tis plain to see."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, I guess, but this building's not that big. I've been walking for minutes back here, all to meet the cast of a play that I don't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Perhaps you're focused on the wrong things," he says, leaning forward. He shakes some of the snow away from the shoulders of his tunic, a look of disgust on his face. "After all, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"you're/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" facing a death so icy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shiver far more at his words, his tone than at the biting wind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What… ," panic clouds my mind, and I whirl around so fast that I nearly stumble into the inches of snow beneath my feet, "the fuck?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A dire problem you face," the boy says, showing no signs of frostbite despite the thin layer of clothing he wears. "Has someone dosed you without a trace?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod nervously, fervently, feeling my fingers begin to go numb. "Yes! Maybe I ate something weird, or maybe it's a dream-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy giggles again, though not with a single bit of mirth. Eyes darken and cheekbones sharpen. "A little dream to meet your end. Will you break or will you bend? Devour your soul the ice intends."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wait! "I don't want to die… !"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Over the endless howl of snow in the air as the blizzard deepens, the crashing of a distant tree hitting the forest floor takes his attention. A frown fills the boy's lively face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is too much for a dream, too much for a nightmare. I fall to my knees./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Now, now," he says with a smile. "Do not give in. There be plenty more to begin."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can barely feel my flesh. What's the point? Not a single bit of this is real - it cannot be real. Just costumes and a bad heater. A bad trip - maybe those jocks did it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can get you out of here. Away from the snow, you'll disappear."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes snap up to see his cherubic face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He pauses to consider the storm for a moment, watching the ice sting at my skin and seeming to admire how it clings to his too-thin fingers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's something I want in return. About the worlds I will learn."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What choice do I have but to listen to this rhyming kid? Maybe he's got some shelter, or even a campfire back there somewhere. Can sit in the warmth for long enough that help comes, that one of the crew finds me. Ms. Clarkson and the rest of the students, they'll find me. Sandra, Dave - they'll come for me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, sure," I bark./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His smirk deepens. "Something about you caused all this." He collects some snow from a tree branch and tosses it into the air. "You spread ice like a frigid abyss."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What are you talking about?" I force out through chittering teeth. "You think I did this? What the hell?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""'Tis a mystery to me as well. If I knew, there'd be no story to tell."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"More trees begin to fall in the distance, and the boy groans loudly. He leaps from the tree branch to land softly, gracefully, next to me. He stands atop the snow, somehow, and twists his hand in a circle. A flash of jade light, and something heavy lands in his grip: a frayed leather-bound book./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot - this cannot be happening./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voice seems to emanate from everywhere at once, not from the position of the boy in front of me. That name on his tongue sounds dreadful, like a cat mewling in excitement over its prey. My stomach lurches in fear, but I do not have the energy to run. I would fall all over the ground just trying to stand, for my legs are far too numb./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Take the book from my hands; be whisked away from these lands."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He bends down to place it in front of my eyes, closely in reach. The front of the tome is bare except for a deep purple hue, with imperfections in the leather from many, many, many years of use. It is difficult to take my eyes off of it: whatever it is, it almost feels more real than anything else. Like it has more substance, more weight than the environment around it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Gingerly, my grip closes around the book./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy giggles with glee./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something hard falls from between the book's pages. A blue crystal crashes into the snow, exuding its own frosty-layer of light. /spana href=" . "uspan class="16" style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff;"A symbol of a six-pointed snowflake/span/u/aspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" drifts across its form, almost shifting in its strange glow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The crystal draws me in, and I place it squarely in my palm. A vibrant rush floods through me, and for a moment, the world feels warmer. No, that's not right - the lack of heat stops bothering me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do you know what that is?" the boy asks, eyes fixated on the crystal clutched in my hand. An intense, alien curiosity spreads across his face. For just a second, he looks exactly like a little boy seeing the world for the first time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My extremities leave the snow-covered forest first, a terrifying feeling that slowly washes up my entire being. Clutching the ancient book and the crystal closer to my chest, all sensation ceases as reality fades from being./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Perks /span/p
p class="29"a href=" /a/VDDwF"uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Warehouse/span/u/au/u/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"1 - Electricity (10)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"2 - Plumbing (10)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"3 - Heat / AC (10)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"4 - Local Network (30)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"5 - Shelving (0)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"6 - Terminal (10)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"7 - Robots (20)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"8 - Housing (20)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"9 - Food Supply (10)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10 - Free Space (30)/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I've been on a deep dive into a couple of these stories using the usual Celestial Forge rules. I found out about the Celestial Grimoire rules and decided that I had to try it out, because magic is kickass./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'll be using the 2000 words = 100 CP rule and will roll randomly to choose. If I roll it, I buy it if I have enough CP. The SI will receive their rewards when next they sleep. Generally, I will be treating the perks fairly conservatively, but there may be exceptions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Speaking of rewards, there is in fact a perk unlocked outside of the free Cosmic Warehouse based on the word count from this chapter, but you'll find out what it is next chapter, once the ol' MCU rolls around./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As for the ice crystal, some of you will undoubtedly recognize it. This is an additional boon I gave the SI, to give him some quicker utility./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Dec 29, 2021 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_2_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 1/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The warbling, twisting, wrenching feeling ends as abruptly as it began. Reality reorients as my senses return, and the overload is almost enough to make me faint. The only reason I don't? The vomit that spreads across the park bench. The leftover remains of Joe's famous New York pizza./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Alarm forces me to my feet - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oh, God, that was too fast /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"- when I realize that a near forest still envelops me. A few differences slowly make the panic go away, as I take a few seconds to adjust. No signs of snow, and more signs of spring. The breeze is chilly but not frigid, and the trees are beginning to bloom with new growth. Where did the last few months go?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A paved path sits beneath my feet, and that really is a wooden park bench containing my vomit. The chorus in the distance is not of birds and squirrels, but rather a discordant symphony of car alarms and car horns. On the edge of my sight, just past the trees on all sides, are the massive walls of skyscrapers on all sides./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How did I get to Central Park? In the spring?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How did that boy do any /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"of that?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The book clatters to the pavement, and it's a wonder of craftsmanship that no pages go flying. The azure gemstone stays in my palm, thankfully, but I'm starting to rapidly wonder why I'm trusting any of this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A breeze carries the voices of lovely afternoon jogs, barking dogs as they play, the excited cheers of Ultimate Frisbee. Distantly, a police siren howls to life, its strange echo reaching even hear, deep in the park. A tour guide leads her troupe past me, and only a couple of her charges bother to look in my direction as I scramble to pick up the too-large book./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As they pass, I clear my throat and try to collect my thoughts. I overhear a woman whisper into a man's ear: "Wouldn't it be nice if we could get Johnathan to read like that?" His reply trails off before I can hear it, but I take a long look at the big purple book. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Thank you, random lady, for the assist./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There are probably hundreds of pages, and this crystal was lodged inside it only moments ago. Whatever this book is, the boy wants me to have it. Somehow, holding onto this was doing him a favor, and a terrible feeling wells in my stomach./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What else was I supposed to do, conscience?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There were two options, as far as I could see them: take the book or die. Maybe a third option was there, somewhere, but try thinking while you're freezing to death./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take a seat, head in my hands, the book and the gem discarded for a few moments./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Mom always said to make a list. When you're in a stressful situation that involves a complex problem, make a to-do list and try the worst first, to get it out of the way. Other problems will come and go, but they won't be quite as bad because you took care of the one you dread the most./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"So, firstly, the book is the worst part of this. The inside has got to have answers, and while pilfering through a book this large is a time-consuming task, I'm almost certain I can find something to ease my worries. And yet, that elf boy practically dangled it in front of me. Nothing about that is trustworthy, Legolas be damned./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Despite any real reason that I can perceive, the gemstone does not have the same uncertainty as the book in my head. Something about it feels… normal, for lack of a better word. Familiar. Like it belongs. Somehow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Secondly, I should really check the theatre. A glance at my wallet reveals that I have aboouuut forty-five dollars and some change, so getting to it on the subway should not be difficult. My phone is dead, so I can't call my aunt or anyone else from the school trip to let them know where I am, or that I'm coming./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"God, did someone else on the trip go through what I just did? Were those ushers legit about Ms. Clarkson's offer for a cast meeting? Thankfully, none of my closer friends were on this trip, but it's still difficult to not grow fond of people you've known since you were five years old./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thirdly, the freak weather. Did the season change or can there be days this warm in the middle of winter in New York City? That doesn't explain the trees, so… /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Was I in a coma?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"To avoid thinking, to avoid getting locked in a cycle of negative thoughts, I gather my things and start walking to the subway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sorry, Mom, but I cannot follow your advice this time./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The train ride to the theatre was thankfully just short enough that I was not tempted to pull out the book on the way. Not that I could have read anyway - it was too packed with people to get the massive book out. They had no idea how rude they truly were, caring not one iota for the sixteen year old kid traveling alone and going through an existential crisis./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One lady was especially awful, showing off the classic New York attitude toward strangers. She refused to give me her phone when I asked to borrow it, looked me up and down, and then said, "Screw off." The negativity surprised me enough that I didn't bother asking anyone else for the rest of the trip./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Emerging onto the street, I take a deep breath of cleaner air. The theatre is only a block away, but throughout the short walk, it becomes increasingly difficult to focus, much less to breathe. A nervous energy fills my heart, a faint bit of hope reflecting in my thoughts. Sandra and Dave will know what to do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I round the corner onto Broadway, a street packed to the brim with people. Some are waiting in line for the shows that will begin in an hour or two, while others are merely stopping to take pictures of the famous theatres, billboard ads, or both. Times Square is only a few hundred feet away, which I imagine is even worse to walk by foot. The tourists disrupt the human foot traffic every time, forcing busier locals to break from their flow or risk losing the grip on their bags or bumping into others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The theatre comes into view, and my heart sinks. The marquis displays a different title: /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Camelot. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I didn't even know there /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"was/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a play about this, but it does not surprise me. Arthur has been told and retold almost as much as any of Shakespeare's plays, in as many mediums./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Excuse me?" I say as I push myself to the front of the line./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, watch it!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Get in the back and wait your turn!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I look at the disgruntled couple in front of the ticket window. "I'm sorry, but I need to ask a questio-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We don't care!" the woman shouts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Caitlyn, he's just a kid…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take a step back and look toward the line, knowing that it'll be probably twenty or more minutes just to get to the front. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to buy a ticket, I just need to ask a question to the nice lady right there." The nice lady in question is an elderly obese woman wearing the vest of an usher, standing in the box office. Her frown is incredible. "It won't be but a second, I promise."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't give them time to argue, slowly encroaching on the box office window. "Ma'am, I thought you all were performing /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Midsummer Night's Dream/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clerk frown deepens. "We are not. To my knowledge, we have not."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Collecting my thoughts about/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" that/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" revelation, I gesture to the marquis. "But I thought… wait, what day is it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This will answer if I have any missing time. The thought that I might have woken up from a coma or something is terrifying, though how I managed that in the middle of Central Park is its own concern./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She looks at me like I sprouted a second head. "Son, do I need to call someone?" I shake my head initially, more at the confusion than the actual suggestion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, a nuthouse," the man in the front of the line groans. "You've had your fun, kid, now scram."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, I-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you're not looking to purchase a ticket," the box office teller says after a moment, "then I'm going to have to ask you to leave."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I step back, annoyed that I didn't get the answers I wanted. The lady switches on her customer service attitude, and she can sound quite pleasant when she is not threatening to call security./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Are a Sandra and Dave McCutcheon around?" I ask again after a moment, though the lady does not initially answer. "She," my voice breaks, "they wouldn't have left until I got back."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man still waiting for a ticket grips my shoulder roughly. "Kid, you need to move."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I try to spin out of his grasp, which is not difficult - it was a threat, not a serious attempt to hold me. "I just need answers! Nothing is making any sense." Desperate, I turn to the ticket booth again. "Can you call someone for me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man starts to argue, but his probable wife seems to have a concerned look in her eye. "Sure, just give me a sec."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The box office lady sighs audibly, and/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" already /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"the rest of the line is starting to riot./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Caitlyn, you don't need to-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes, I do." She pulls out her phone. "What's the number?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man - Mark, I think - tries to settle down the crowd behind him, though his scowl makes it difficult to convince anyone. Caitlyn types the number as I give it, thankful that I remember their numbers well enough. Carefully and gingerly, the blonde woman offers the phone as it rings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My foot taps, my body sways back and forth, until finally, an unfamiliar masculine voice answers, "Hello?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh… are Dave or Sandra McCutcheon around?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man on the other end snorts. "You've got the wrong number." The line disconnects. I stare at the numbers, certain that this is the right one. Flipping to the date display before I hand the phone back, and I gasp./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The twenty-sixth of March in the year 2012./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Almost two full years have passed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hands white as a ghost and shaking, I start to hand the phone back to the woman, before remembering something. Dialing my mother's number yields a similar result, only this time the number is not in service./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I… think I need to sit down."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She takes the phone from my grasp, but her eyes study my face. Mark pulls at her shoulder to beckon her to move, but she resists for all but a few seconds. Turning on her heel, she follows her husband into the theatre, allowing the line to move forward./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I walk away. Directionless. Confused. Scared./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Numbly, I follow the pedestrian lights, walking alongside a crowd of lucky tourists and disgruntled locals as they cross the street. They don't have to walk around with these thoughts running around in their head, questioning everything they believe and feeling utterly and totally alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Why would they have changed their numbers?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Do they not want me to find them?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Spotting a small café after walking for who knows how long, I push through the door and find the nearest available seat, planting the book and the crystal firmly on the table in front of me. My head droops into my arms. Tears freely flow./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In my dreams, a dark winter spreads across an quaint forest. Ice coats the leaves so heavily that they shatter on the forest floor, becoming nothing more than nature's detritus. Snow blows in thick sheets, obscuring most details and wiping away evidence of autumn. Small forest critters die in droves from frostbite, hypothermia, or become little frozen statues buried under the snow. The sounds of a natural wood die to the encroaching winter./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In the midst of the forest rests a lithe, youthful figure. Green wings unfurl from his back with magic, glowing with particles of light that are then carried into the blizzard. He pushes his hands together, stretching out his limbs, and then allows his wings to take him into the storm. The roaring winds overtake his solemn words: "All right, kid. You play keep away. I'm hiding from the seeker."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not know how long I slept there, in that position, but someone carefully nudges my arm. "Hey, are you all right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A twenty-something blonde with a kind smile leans over me, her nametag reading Beth. She offers me a tissue./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""My manager told me to come over. Said you hadn't paid, so you couldn't stay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull the tissue from her hand and wipe my tired eyes, barely listening as I face yet another unkindness today./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do you…" she pauses. "Never mind. Stay right there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She returns to the distant front counter, and I blink, aware for the first time that the sun has set./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A moment later, a cup of iced coffee drizzled in syrup slides onto the table. "You seem like a caramel kind of guy." Beth, the waitress, returns with a smile. "Have you eaten a meal yet?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I couldn't take it, I didn-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She waves me off. "Don't worry about it. On me. I recommend the barbecue chicken sandwich plate. We might not be a true barbecue place, but our sauce is to/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" die/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" for!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, sure. And a coke?" It feels dirty allowing this woman to offer so much to a stranger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Coming right up. Whatcha reading?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I stare down at the purple leather-bound tome, surprised at the banality of the question. "Oh, that, it's uh… for a project."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, you should probably get started on it then," Beth says with a smile. "I don't know what you're going through, and it's not my place to butt in. But I have found that working on something sometimes can take my mind off of it." She doesn't give me time to respond, returning to her duties./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking a sip from the coffee, I finally open the book. The first page with writing I can read appears to be a poem. Addressed to me. A message from the boy./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grimoire Message /span/p
p class="31"span class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;"[img: /spana href=" . "uspan style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7/span/u/aspan class="15" style="font-family: Verdana;"]/spanu/u/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Puck!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Shakespearean fairy who set everything in that play into motion. A Celtic trickster spirit. Someone who should not be real - no offense intended to the ancient Celts. Magic, elves, fairies! None of it could be real./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This all has to be a joke. Yep. Or a dream. Anything but a magic fairy taking away two years of my life. He wants me to get ready to fight. Fight who?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Intrigued at the intricacy of the longest nightmare ever or the greatest practical joke ever told, I turn the page of the book, ignoring the frequency of purplish runes arranged into shapes that I cannot read. Are they Celtic, like Puck? Or in another language?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The longer I stare at the symbols, the more clear they appear to be. Blinking, the symbols shift into familiar English script before my very eyes, like pouring water onto a watercolor painting and then trying to piece together the details. I bite down on my lip hard, trying to prove that it's just a dream, but it just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"hurts. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Paragraph upon paragraph in the next few pages describes a space - no, a chamber - that can provide for the needs of the owner of the book. Food, water, shelter - any where and at any time, even boasting of modern amenities like wifi. The purpose, beyond a place to live, is to be a place to work, to perform research, to build, and to create. All one needs to do is to place the Key into the doorknob of any door, one that it says in fine print will work only for the owner of the Celestial Grimoire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A grimoire…? I remember!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of my favorite shows growing up was /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Charmed/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;". Mom and I used to watch reruns religiously, though I realize now that it was more for me than it was for her. She was just so excited that I was excited. In /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Charmed/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", a grimoire is a witch's book of spells, like the Book of Shadows. A tool they used to craft potions and to write spells, all to protect San Francisco from a bunch of evil creatures./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This book, this Celestial Grimoire, is a spell book./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I read on to the apparent end of this section, drinking the last sips of my iced coffee with fervor. Thank you, Beth, for the distraction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""To create the Key to the Cosmic Sanctuary, the owner must spill a drop of their own blood into the runic array below. Arcane forces from the Cosmic Beyond will shape the essence of life within the blood into a Key, attuned to the soul of the owner."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ah, damn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Blood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That is never a good sign, not when magic in fiction is involved. The two Dragon Age games are some of my favorite games of all time and heavily feature the drawbacks of their version of blood magic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, I/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" really /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"want to test it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pulling my pocket knife from my pocket and making sure no one's watching, I carefully prick my finger beneath the table./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Shit!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"God, that stings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Carefully, I place the end of my index finger into the center of the runic circle, trying to look casual. Doing this in public is… not smart, but fuck it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The center of the page bends slightly, the paper almost seeming to swirl like a whirlpool. Crimson blood spreads along its winding paths, while the center becomes like a darkened abyss. Something bulges upward, like a finger trying to force its way through a piece of paper. A second passes, and then it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"rips/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" into reality with a sound I can only describe as a faint/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" hiss./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A blood-red skeleton key rests in the center of the runic circle, and the parchment behind it looks like the spell never happened. Not even a bloodstain left behind. The key looks almost faintly wet with blood./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wow./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A book of spells. A real one./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I just performed a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"spell. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Key sits where it sits, and yet, I can feel it. On some metaphysical level, I understand that this Key is mine, created from part of Me. It is an extension of myself, my being, and it takes little effort to recognize its presence./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How cool is that!?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have to test it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Standing up and carefully picking up all my things, even the empty cup of iced coffee, I head toward the nearest bathroom door. The Key in my grip pulses, wanting to be used, and my level of excitement grows as well./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The men's bathroom on the first floor of this café is a dummy bathroom, a method to protect against homeless people. The bathroom is real, of course, but what makes it a dummy bathroom is the coin slot that supposedly charges you $1.25 to use the bathroom. The real bathrooms are on the upper floor, and if you're determined enough, it's not like anyone is stopping a homeless person from using it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All I need is a second to confirm. To confirm if this thing does what it says that it does. It has a fully stocked kitchen at all times! Even the idea that I might never have to pay for food again is quite worth it. It might give me a reason to actually learn to cook./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Key twists with anticipation, moving almost like a thing, as it approaches the lock on the door. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Something /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"happens that is hard to comprehend. But the skeleton key that definitely would not have unlocked this door has succeeded. I push the door open a crack and then grin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Just beyond the door is /spana href=" . ?width=1024s=ea0542e45603bd15098154334aa688e47f5e2b9a"uspan class="16" style="font-family: Verdana; color: #0000ff;"the spitting image of the entrance hall to Hogwarts/span/u/aspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;". An elaborate seal with four crests decorates the space between two rising staircases, while lanterns and braziers of fire grant the place light. Each of the four House animals are depicted in the seal: the lion, the snake, the eagle, and the badger. Even with a glance, I can tell this place has been twisted exactly to my liking. I cannot wait to see the Great Hall!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"So long as this door remains open and the Key remains in the lock, the Hogwarts castle - or at least, part of it - is mine. I don't have the luxury or the time to explore the place, though, as I'm still in a public café. Closing the door just as quickly as I opened it, I pull the Key from the lock and place it in my pocket, excited to test it later. The Great Hall, the common rooms, the bathrooms, the classrooms? All could be possible within my own pocket dimension./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I return to the table, where a barbecue chicken sandwich plate is waiting for me. I wave at Beth, and she smiles back at me. Taking a moment to chow down on delicious food, I re-open the Grimoire, turning to a new section to see what else this longest-dream-in-human-history can cook up. The longer it goes, the more vivid it becomes, the more likely I am to believe that it is real, and damn if this is not hard to believe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But there's nothing on the next page. The page after that is entitled, "Chapter One - Benevolence," but there are no contents to that chapter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In fact, as I flip through the ancient tome, pages upon pages are blank. Empty. Devoid of detail, beyond the fading parchment that composes it. What good is this thing if it doesn't have more? There are twelve chapters in all, with chapters for destruction, illusion, modus, source, among others, but only two of them catch my attention./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Two sections, however, contain information: Chapter Four - Making and Chapter Nine - Transformation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The piece in Chapter Four is a detailed ritual of how to split your soul into smaller, independent fragments that can do your bidding. These "minions" are magical in nature and have the ability to "channel their natural arcane essence into offensive bolts of energy" should the need require. Whichever wizard composed this section claims they are weaker than the caster, so any attacks they do create lack "true power," whatever that means. But they are "more than capable of serving the caster's needs in ethereal research, in implementation of rituals, and the enchanting of artifacts."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"So, they're shadow clones, or close enough. A big difference is that they can't move much more than 30 feet away without disappearing. On the other hand, the ritual involved only has to be completed once, and then you can indefinitely create more with a thought and a snap of your fingers. A cubic inch of your body to sacrifice, though, is a hefty amount and far different than the blood I used for the Sanctuary. Could hair or even more blood count?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The second is a ritual that, upon completion, turns me into something else entirely. Something that every DD wizard aficionado has wanted their DM to allow them to do: become a lich. I could exist indefinitely and be immune to most weapons, and I could even look like myself rather than a skeleton./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Unlike the Minion Magic ritual, the one for lichdom requires some significant arcane materials that look like they'd be hard to come by, if I even /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"wanted/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to attempt it. Living forever is a dream, but having to transfer the life forces of others into my corpse in order to start living indefinitely wouldn't be worth it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot imagine being so desperate, no matter what fight Puck intends for me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The rest of the book is empty. So many wasted pages./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hmm. Unless…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Could there be more, just hidden from me somehow? There wouldn't be twelve chapters, but nothing in them. There's gotta be more./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Someone clears their throat nearby, and I glance up to see Beth. "Hey. Thanks for the iced coffee and the food." The Grimoire sits on an empty page, and she looks at it with interest before returning to meet my gaze. "You were right. It did help."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, I'm glad. I came over to let you know we're closing in ten minutes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh. My face drops./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where am I going to go now? The only avenue left to me is to ask the police. Maybe there's a missing persons report out for me, and they can help reunite me with the rest of my family. The system sucks, and police never do their jobs properly, but it should be a simple enough investigation to find them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Where's the nearest police precinct?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her face becomes more concerned. "Oh, um, there's one a few blocks due east. I'll write the address down." Pulling paper and pen from her apron, she jots down something, though it's clear that it's with hesitation. She slides the paper over, which contains an address and her phone number. "Look, kid, you seem like you need help, and I'm sure the police can do more. I don't know what's going on, and I don't want to pry, but if you need something, call me. I can't promise that I'll be able to do anything, but my boyfriend says I'm a good listener." She seems /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"so /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"genuine, the kind of person that only comes around every once in a while./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You… uh," I clear my throat, welling up with emotion. "My name is Logan. Thank you, for today."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're welcome!" She says with a smile, though her eyes don't quite match the happy expression. "We open for breakfast, so we'd love to have you and your parents if you're coming this way." She hesitates on the word parents, probably fishing for an explanation, but I don't bite./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I might, thanks." Picking up my things, palming the azure gemstone that I still know nothing about, I bid Beth adieu. The crystal is cold to the touch, even now, and it's clear that it, too, is magical. What it specifically does is still unknown./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As fun as it is to think about all the magic, it only serves as a distraction from reality. Somehow, in that reality, Puck the goddamn fairy stole two years of my life, in exchange for a magic book. The magic book is cool, but more importantly, where is my family? How am I going to get to the Southeast to reunite with them, with my friends. They'd be finishing up their…. senior year? Why can't I reach any of them on the phone?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, kid!" A voice shouts from a few yards away. A pair of men in their twenties are waving in my direction, apparently. Clean cut, dressed nicely, covered in shopping bags. The streets are still busy with foot and vehicle traffic, but it's not quite as thick as earlier, so I can tell they're looking at me. "Can you come take our picture?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My instincts shout in protest, but they seem nice enough. It helps that they probably have abs. "Uh, sure."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"God, I have more important things to think about than this. I might be a kid stranded in a city with no parents, no aunt and uncle, and no friends. If I really did leave for two years, my family does not have the money to try to stay in New York City for all that time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He hands me his phone and shows me the angle of the picture he wants for he and his buddy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The buddy calls out while in position. "Wouldn't it be really awesome if we accidentally got a picture of him in the air?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yeah, that'd be sick!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My brow furrows. "A picture of who in the air? You want me to take it while you're jumping?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man laughs and gestures toward the building up ahead. A taller skyscraper than most around it, its post-modern design makes it stand out from everything else. The word "stark" rests across the side of it near the top, shining like a beacon with blue light./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tony Stark, little dude!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark Industries./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Anthony Stark./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Iron Man./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh no./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm stranded in a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"whole universe/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" with no parents, no aunt and uncle, and no friends./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_3_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 2/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Good god. This is Marvel./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm in Marvel New York City./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The two guys left me in the street several minutes ago now, while I lean against a wall, staring at the Stark building, trying to piece together exactly what this means./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This place is so dangerous that, on most days, I'd rather be wherever /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Galactus/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" eats first when he comes here. At least the pain and torture would be over quick, as opposed to trying to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"live/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Living here is like trying to pick your poison./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Supervillain attacks? Check./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Any big event could be the site of a rampage. If you hear the mayor is going to give a public address, watch it from the safety of your living room (unless your living room is within like a mile of the event, then you should probably bolt). If you're lucky, one of the numerous superhero teams will show up to bail you out of an attack, people like the Defenders, the Avengers, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fantasy racism and prejudice? Check./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The populace of Marvel is so bad for mutants who look like the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Other /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"that there's a whole society of them living under the sewers, out of sight and out of mind as they fend for the scraps of society above. Despite how closely the X-Men live in the traditional comics, it doesn't seem to change the minds of the normal humans who live and thrive here. It's so bad the X-Men relocated on the West Coast recently, leaving them to fend for themselves /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"even more/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Organized crime? Check./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Despite the paradoxical presence of so many heroes who operate here, Manhattan and its sister boroughs are in a constant threat of turf wars between various gangs and supervillains, all vying to take the crown from the Kingpin of Crime himself. The criminal underworld ensures everyday citizens are caught in the crosshairs of their squabbles, and people like Peter Parker cannot be everywhere at once./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Because Status Quo is God, none of this ever really changes for New York City. It will always be in a state of threat from /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", because ultimately superhero comics and stories are about the best of humanity rising up to save the rest, from threats far and wide that seek out conflict. If you have any financial stability at all, you should leave, and I cannot help but feel sympathetic pity for those who do not have it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"do not have it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sure, I'm not exactly homeless, and I'm not in danger of starving. According to the Grimoire, the "Cosmic Sanctuary provides sustenance for its guests." I could live there indefinitely, in a little pocket dimension tucked away from everyone and everything else, safe from the dangers of New York City and the rest of the Marvel universe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The only problem? I do not have a place to use the Key safely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The door closes, but it doesn't lock while you're inside. Anyone could just walk in. Depending on who they are, they could spread the word about my strange little dimension, and I would find myself in a world of hurt from a long list of baddies who'd want to take advantage of my pocket Hogwarts. The best way to defend against this is to use it without anyone knowing that I have it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd need an apartment that has an interior door. That'd be the best way to do this. No one would reach it there by accident. Problem is that I cannot buy an apartment for forty-five dollars. I doubt in this city that I can find a hotel room for even just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"one/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" night for forty-five dollars./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Money is a necessity. Unless the book decides to give me a dollar-printing spell, I don't have the capital to achieve really any goals I can make, long-term or short-term. I'm not even sure what those goals should even /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"be/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", but the first one needs to be a way to earn cash to establish a place to live. Earning cash with a drivers' license that doesn't fit this reality would be difficult, unless I could find a place that doesn't do a lot of double-checking./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I need to take some risks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Measured risks, in the short-term./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wait… Do car doors work?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't have the specifics nailed down just yet, but theoretically, any door would work. The real question is whether or not the interior of the car would count as "inside the door" or if entering through the specific car door would be the only thing that matters. If it's the latter, then maybe it could be worth it, just for tonight. A residentially parked car overnight could be a way to do this, banking on the hope that they don't have reasons to pack a car full of people for the night. Assuming, of course, that only the door I enter from matters./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hmmm, is a car trunk a door? Trunks are used, but they are not used as often as car doors, so if that could work, then maybe…./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Smiling, I approach the nearest car, just to test it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Key in my palm shifts excitedly the closer it gets to the keyhole, a bit of bloody drool dropping onto the ground before disappearing into the aether. Blinking at /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"that/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" insanity, the skeleton key perfectly fits into the lock. With a twist, the trunk of the sedan opens with a glimmer of firelight beyond. Peaking within, the entrance hall to Hogwarts rests just beyond, waiting for me to explore it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull the Key out as the trunk closes, much to the Key's dismay. Somehow. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"What even is this thing?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The back right door to the car works as well, the familiar display just through the threshold. I leave the key and the car slightly open, stepping back to study exactly what it looks like from the outside. The windows, even for the door I opened, do not reveal the interior of Hogwarts, nor does it shed its light. The /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"crack/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" in the ajar car door does, however, which makes my head spin with possibilities./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This sedan, parked on the side of the street, could be the key to what I need, but even now, the street is too busy to take advantage. Pocketing the Key to the Sanctuary again, I frown./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where else could be a temporary solution? One that doesn't require leaving a key in a closed car door and hoping no one checks it, in Marvel New York City of all places. I'm glad that the experiment /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"worked/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", but I could only do such foolishness in my hometown. Hardly anyone burgles - there's just a ton of meth. My mom always leaves her car unlocked overnight./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Mom… /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nope. Not going to go there. Not now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's not as simple as Hollywood makes it seem to hail a taxi. I sat for nearly ten minutes waiting for an empty one, until finally one stopped for me. Depending on how long the trip truly is, this could make or break my limited crash./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The cab driver turns to look at me in surprise, his mustache thick across his lips. "Kid, where you going?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sliding into the backseat of the cab, I gesture. "There's a construction site a few blocks down, my daddy works there, but he left something when it closed and asked me to get it for him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I did pass by one earlier, and I'm banking on it having what I need for now at least./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He hesitantly studies me, clearly not believing me. I can't blame him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Kid, can't he just get it at work tomorrow?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown, not having thought this far ahead. Trying to think on my feet is hard, and there's a long moment of silence. "Look," I clear my throat, trying to look sad, "it's his wedding ring. Mom's angry, and I don't… want to hear them fight. She… uh, ends up in a bad place."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Three long seconds pass until finally, he relents. "All right, I get it. Been in your shoes before."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm tempted to ask him about it, but decide that small talk is not useful when you're in the middle of a big-ass lie./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We ride in silence, with him occasionally asking me to guide him to the site, before waiting a moment in traffic to put it up on his GPS. It takes very little to feel anxious right now, surveying the streets through the cab window as Marvel New York City begins to enter into its night life. Crime is almost certainly afoot if you know where to look for it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Do I want to look for it?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Not right now, but maybe later and with a better understanding of the Grimoire? If I'm right, then there's potential for all kinds of powers to be at my beck and call. I don't see why else the Grimoire would be basically empty./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Finally, he comes to a stop in front of a closed construction site. Thankfully, this does not appear to be a high-rise or anything like that - if it is, they are not very far into the construction. The place is full of materials - wood, brick, steel and with a not inconsiderable fence covering the outside of the place. I could scale it, but I'd have to be fast./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I make a show of holding up the Key, only partially so that he doesn't question the shape, and then open the door. "Thank you!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Kid, wait!" He gestures to the sign in the dashboard. "You didn't pay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I give him the requested amount - thankfully only twelve bucks for the reasonable distance traveled. By the time that he takes the money, he drives off, leaving me alone on the street./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thank you, New York rudeness, for not wanting to stick around for a stranger, even if they're a teenager./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This area of the street is relatively empty - it's fast approaching eleven at night, if I had to guess, and this is far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the area around Times Square, even at night. Waiting for what feels like the right time, I pull myself up and over the chain-link fence, which takes a bit of time just to keep the large Grimoire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Landing in the soft dust, I brush off my dress pants, stuck in the same clothes that I wore to the show. Back in a universe where the only asshole fairies are homophobic closet cases./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Surveying the area with my eyes, a smile grows across my face. A couple of rows of Porta-Potties, their plastic blue exteriors perfect for what I need. That's probably the first time anyone has ever thought that out loud./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Picking one that is on the end and slightly out of the way from the rest, I open it normally and nearly retch. I clear my throat and grab for toilet paper, pulling enough to jot down a quick, "Out of Order," message with the pen in my back pocket. Last I used it, my uncle and I were writing down some of the sights that we wanted to see while we were on our trip./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd have to take some time. They should still exist in Marvel, right?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I tie the message to the door handle, resolving to see if the Sanctuary has some paper and tape for a better message inside, and then insert the Key into the lock, turning it. The Key's relief is palpable, and the familiar firelight exudes into the dimly lit construction area./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Making sure the toilet paper is tied around the Key, just in case anyone were to spot it in the morning, I slip into the replica of Hogwarts castle, closing the door behind me. It's a bit odd to see the other side of a Porta-Potty door jutting from where the Entrance Hall does should be, but it would have to do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The castle interior is warm and inviting, the smell of a meal wafting through the doors to the Great Hall and into the entry way. It feels like home - how could it not? The only thing missing from the experience is the sound of students running back and forth across the castle, slinging their spells at each other and to practice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pushing open the doors to the Great Hall, I squee. I can't help it, I squee./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hundreds of lit candles float in the air above four glimmering wooden tables, covered in enough food to feed an army of students and their teachers. The House banners float above each table, their respective colors and mascot animals on display for my very nerdy eyes. The staff table rests in the distance, with the tall-backed chair for the Headmaster, as well as their podium. It smells wonderful - there's lobster bisque, pumpkin pie, turkey sandwiches, and anything else you can imagine for a truly inviting meal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The best part, though?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The enchanted ceiling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An intricate display showing the clouds and the stars in the night sky above New York City, as the clouds shift and change. The best part is that it sees/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" through /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"the light pollution. Around the edges, almost like a grand fish-eye lens, there are warped versions of the skyscrapers that tower in the sky above the construction site./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sit at the Gryffindor table even though I'm a Ravenclaw, driven purely by nostalgia. Gathering a plate and really hoping there is not a staff of enslaved house elves making this food for me somewhere downstairs in this plate, I begin to eat some of the bisque, a meal that I think I've never had but greatly enjoy anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My bites get smaller and smaller, mind contemplative. This huge chamber is empty and devoid of the people that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"should/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be here. All those memories while reading, while watching the movies? They all suggest this place feels off. I don't have anyone to share this meal with./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My family would love to see this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A tear rolls down my cheek./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Did they go to see the last movie without me?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Choking down sobs, I push the plate away and drop the book and the gemstone onto the wood in front of me, wanting to study what materials are necessary for the Minion Magic spell. A single tear falls and lands on the table next to the azure gem, and with a bit of surprise on my face, flash-freezes into a tiny icy droplet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Picking the gem up and wiping some of the soup off my chin with a napkin, I study the cold exterior, wishing I knew what this thing was and how it works. It just froze something solid in less than a second. Could it do it again?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wave the gemstone over my glass of authentic pumpkin juice, and a thin layer of ice freezes over the top of the liquid. The crystal flashes with light in my hands, and I can feel a bit of that cold flow through /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"my /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"hand. It travels through my arm and into my chest, and with alarm, I push the stone away, hoping that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" am not freezing to death this time. Not after I had to get out of that forest alive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It rolls to a stop, coating the plate of steak across from me with a bit of frost./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wow. That's… potent? It's hard to judge what this is without more information, so I flip through the book's pages and hope for more./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And there /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Reading the first paragraph after the runic diagrams turn to words before my very eyes, it becomes clearer by the second that I'm getting lost in all the numbers and calculations. Somehow, complex geometric formulas are involved with this section, and no amount of teaching from my ninth grade Geometry teacher could prepare me for this level of intricacy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ultimately, after more than half an hour of skim-reading passes by, this one deals with the basics something called Azyr, more commonly called astromancy or celestial magic. Essentially, it's math-driven magic capable of reading the stars to tell fortunes and to control the elements of the skies. A few spells included involve /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"summoning lightning/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"telling prophecies!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I stare at the pages in awe, amazed this is only one section in the twelfth chapter of the Grimoire, called Modus./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What else can this book bring?/span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Dec 31, 2021 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_4_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 3/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Wow, did you sleep at all?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Blinking and tearing tired eyes away from the secrets to true magic, I clear my throat and look up, tuning out the sound of a honking car horn at nine AM from somewhere nearby. Beth passes a cup of steaming hot coffee onto the table, and its wonderful scent reminds me of home, of afternoons with Mom at bookstores, of mornings before school./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yeah, I got a few hours," I explain. If by a few, I mean an hour, then yes. It's a bit difficult to rest when you're trying to avoid getting caught by a construction crew that needs to use the restroom on site. "Thank you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blonde nods and then gestures to the booth across the way. "Can I sit here for a minute?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Glancing toward the front counter where her manager - a feisty-looking redhead with arms bigger than my head - takes the cash of a customer, I shake my head. "I don't want you to get in trouble."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, no, I'm sure it's fine," she says after a moment, a smile spreading across her cheeks as she sits down in the booth. "I mean, I'm not supposed to, but what even/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" an employee handbook anyway?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right, I can relate." Honestly, I couldn't - I've not had even a summer job between high school semesters before. It would have been helpful, probably, but Mom got us by on a teacher's salary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, so, uh," she says after a moment, hesitating. "I went to bed worried about you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My brow furrows. "Oh, you really don't have to-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, I do," she declares, taking a moment before continuing. "A teenager shows up in tears, falls asleep in the middle of a restaurant without ordering, and then asks me where the nearest police station is before he leaves?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," I say with a stare, blush spreading across my cheeks. "When you put it like that, I guess it/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" does /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"sound a little crazy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's nothing in my life right now that is/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" not /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"crazy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""More than a little," she says with finality. "Where are your parents?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Truthfully, I do not know how to answer that question. There's not exactly a spot on an address line to put in the parallel universe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""They are not… around."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth's face drops with concern, worry, and compassion. "Who's taking care of you?" At my look, she continues, "Maybe a friend from school could let you stay with them, or a distant relative?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Beth!" the manager shouts from the front counter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Give me a minute, Geraldine, this is important!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A sigh escapes my lips. "I don't have anyone," I mutter, the taste of the coffee dying in my throat. "I'm alone in this city." In this universe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You… ," she frowns. "Surely you have friends at school."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Admitting to an adult that you do not /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"have/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" school is challenging even in a more normal situation. Doing so when you have no legal identity to try to even enroll? That's a fat chance./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can learn everything I need to know right here./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's amazing how unimportant it is to learn Algebra II when you can learn /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"heavens/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" math to/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" throw comets/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No school, Beth. No home. No money. No friends, no family."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Geraldine, the redheaded manager, throws a rag onto the front counter with a wet slap./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, honey," Beth slowly breathes out, a strong current of confusion evident on her face. "You have no one? Did the police help you find a place to sleep?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head. "No, but I found a way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Please tell me you went to a shelter," she says, clearly trying to collect her thoughts. "It's okay to admit that you went to a shelter, Logan. There's no shame in going to a place like F.E.A.S.T."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Err, something like that," I admit. "Look, if you really want to help me, talk to, er, Geraldine over there. I need a job."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She glances toward her boss with a nod of her head. "Uh, sure, I can do that." She blinks and turns to me, leaning in and lowering her voice. "Are you in witness protection?" She pulls back, shaking her head. "Actually, don't answer that. Let me talk to Geraldine."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Like a whirlwind, Beth scurries toward the front counter, leaving me alone with the Celestial Grimoire. The book likes open to something that could, to the untrained eye, look like a complex geometry problem. The fact that it is/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" almost /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"that surprises me, but worrying still is the fact that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I'm slowly starting to get it/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The first section that truly seemed to mean something to me is one that describes "opening a channel into the Blue Wind of Magic." A series of careful considerations follow, including several somatic components that are carefully measured to place the caster's body directly in its path. It neared two in the morning when I managed it for the first time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For an instant, a tempered gust flew into my soul, into the core of my being./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For but an instant, I could smell the burning of the stars, could touch the twirling of the cosmos, could hear the whims of fate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For that single instant, all of my worries slip away under the eternal machinery of the heavens./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" can /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"wait to do that again, but I do not want to./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The redheaded manager plops down into the booth, her short curly hair reminding me of my grandmother when she colored her hair. "So, can you start today?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink. "Just like that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just like that. Don't make me regret it, kid." She passes a single, handwritten piece of paper, barely on something that you could call a legal pad. "Look, we'll work on the official paper trail later. Sign that for now, and I'll get you an apron."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How'd you know that I couldn't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She holds up a hand. "Don't ask questions, let's just get you going. You know how to wash dishes?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, sure."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You don't sound too sure of that," she says, standing and expecting me to follow her. "Eh, you're cute enough. When we need you, you can work the floor. Until then, the back."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right, right, okay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I put the Grimoire away into a satchel bag and then follow after her. Somehow, the Sanctuary has a bag for the book but doesn't have a change of clothes. There is nothing worse than the feeling of putting dirty clothes back on after a shower, which is one of those modern amenities that the Sanctuary oh-so-lovingly-possesses./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Geraldine tosses an apron and a restaurant T-Shirt toward me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth grins in the distance and then waves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All right, maybe this won't be so bad./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As we near the end of the shift, I can honestly say that it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"was/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" exhausting. It did not help that I had so little sleep the night before, but hey - learning magic has to take precedence. I was tempted on multiple occasions to practice channeling the winds of Azyr while I washed dishes, but I'd look really silly doing it on the security cameras, and there's a chance that something could go wrong and out me as a wizard./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In a world where Robert Downey Jr. can fly around in a metal suit while Edward Norton wears magic pants, maybe being known in public as a wizard would not be so awful, anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right, kid, not bad." Geraldine counts the cash in the register, barely looking up at me. "Not good either, but dishes stayed clean."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hmm, thanks." It has not quite settled into my mind that this woman is my boss, but it will not be for long. Hopefully, something will replace it, sooner than later. "I'll get better."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, yeah, I know you will." She counts a wad of cash and hands it to me. "Here. Take this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Wait, I cannot-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sure you can, it's half your pay for this period. Just to get you by."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I swallow. "Thank you, ma'am, I ca-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do not say thank you. Keep doing what you're doing to earn it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I beam at her, thankful for any income flow and for her generosity. The fact that she is willing to pay me under the table is a blessing that I do /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"not/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" feel like I have earned. How many homeless teenagers are there in New York City? Twenty-thousand? Fifty? One hundred? And yet, she's willing to do this for me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I will not stop giving my gratitude./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maybe I should buy her a gift? Something simple./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A distant bell rings, one that signals someone has entered the restaurant. All afternoon, I had tuned it out, but this was so close to closing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Three men enter the room wearing thick coats and beanies over reddish hair. They survey the place and lock eyes on Geraldine, who freezes for a moment before clearing her throat. They loom over the front counter with their presence. "What can I do for you gentlemen?" Her hand waves me away, but I am tempted to stay. Something about this feels off…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey!" Beth says after a moment, almost in a half-whisper. "Let me show you how to get ready for closing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I allow her to pull me away, but my attention stays focused on them for a moment, even if I cannot hear what they are discussing any longer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What is that about?" I ask with a barely disguised hiss./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, that's nothing," she says with a constrained smile. "Just a few of our regulars."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Mmm." I lean over to pack away a series of utensils. "Do they always come in looking like a pack of menacing thugs right before we close?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She taps my arm. "Hey! Be quieter!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I thought I/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" was /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"quiet," I say with a frown. "How bad news are they?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Don't go looking for trouble where there is none, Logan." She looks at me earnestly. "You got enough going on."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The three "regulars" take a doggie bag from Geraldine each, before waltzing out of the store like they own the place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maybe Beth has a point./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maybe./span/em/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_5_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 4/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hospital Wing of the Sanctuary is not quite a whole "wing" of the castle, but it does look remarkably like what I remember from the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Harry Potter/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" movies' rendition of Madame Pomfrey's domain. Tall narrow windows shine with vistas that could not possibly exist in the middle of Manhattan, much less the universe. The swirling purple hues flecked with multicolored pricks of light, like the stars of distant and tumultuous nebulas, really put the "Cosmic" in "Cosmic Sanctuary." Every window in this faux castle displays similar ethereal landscapes, while the only "real" view of the outside world is from the enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Perhaps that/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" is /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"what lies beyond these windows: a formless void of star-stuff so impossible to understand for the human mind that you could get lost for decades trying to understand it all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shudder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Despite the un-reality just beyond the glass, the rest of the Hospital Wing is remarkably ordinary. Mahogany cabinets full of basic supplies, white-sheeted gurneys with too-tough pillows, and two operating tables on the far side partially enclosed by a wall of curtains. Part of me idly wonders just how magical this room really is, because everything looks rather… scientific. Medical. Perhaps Madam Pomfrey doesn't just use a wand to do everything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That is, until the door leading out into the Entrance Hall closes behind me of its own accord./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Incorporating like mist, the translucent body of a man appears. Featureless, the faintly purple shadow undulates every few seconds, like a living cloud of smoke. A voice echoes not from it but from the whole room, as it points with a lazy arm toward one of the beds. /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;""Sit."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Placing the collected materials onto a nearby table, I move without question, though an inner sense of panic rises in my chest. The gurney is uncomfortable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, hey. I am-"/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary." /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The figure does not move toward the cabinet of supplies to get them. Instead, the cabinet's glass-paned doors open by themselves. A flurry of movement, and then a collection of medical supplies hovers through the air around the translucent figure. A scalpel spins in a haphazard pattern, inching ever closer to my arm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, hey, can we talk about this?"/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There is nothing to discuss. You are the Master of this space. This space understands your intention, and this space shall provide."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But I don't even know what to call you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The bed shudders slightly, and the nearby curtains shake with sudden intensity./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This space needs no identity to provide for its Master."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something pricks me in the back of the arm, and I wince. A syringe activates and pours a glowing blue liquid into the back of my shoulder. It burns, and my torso collapses into a heap on the mattress. My breath catches in my throat, and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oh god. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And then the pain abates, and with it, the feeling of anything in my right arm. It dangles uselessly at my side, even as I try to force myself to sit up. "Hey, that was not-"/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master must complete a ritualistic sacrifice of his flesh. This is the safest way to remove that flesh. This space provides."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, but surprising me with it was not cool."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The translucent figure has no expression on its face - in fact, it has no face, just a light blue mass that is roughly person-shaped. /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;""This space provides the temperature befitting the Master's needs."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sigh at /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this thing/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" not getting the point. The scalpel approaches my numb shoulder. Eyes close in panic, I almost shove myself away, but this/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" is /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"the best way. At least it will not hurt, and I'd rather be awake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not feel the sharp knife cut the flesh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not feel the burning acid cleanse the flesh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not feel the cold potion knit the flesh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A completely painless process, apart from the initial numbing agent./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A bit of muscle, fat, and skin rests in a bowl on a table nearby, crimson blood oozing underneath it. One cubic inch of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That is so much worse to look at than I expected."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But the translucent figure does not answer. It no longer stands in the room, having vanished to wherever it came from. The Hospital Wing of the Sanctuary looks exactly how I found it. The whole experience leaves me with more questions about it than answers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Does that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"thing /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"just exist here? Or does it also provide the food in the Great Hall? I am not sure which I prefer: ghostly figures or house elves slaving away in the kitchens to provide for me. I have not encountered anything intelligent in the Sanctuary until this moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My shoulder feels mostly okay, though that could be the still active traces of a numbing agent at work. Whatever that post excision treatment was, I do not feel a hole in the skin underneath the gauze. I remember Madam Pomfrey could regrow bones through a potion called Skele-Gro - did the spot mostly regrow? I resolve to check with a mirror later./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Slipping out of the door with my supplies and a pile of flesh in tow, I head toward the Grimoire's current position. The castle feels warm but empty, deprived of the students who should exist in a place like this. Why does the Sanctuary look like Hogwarts anyway? Is it for my benefit, or does this place just happen to resemble a movie set of a real place in the multiverse?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I chuckle slightly to myself as I approach the statue of a winged gargoyle in the middle of an alcove. Or maybe Chris Columbus is a real wizard and visited this place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Lemon drop."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The gargoyle's wings unfurl, and a spiral staircase rises out of the floor, the stone steps winding around a gray marble column. Grinning - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"that will never get old /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"- I step up through the landing and into the office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The headmaster's office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Gone are the mementos of a long-lived wizard. The walls and shelves are as bare as the Gryffindor Common Room and its bedrooms, though the four-poster beds really /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"are/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" nice. A nicer place to sleep than the shitty hotel bed outside the door the Sanctuary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Celestial Grimoire lies open on the desk and is, sadly, the only truly magical item in the room. There is no Sorting Hat, no magic portraits of previous headmasters, no Sword of Gryffindor, no cage for a phoenix, no hidden pensieve in the cupboard. A desk and a high-backed chair rest on a dais above the rest, but I cannot help but feel cheated out of just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"looking/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" at Dumbledore's knickknacks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I read through the pages describing the ritual twice more for good measure, double-checking exactly what I need to do and exactly when I need to do it. The materials for this one were simplistic, apart from the cubic inch of flesh, though the reasons behind why this one worked are enough to give me pause: "the emulation of a monster's natural magical body through a tweak of the SOUL and sacrifice of the flesh." Why the Grimoire capitalized that word was beyond my understanding, but I am not going to question it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I draw a chalk outline - I found exactly two sticks of chalk in what must have been the Potions classroom, but could find no more; I have a feeling that I'll need to run to a store or three to stock up on some weirder items one of these days. The chalk line encircles where the flesh will be placed, and requires an extremely intricate design that must be followed exactly to the sigil. This part takes the longest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I place the lump of flesh onto the floor within the circle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking in a deep breath, I step into the diagram where the ritual requires me to stand. Leaning over carefully, I flick the top of my lighter over the wick of a candle. A series of them, perfectly placed and positioned, burn to life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Music begins to reverberate throughout the room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flames ignite and lick along the lines of chalk until they reach the flesh. My heart thrums in my chest as the flames turn dark red, then orange, then blue, then a vibrant white./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Within an instant, the piece of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"turns to ash before the smell of cooked human meat can reach my nostrils. All that remains is the smell of burning wax. A faint breeze billows throughout the room as the fires cease, and the music stops./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking another deep breath, I raise both hands and then /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"snap. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A flicker of white light announces its arrival: a small version of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" stands, perfectly mimicking my posture. Clad with glasses across the nose, the brown-haired minion is two feet shorter and - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oh /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"- about twelve years old./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why are you younger?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why are /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"you/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" older?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, seriously, where was that mentioned?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Your guess is as good as mine. It's not like this has ever been done on a human before," the clone explains. "You read the Grimoire. Whatever that spell is, it's trying to copy something that it says monsters can do, not humans."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hmm. "All right, that's a good point."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Make another one," the clone says. "Maybe it'll happen differently."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clearing my throat, I nod and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"snap. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Another version of me appears, but the result is the same: a twelve year old Logan./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right, this /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" weird," the new clone says./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agreed," the first one says./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink. "Okay, look, uh," I gesture toward the book, "it says that you can emit magical energy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh yeah!" the duo of clones shout at the same time. Both raise their fists toward the wall and thrust them forward, like a mean left hook. Two bolts of white light splash against the stone of the castle wall, though without leaving a mark and without traveling very quickly. For a split-second afterward, the pair of clones almost seem to lose stability in their bodies, wavering like a flame of a candle. Stabilized, both of them shout with delight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ooh, let's try the other thing," the first clone says to the other./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, I don't wanna-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, I have seniority!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Exactly! I have more life to live than you!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For a moment, I feel a bit of whiplash watching the two argue, trying and failing to follow their train of thought. What other thing?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Finally, the first clone throws himself to the ground several feet away from either of us and then /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"explodes/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" in a flare of white light. The force of it blows the small oak chair near the fireplace off of its legs. Upon impact with the wall, the chair collapses into a heap of constituent parts. The wind blows my hair out of my eyes, and my ears pop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The first clone is gone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The second clone remains with a glimmer in his eyes. "Awesome! How much TNT you think that is?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head, reeling from the impossibility of my life. "I don't know, I'm not an explosives expert."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I hope it's a couple tons!" the minion shouts. "What else can we do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He rushes over to the Grimoire and begins flipping through its pages./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As ridiculous as the idea of these minions being younger than even I am is, I think it's just the thing that I need. The first solid power in a world full of superpowered threats. Having expendable minions with a ranged attack option? I don't know how powerful it really is, but it's more than enough to feel safe investigating those thugs at the restaurant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Even if I have to throw twelve year olds at the problem./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, there's something else!" I rush toward the book and take it from the clone, much to his chagrin. "Hey, I was reading that!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, well, unless you plan to do the shadow clone thing and share your memories when you, uh, pop, I need to read it myself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He pouts. "I don't think we can do that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ignoring him, I settle into the headmaster's chair to read, wishing I felt an ounce like Dumbledore./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few moments later, and I cannot help but grin. Another section of the Transformation chapter reveals itself, though this time, I can actually recognize it. It is written in far more technical terms, but this is from one of my favorite video game franchises of all time: the lyrium tattoos of Fenris, from /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Dragon Age/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"According to the Grimoire, these "lyrium-infused brands on the skin are meant to access the nature of lyrium to grow between the Waking World and the Fade. They allow one to walk between them to slip through material objects like a phantom in a dream." If I recall correctly, this means that someone with these tattoos can walk through solid objects and even people, like a lesser version of Shadowcat from the X-Men./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The best part? The Grimoire will provide everything, just like it provided the Key to the Cosmic Sanctuary. A bit of blood in a runic circle on the pages of the book later, and a vial full of processed lyrium appears in a swirl of folded paper, alongside the proper application needles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The worst part? The process is an agonizing twelve hours, with a recovery period of an additional eighteen./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot do this now - I have work in a couple hours. My next off day is later this weekend, which gives me plenty of time to look into the situation. Whatever those three guys want, it cannot be good news. If they are involved in crime, then this will be the first crime I investigate in a world full of superheroes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Things can only go up from here./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fact that I cannot co-opt a group of four twelve year old minions to wash the dishes at work for me is far more upsetting that I would have expected it to be. If they were actual clones and could go more than thirty feet away, I'd absolutely send one of them to go to work for me while I tackle more important matters. Considering how eclectic the spells I've accessed so far are, maybe one of them will give me a power that lets them do that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Regardless, washing dishes is not the most thought-consuming job, no matter how tall the piles get and how easily stressed by the prospect of getting behind that I am. I have plenty of time to reflect on just how annoying this is, and how easy it would be to be able to slip into any bank vault with those tattoos./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Kid."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I perk up from the stack of plates I've set to dry, looking through the space in the divider wall at the face of the cook, Markos. A Latino man in his late thirties, he's not given me much attention since I started. It's only been one and a half shifts now, but still./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, what's up?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He saunters past the corner and over to my station, a wet rag around his neck. "Why'd you ask for a job here?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The tone is friendly, but there's a… something hidden there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, I don't know that many people in the city. Beth has been great, and she helped me out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right, right, I heard about that," he says after a moment. "The last kid who worked here? He didn't have his head on straight. He wasn't working here for the right reasons, and it got him in trouble."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My brow furrows. "What do you mean?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Markos grins and points to the north. "You know this is prime real-estate, right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm not, uh, following."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're only a few blocks away from that blowhard billionaire's new building."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clear my throat, not understanding the tone. "Well, that must be good for business."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And good for kids who spend every minute they're supposed to be working trying to get a glimpse of a dude in a tin suit."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, I, uh, had not really noticed how close the building was to Stark Tower. Have you seen Iron Man?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Markos grimaces. "No, and I don't care to."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot imagine not being excited to see a superhero, much less disliking them. "Well, uh, I think he's awesome."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You would," he rolls his eyes. "Like I said, kid, focus on your work. Rich schmucks like that still need us lowlies to do our jobs to keep getting richer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right." He starts to head through the door to the lobby to go on break, but I call out. "Hey, Markos, wait."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He turns to glance at his watch and then back up at me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Those guys who came in last night, the-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't know what you're talking about."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And with that, Markos leaves, the door closing behind him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Well, if I were not suspicious before, I certainly am /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"now./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The three men did not come to the restaurant all day, even close to closing. Part of me wanted to ask Geraldine about it directly, but the redhead intimidated me, especially as she barked orders. Whatever was going on, she was either directly involved or they had coerced her into doing whatever it was./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Beth," I say finally as I am about to clock out. I am not officially in the system, so clocking out for me is nothing more than a slip of paper on Geraldine's desk as I leave. "Something has been bugging me all day."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh?" she asks, preparing the tea urn for the person who opens in the morning. "You not liking the job?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, no, the job is fine." I lean closer. "Is there anything shady going on here?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth raises an eyebrow, and I can tell that I've offended her. "You mean other than paying you under the table?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cough, blushing. "No, that's not what I mean, but I'm grateful for that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Then what's up?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Those men, last night, right before we closed. They came in and left with to-go bags."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth smiles a little uneasily. "Oh, that?" She pauses. "That's just Sean, Mike, and O'Malley. They're cops, I think, and they come by once a week for Geraldine's famous red velvet cupcakes. She won an award for it back in the nineties, she's very proud!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I peer at her, studying her face, disbelieving. "That's all?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, it's just business. Geraldine loves to keep her regulars like family around here," Beth explains, placing a hand on my shoulder and squeezing at the word 'family.'/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hmm. "You sure?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Promise."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't believe her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth gestures to the front door. "Hey, you want to go for a coffee? I can walk you to your hotel."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, it's kinda far for that-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, I insist. My boyfriend and I love this place down the street." She smiles. "We can get a cab if needed."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, sure!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth gathers her things and I say my goodbyes to Geraldine, and then we slip out of the store and into the nighttime spring air./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I love walks," she explains after a few moments of pleasant silence. "I wish it were safe enough to go on walks every night, but I have to settle for the gym treadmill sometimes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I point toward the sky, thinking back to what Markos said earlier. "Hey, maybe it's a good thing that there's a superhero around to make the streets safer now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She laughs. "The news thinks Tony Stark is a big picture guy. He's too busy fighting some terrorists overseas to stop a purse snatcher."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink, thinking. "Is there anyone else in New York? You know, like Iron Man?" I need to spend more time researching with that terminal in the Great Hall. A full-on touch-screen computer with an internet connection in Hogwarts - how crazy is that?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What, you mean like War Machine?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't help but crack a smile at the idea of War Machine being a thing. "Oh, yeah, or anyone else?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shakes her head. "Not that I can think of."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"So, what? There's no Spider-Man, no X-Men, no Fantastic Four? All of them have a huge presence in New York, but she doesn't think of them? Either she's got the memory of a goldfish, they are not in New York, or they do not exist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is Marvel New York without the influx of heroes around every corner and in every alley./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No wonder the streets are not safe./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_6_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 5/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The night air is cool despite the lateness of spring, and I'm grateful for the navy hoodie and jeans I picked up from a thrift store. They are not in good condition; several moth-eaten holes line the left sleeve, and it looks like someone never got their pants hemmed to fit. But my clothes do not need to be good for what I'm doing here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They're functional, not meant for style./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One day, I can dress in style, like all the greats. Snazzy wizard's robes? A kick-ass trench coat? A skin-tight spandex jumpsuit that/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" somehow/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" covers my wand?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Never the last thing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If there is one thing that the early 2000s X-Men movies did right, it's the more realistic costuming take. A paramilitary leather look is more than a little goofy, but it feels less goofy than trying to copy the strongman spandex trends from the 1930s that could only exist in the era of four-color comics. The leather look feels like something someone /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"would /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"wear to fight crime in the real world. Cops, soldiers, and spies do not wear multicolored spandex, but heroes like the X-Men are basically all of those jobs wrapped into one superpowered bundle. Hell, they're also astronauts sometimes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My dad is big into comics, and that inspired me to get into them growing up. He always rationalized the silly costumes in-universe as a benefit to crisis response. Random civilians in comics know to run in the opposite direction when the dudes in tights that would be too garish for a Pride parade show up. I have always liked the explanation, but I'm not sure it really overrides the out-of-universe reason. And besides all that - sex sells, especially to their primary audience./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Now? I'm contemplating ever having a costume at all. When I pulled a white bandanna tight around my neck to cover the bottom half of my face, I cannot help but think that anonymity is the greatest superpower. Changing "hero" outfits each night or even after each crime that I stop? Would that not be the perfect way to stay under the radar? The perfect secret identity. After all, if someone wearing the same get-up were at two or more crime scenes, then that's a pattern and suddenly the police are looking for a dude in that costume./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would not fool the truly determined. Eventually, there'd be reports of a potential vigilante who switches costumes to stay hidden. But, that extra layer of security sounds helpful, all the same, if only from the standard cops. I really don't want some guy arresting me for some nonsense like property damage./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is my first night out, and my targets? The three men from the restaurant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They came in earlier tonight for just as long as they did earlier this week, and strangely enough, did actually pick up red velvet from Geraldine. It was way too good to be true, so I followed them. I slipped into an alley to access my Sanctuary from a dance club's fire door, changed clothes, and then headed after them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Luck was in my favor tonight: they didn't take a cab. Instead, the three of them walk together, doggie bags in hand, whistling and carrying on /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"just/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" loudly enough about the start of the Mets' season that I can hear them, even from several yards away and trying to stay out of sight. It is to my benefit that the streets are relatively busy, though they are far from the crowds of earlier in the day./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They eventually come to a stop, just outside a hole-in-the-wall pub. Laughing and carrying on, they slip inside, with the one called Mike taking a final look outside before the door closes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Even if I wanted to go in there, I doubt they'd let a sixteen year old just walk in. No, the safer thing is to stay out and maybe see what I can see from outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An alleyway rests at an odd angle from the front of the building, but it's the most obscured place I can hide. Garbage bags, bird shit, and who knows what else rests behind my perch; the place smells exactly as disgusting as you'd expect. I lean against the brick, letting the shadow of the building cover me, while I pull out my phone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The thing has no service. I don't think I can afford a phone plan, but I don't need it to have data if I can snap some pictures and connect to my Sanctuary's wifi. It's still strange to think of Hogwarts having wifi, but it's not the real deal anyway. Not that it exists, anyhow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"'Course, I didn't think that Marvel, Puck, or magic spellbooks existed either./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take pictures of every angle of the building that I can, winching every time that a car rounds the corner and briefly reveals my position with their headlights. Zooming in to look through the windows reveals nothing, except that the three probable thugs have likely headed deeper into the building. They don't seem visible from this angle at any rate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Could the place be a front for criminal activity? An HQ for a gang? Maybe an opium den? One stop shop for human trafficking?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Or… maybe just a pub?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not know how long I stayed out there trying to do a poor man's stakeout, but the longer that I stayed, the sillier I felt about the whole thing. Realistically, there have to be nights where figures like Spider-Man find no crime, but narratively, there's always crime afoot because no one would read a superhero book where Spider-Man just tours New York at night./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't know what I expected, exactly. Trying to do this carefully with the resources that I have is not particularly easy. A spell or a magical item that would let me spy on them, perhaps, like a scrying mirror, would be helpful. Several of the spells for Azyr could be useful, including one that allows me to project my spirit outside of my body, but it's not something that I understand yet. At best, I'm close to being able to portent my general odds of success. I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"am/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" confident that I could escape a direct confrontation and maybe even take them out with a mass of disguised twelve year olds, but are they even really doing anything wrong? If I burst in there and interrupt some perfectly fine gentlemen, then all I'm going to do is anger some innocent folks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The only way to find out is to take a risk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Superheroes are risk takers. Every single one of them, powers or no powers. They put themselves in harm's way for the sake of others. The others, in this case? The first group of people who bothered to be kind in a city that is known for its anger toward outsiders, especially homeless street kids. Geraldine did not have to stick her neck out to pay me under the table. Beth did not have to sweet talk her boss to agree./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whatever they are doing, it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"has /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"to be something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree, but I won't know until I can confirm it's the wrong tree. And to get that confirmation, I have to take a risk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But I do not have to be stupid./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking a deep breath, I slip out of my hiding place and into the street, grateful to know at least one piece of information: a secondary location. One sitting in the midst of Hell's Kitchen, only minutes away from the restaurant by foot. The fact that this Irish pub rests in Daredevil's neighborhood should be confirmation enough that I'm on the right track. I just have no idea if Matt Murdock exists./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Which would be worse? That Affleck! Daredevil exists or that he doesn't exist at all./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He winces when Master - or should it be Prime? - screams./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The first touch of the enchanted needle exudes the corrosive substance called lyrium directly into the bloodstream. It crawls just beneath the surface of the skin, branching like roots into and beyond veins, arteries, and capillaries. Faintly, Master begins to glow with ethereal blue light, shining a pallor onto already too pale skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The creepy ghost is nowhere to be seen, though the needle continues its work into Master's skin. As the elder of them screams, he turns to his three compatriots and tries to look away, matching their energy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is really bad."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I didn't think that I - errr we were a tattoo guy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Master, in a daze, weakly shouts, "Will the p-peanut gallery shut the fuck up?!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The four minions understandably listen to Master, but it takes very little time before one of them feels the urge to comment again. "How long is this going to take?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The better part of two whole days."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, that sucks. Why'd he make us?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Maybe he just wants better company than the phantom."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's not really a phantom, is he?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Better than the ghost of Madame Pomfrey. I imagine he'd be embarrassed to be naked in front of her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The others nod in agreement, feeling the same thing secondhand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Master screams again, writhing in the sheets of his gurney. The sheets tighten around his wrists to stop him from moving, while sweat clings to every inch of skin. The vibrant blue needle dances across Master's bare torso, and fresh wet cloth wipes at the skin behind it to clean away the faint amount of blood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the minions shifts in surprise, glancing toward the Grimoire. "Hey, this says that lyrium is super dangerous. Prone to exploding."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Nah," another clone says as he reads over the first's shoulder. "This is the processed stuff. See? It says the stuff came directly from the dwarves."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is from Orzammar? Like… it's really from there?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think so. I mean, why couldn't it be?" The clone points toward Master. "We're not from here. I guess the Grimoire is not either. We're dealing with magic stuff from other universes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An alarmed look rises on the clone closest to Master's twisted face. "Hang on. We're not accidentally bringing the Fade here, are we?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"None of the clones have a direct answer, and that worries them all more than if they did./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The one standing over the book's resting place nods toward the vibrant purple expanse just beyond the windows of the Hospital Wing. "Hopefully not anymore than we are bringing the Winds of Azyr. That's just as dangerous as lyrium and the Fade."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nothing reaches my senses beyond the constant throbbing pain at the surface of my skin, in the tightness of my muscles, beneath the core of my bones. No sounds, no sights, no smells. At some point, the pressure of the hospital bed escaped my notice, and I am adrift in a cloud of agony./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Conscious thought falters as soon as it starts, and all sense of time fades under the racing of my heartbeat, the shock of my nerve endings./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This place exists to ease your pain."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A stirring within the deepest recesses of my stomach lurches forward, the sensation of my need to vomit a life raft to avoid thinking of the pain everywhere else. As the liquid spills onto the floor, a stab of pain like a knife through the neck sends me howling obscenities into the room./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This place exists to ease your pain, yet you must endure."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voice of the phantom fades, and with it, the natural flow of cause and effect./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lose myself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For how long, none shall know./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No great power comes without pain, for it is an obstacle that the Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary must overcome."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A distant woman laughs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A thrumming energy vibrates like a second heartbeat./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary seeks to impose his morality on this plane of existence." /span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"The phantom says nothing for a moment, and then his voice hums, coming from every direction./spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" "This is an ephemeral struggle compared to the dangers, the resistance, the disappointments that Master shall face on this plane of existence." /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A cough that I come to realize must be my own forces me to choke on bile./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master must endure."/span/strong/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth glances toward Geraldine, even while she barely listens to the orders of the assistant manager. Her hands moving on autopilot to clean tables, she steels her nerves and clears her throat. "Ma'am?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The redhead shifts for a moment and then continues her business. "Yes? I really need to finish up these phone calls in the office. Jeffrey Haskins wants an update on our contribution to the parade next month."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yeah, I'm sure that's important," Beth replies, before clearing her throat again. "Can we talk privately for a moment?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This about your kid?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's not my kid," Beth declares indignantly. "He just doesn't have anyone else."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Geraldine huffs at that. "I don't buy that for a second."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't see why he'd lie-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, you know better than that." The woman shakes her head. "Clean those coffee pots, will ya?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth bristles when Geraldine takes the four steps toward her office. "I wasn't quite done yet, ma'am."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Look, I get that the kid's a bit of a sob story." Geraldine sighs. "He's doing a decent enough job to stick around, but he's too nosy for his own good."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth frowns. "I don't know why that would matter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The manager rolls her eyes and lowers her voice. "You and I both know how things have to go around here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do they?" she asks, jaw set. "Do they have to?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Geraldine pulls the phone headset to her ear, shooing Beth from the office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Excuse me?" Beth glances toward the front counter, where a handsome blond man in his late twenties stands a little awkwardly. "Do I order here or somewhere else?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She puts on her best customer service smile, trying and failing to not think of the situation any longer./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A throbbing headache and an increased and uncomfortable sensitivity to the skin are all that remains./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nearly two days later, and a network of white-blue lyrium tattoos map my entire body, starting from the base of the chin and working their way down and across my extremities. The mirror in the bathroom displays the intricate designs in a way that would definitely make Moaning Myrtle blush./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Putting on clothes takes some effort. The moment the fabric touches the skin, a twinge of pain rises. The Grimoire made it clear that the sensitivity would return to mostly normal eventually, but the first few days afterward would be fairly difficult. It sucks, but I cannot go to work naked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How I'll explain this at work is difficult. A sixteen year old kid clocks out for a weekend and comes back with tattoos that have already largely healed, with nary a scab. Beth is gonna freak./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not bother to open the bathroom door as I leave, instead walking right through it and into the hallway on the other side. The sensation is a bit like stepping into and then out of a tub of water, without ever getting wet. The rush of knowing that I can do that now as easily as breathing feels /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"awesome/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"To work, first./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And then?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I raid an Irish pub./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Jan 23, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_7_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 6/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The last few years of Steve's life have been more than surreal. If he had any idea when he left the streets of Brooklyn that day that he'd be where he is now, he might have done things differently./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Might./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The hustle and bustle of the city has changed significantly since his last visit. A flash of memory brings a smile to his face - Howard had taken him drinking once during leave. It had taken Steve hours to get over the guilt that he wasn't traveling with the rest of his troop to the front lines, but he couldn't deny the logic that even the best of the best need a break. The hustle of someone who fights for others never stops, no matter how much tequila Howard had to give him that night just to match his metabolism./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, the hustle and bustle for him/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" have/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" stopped./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He has been recovering in body and mind from the ice for the last several months, and only recently has he been cleared to leave his isolation cabin. Movies, books, music, television, sports channels - some of that helped him get through all that, helped him acclimate, but none of it helped as much as those long conversations with Peggy. He itches to call her again using his weird brick of a phone, but their last conversation had ended abruptly when her nurses took over./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The hustle of a solider may have stopped temporarily for him, but war itself has not ended. The news never stops now - twenty four hours of it, round the clock, detailing the fight against terrorism and other conflicts around the globe. His therapist recommended that he turn off the news channels, but it has become a vice. His mother always said it's important to know what is going on around the world, even if it hurts. Every headline detailing the latest American casualty has a vice-like grip on Steve's heart./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Is it hurting Steve to sit in comfortable outdoor seating, leisurely sketching a futuristic, towering skyscraper? Shouldn't he be out there, fighting the good fight? The Axis powers were defeated long ago, but it would be foolish to think that his skills could not be useful elsewhere. Hell, even Howard's legacy - a son that established the very building Steve is sketching now - is using his skills to make a difference./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony is a bit of an enigma to Steve. He doesn't know Howard's son personally, but it is difficult to watch CNN and not hear of the exploits of the Iron Man stopping terrorist insurgents and arms dealers. Would Howard be proud? Steve has to think so. In another life without the ice, Steve might have even been a mentor to the boy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His jaw tightens, wistfully thinking of times long gone. Music, baseball, the beginning of some radio drama around the fire…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few years ago for Steve and decades ago for the rest of the world, he had little but the ill-fitting uniform on his back and a desire to live up to the legacy of his own father during the first World War. Joseph Rogers was a man who made a difference, a man who was more than a name on a list of casualties. Steve could not even remember the man from his early childhood, but his mother's stories painted a wonderful picture./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Now, he sketches Stark Tower, wondering how he can create a legacy like Howard, a legacy like his own father./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When Steve thinks about it, maybe Tony is not an enigma to him at all. Is that not what Tony's doing?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Johnny?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A scrawny kid with dark hair, glasses, and an odd series of tattoos stretching up from the neckline of his shirt and towards his chin guffaws. Dressed like one of the staff of the cafe, he approaches Steve's table excitedly. "Is that really you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry, but I think you've got the wrong guy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The kid's brow furrows. "Chris Evans?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Who?" Steve says again. "Son, you okay?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, right," the kid replies after a moment of hesitation. "Um, yeah, I think I'm fine. If you don't mind, could you clear something up and tell me your name? You look like someone I used to know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve surveys the area quickly. S.H.I.E.L.D. suggested that he keep a low profile where possible, but he did not see the harm in at least the first name. "My name is Steve."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The kid stares at him, blinks, and then says meekly, "Rogers?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He must not have been able to control his facial expressions, because the teen lights up suddenly and swiftly. "Whoa. Captain America!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the other patrons reacts with interest, but Steve just waves them off and shakes his head. "Son, you…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Don't worry, I'll be quiet," he says in a whisper and then sits down across the table from him. "I have something to show you. I'm hoping that you can help me with it, because you're the first hero that I've met."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hero?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He is not used to being called a hero. Peggy made him listen to one of his radio plays, where that word appeared regularly and often. On some level, he understands where it comes from, but the thought makes him uncomfortable. He didn't do any of it for recognition./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, yes," the boy says. "My name is Logan. Something has happened to me recently, and I wonder if you can help me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He nods hesitantly. "If I can, I will try."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy leans back and takes a deep breath. Checking to see if anyone is watching, Logan's finger tattoos faintly flash with white-ish blue light and then he drops his hand through the table, like the table itself is not even there. He repeats the motion as Steve's eyes watch with surprise, until finally the boy's hands rest on the table again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's a neat trick," he says finally, not sure what exactly he is seeing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's no trick," he explains. "It's magic."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve glances toward his smart phone and thinks of Tony and his flying suit. Is this some high-tech trick of the future that Fury has neglected to explain to him? Or could the boy be telling the truth?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Magic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve remembers a magic show that he and Bucky saw during sixth grade. His mother had to scrounge up money for weeks to afford tickets, and it had been amazing. All tricks, but amazing all the same. Steve can still remember the delight of the crowd after the magician turned a rabbit into his lovely assistant and then back again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes, magic. Real magic. Spells, rituals, incantations," Logan says. "Have you encountered anything like it before?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He is at a bit of a loss. "I can't say that I have."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Not that he had not seen his fair share of strangeness. Red skulls for faces, cosmic cubes, men who could heal within minutes from tank-busting rounds, laser guns?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Disappointment fills the teenager's face. "Really? I thought superheroes run into all kinds of stuff."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve bristles. "I'm a soldier, not a superhero." Or at least, he was. Steve clenches his fist, wondering where his life will lead, what role he will have in this era./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," the boy finally says after a long moment. "I was hoping you could point me to someone who knows more."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve studies the teenager's long face, unsure of how to respond. "How did you recognize me, son?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As soon as the question leaves his lips, he cannot help but consider the potential explanations. Perhaps a security leak at S.H.I.E.L.D. - could someone have shared confidential information about his revival from the ice? From the partial face tattoos, this teenager likely has had it rough - no one does that to themselves and is a well-adjusted person. Maybe he could even have been sent by someone to target him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan takes several moments to finally clear his throat. "How could I not recognize you? There's a WWII museum about Captain America and his Howling Commandos."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve blinks, thinking back to a museum trip that Peggy offered once. He thought it was a joke at the time and brushed it off. But, well, her health would not permit a trip anyway. "Hmm. I didn't realize that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan turns excitedly. "So, how are you alive and looking this good? Did some mad scientist build a time machine? A magic spell gone wrong? Did that serum make you immortal?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve's fist tightens against his jeans. "No, not exactly. You seem remarkably unfazed to be talking to me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The teenager beams. "Hey, I'm just glad that you're here. The world needs people like you." He pauses, not allowing Steve a moment to collect his thoughts. "So considering that you're not being swarmed by everyone on the street, have you not made your identity public? Do you still have the suit, the shield?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If Steve were not a bit uncomfortable before, he can feel tension rising in his chest. Truth be told, he doesn't know where either of them are. Somewhere locked away in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s vaults, probably. He'd been understandably concerned about that, until Fury's people helped him contact Peggy. Learning that she essentially founded the damn organization herself? He wasn't concerned anymore./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do you mean by public?" the man finally asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Doesn't the world need its Living Legend?"Logan asks without skipping a beat. "You haven't been Captain America since the forties."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He considers how to answer that and settles on a partial truth. "I haven't been around much since then." He glances toward his watch and then back toward the boy. "If you'll excuse me, I've got to run."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy looks confused. "Hey, maybe I could come with yo-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What?" Steve asks, turning to look at the kid./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, it's just, you're the first person with powers I've met. Shouldn't we… stick together?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve tries to ignore the pout on the boy's face, but he cannot help it. "Most I can promise is to reach out to some folks I know. Maybe they can get you the help you need." Something occurs to him, and he hates to admit that it wasn't the first thing he considered. "Are those powers of yours dangerous?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy studies his own hands for a moment, tracing the designs of the tattoos that encircle his fingers with his eyes. A long moment passes. "I don't know. I don't think so?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Every sense of threat analysis he'd learned in the army runs through his mind. Whatever they are - magic or no - Steve needs to follow up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"S.H.I.E.L.D. would know what to do./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That was the most awkward conversation of my life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pace back and forth in the Sanctuary, staring at the Headmaster's owl-shaped podium in the Great Hall. On its surface, a computer terminal rests, complete with access to the Internet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If I had known that I'd meet /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"the/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Steve Rogers, Marvel's own Boy Scout, I would have tried a different approach entirely. As it is, I'm pretty sure he just thinks I'm some weird kid who doesn't understand social cues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Which…. fair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I probably don't./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It doesn't help that I hermit even more than usual lately. Every hour spent outside of work is either time to sleep, to eat, or to study the Grimoire. All in preparation for tonight's raid./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hell, I should have asked Steve for help./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If these guys were really up to shady business, then having a super soldier at my side would be wonderful./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But everything about that encounter was confusing. Why would Marvel recast Johnny Storm as Steve Rogers? He certainly looked the part - he filled out every inch of that tight shirt, and his hair was the perfect shade of blond. But now I'm wondering, yet again, why there's no Fantastic Four?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The only thing I've learned about the Fantastic Four is an online archive from the New York Bulletin detailing the construction of the Baxter Building during the 1980s. No mention of their names or news reports about cosmic rays. The terminal in the Great Hall of the Cosmic Sanctuary was able to run the Internet better than I'd ever anticipated, but it didn't pry into secrets any better than an average computer in the outside world. Ooh, maybe they're classified! A government secret, or something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That still wouldn't explain that there was no Latveria and seemingly no Viktor von Doom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All that said, this was an encounter with a real superhero. One that apparently has not suited up since his crash in the Arctic Circle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is all a bit strange, honestly. As amazing as it is to meet Steve Rogers, I cannot help but feel that the whole thing is off. Have I somehow ended up in a version of Marvel where basically no one is a hero? Or one where no one is a hero yet? It feels empty, somehow, and lonelier too. A quick search later, and there's no knowledge of an X-Gene either, nor any of its associated heroes. No Avengers, no S.H.I.E.L.D. - who /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"was/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" real? Who will suit up? Anyone?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pushing the thought out of my mind, I realize from the illusion of the setting sun overhead in the Great Hall that it is time. Adjusting my dark blue hoodie and faded jeans, I pull a bandanna over my mouth and then head toward the exit, slipping into the streets. Waiting several minutes for night to finally arrive, I press against the outer wall of the pub and allow my physicality to slip into the Fade for but a moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The lyrium tattoos ignite with a slight flare of pain, but it recedes the moment my body materializes properly on the other side, crouched behind a thick wooden table covered in a ratty-looking white tablecloth. I've phased into a back room directly behind the pub, and if not for faint light from neon beer signs pouring in from a high window that connects to the front room, I might not able to see at all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull my phone and take pictures without using the flash, not daring to turn on the light and attract any unwanted attention. The place smells worse than my dad's beer breath, and the floor sticks nearly as badly as any aisle in a movie theater. I doubt they have anything incriminating only a few feet from the public front of the place, but this was the easiest place to enter, and I could sort through the pictures later. Checking under tablecloths and studying the contents of storage shelves, it all seemed very up to code, if a bit filthy. Perfect for some hole in the wall pub./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's gotta be more to it than that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A short hallway bends toward a flight of stairs headed up, and that seems the only way forward without looking through the walls toward another room. Wistfully, I wonder for a moment if this is what it was like for Fenris from Dragon Age. The elven warrior used these same lyrium-based tattoos to get vengeance on slavers and free slaves. In a way, Fenris was a bit of a superhero in a medieval fantasy setting. I doubt that I'll find something like slavery during this investigation, but anything close to drugs, money, a ledger, a trail to follow? That seems likely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I creep up the stairs slowly, thinking that Fenris could probably acrobatically avoid touching the stairs at all and slip through the ceiling to end up on the second floor. I'm nowhere near that agile, but there's not a superhero alive that doesn't know a bit of parkour. If anything, learning how to fall after a hit could save my life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, I tiptoe as carefully as I can, prepared to dash through the wall to my right at the first sign of trouble in the hopes I can avoid injury. I don't feel confident enough to phase through bullets or something insane like that, but maybe one day./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The second floor opens into a hallway that leads toward several doorways and another stairwell heading up. Carefully, I activate my lyrium tattoos to slip just my head through the first door, revealing something akin to a break room with a long wooden table, a flat screen television playing baseball, and little else. Pulling back and then repeating that trick with the rest, each of these rooms is thankfully unoccupied, with only one containing anything of probable interest: an old-fashioned office complete with a desk and a wall of screens showing six different security camera feeds./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh, duh. Cameras./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I should have thought of that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I flare my soul and create a younger spawn of myself dressed in the same outfit. With a splash of white light, he appears already leaning against the desk, holding a hand to his hip. "Yo, boss, what do you need?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's probably footage of us," I suggest, pointing to a screen showing the very hallway we just entered. "I didn't think to look."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Rookie mistake."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Like you'd have done it differently."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I might have!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just do it!" I hiss, pointing toward the desktop computer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clone rolls his eyes, sits in the rolling chair behind the desk, and activates the computer, only to be met with a login screen. "Huh. At least basic security. They're not complete morons."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Any chance of being lucky enough that the password is written down somewhere in here?" I ask, wishing that I did not have to sometimes have conversations with myself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clone starts to look, but I flare my soul once more and create another copy, sending both of them to check every nook and cranny./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"After two minutes, nothing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"After one minute? Visitors./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The second clone shoves into my shoulder and points, whispering, "Look. We've got company."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"On the security feed for the fourth floor hallway, two men dressed in long overcoats step into the space from one of the adjoining rooms, and the camera picks up barely enough detail to see one of their faces contorting in a smirking sneer. There's no audio feed, just visual, and they're heading for the stairs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Should we hide?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, boss, should we?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I force my soul back into one, feeling the two clones vanish in less than the span of a heartbeat. Snapping a short recorded video of them on the screen with my phone, I take a solid breath and then hide in the back corner, knowing that I can simply slip backwards through the wall from this position or even through the floor if they come into this room. From this angle, I can still see some of the computer screens, but this is the best hiding place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For a moment, I consider opening myself up to the Winds of Azyr, to feel their calming touch and predict whether I will make it through, but even those predictions are not precise and are better cast under clear skies, outdoors. Realistically, there is much I still need to study for even the basics of Azyr, and I'm starting to get the impression I may never be a master. Even still, some of its spells have some use. At the rate I'm going, it'd be two or three weeks before I have most of them down./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hear them approach loudly from the stairs, laughing with thick New Yorker accents. One of the screens briefly illuminates them as they step onto the landing and head toward the break room down the hall. I hear the taller of the two say, "We got that girl up there completely at our mercy. Nesbitt's gonna love it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A girl./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At their mercy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I push myself to my feet, hands shaking but heart resolute./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The trip to the stairs involves passing their door normally, so instead, I push through interior rooms and their walls to avoid passing by the threshold to the break room. Landing on a stair with a faint glow of white-blue light, I stalk up the stairs as quietly as I can, wishing I knew more about how many of them there were between me and that room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I bypass the third floor entirely, stepping onto the fourth floor landing and heading directly to that door, keeping my eyes and ears peeled for anyone that may be around./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Closed and locked means nothing to me anymore./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Phasing through the wood with my head first, the smell of body odor and other filth fills my nose. A brass bed lies in one corner, and a young woman leans against it while halfway on the floor, dressed in nearly nothing. A thick sheen of sweat covers every inch of exposed skin, and her head lolls back on her shoulders, her auburn hair wild and matted behind her. Three syringes litter the room and one lies in her hand, only half expunged, and her bare thigh shows evidence of the rest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, hey," I say as I slip the rest of the way inside, my eyes already locking onto the closet door only a few feet away. "You're safe now. I'll get you out of here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, no!" she whimpers, pushing herself away from me. The young woman giggles hysterically, maniacally, and I lean down over her. "Get away, get away. I already-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ma'am, you need to listen to me," I say with more authority in my voice, but this woman is too far gone to listen to anything that I have to say./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A snap of my fingers generates three clones - two to pull her up and one to watch the door, while I fish the Key to the Cosmic Sanctuary from my pocket. It almost seems to leap into my grasp, begging to be used, which is more than I can say for the victim of these men. For all I know, she's well on her way to an overdose - I have to hope that the Phantom can help her quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Once the clones finally wrangle her into their grasp, I pull open the closet door, revealing the innards of the Sanctuary just beyond them. The clones lead her and myself inside, until finally, the door to the outside world closes behind us./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Feb 6, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_8_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 7/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The two minion clones and I heave the semi-conscious redhead onto the hospital bed. Her face is a mess of running make-up, sweat, tears, and a bit of blood pooling from bruises along her cheeks and left eye. The Phantom of the Hospital Wing is nowhere to be seen, but its presence is felt. The blankets and sheets on the bed begin to move of their own accord, to hold her down gently and to wipe away some of the dried vomit along her lips./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Is there anything more you can do?" I ask the room, getting impatient. I don't know what more I expected, necessarily - I've never tried to detox someone and don't even know the first thing about how it would work./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary has access to the services of this space."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"the Master/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" wants you to share."/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This space is limited in what it can accomplish unless the Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary is the patient of this space."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great. So the Phantom can only really perform medical operations when I'm involved. "Why?"/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Medicinal magic from this space can only be provided to the Master of the Cosmic Sanctuary."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I roll my eyes, wishing that I had gained some healing spells somewhere. Even just a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"cure wounds /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"or a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"protection from poison/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" would work wonders here. There has to be something like that in the book, somewhere. It's all just a matter of where it can be found, and if my connection to the Celestial Grimoire continues to grow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can you at least keep her calm and give her water?"/span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This space shall provide such."/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clones and I share a look of equal disdain before I look toward the exit. "Keep her here, don't let her leave." The Phantom does not make its direct ghostly appearance known, but the double doors leading into the Entrance Hall open of their own accord. The hospital bed containing the woman whose name and story I still do not know moves several feet back and away from any of the strange windows, and the thick curtains draw themselves and block out most of the ethereal purple light coming from the space beyond./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'll be back, ma'am. I promise."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steeling myself and dispelling the cloned minions, I carefully walk toward the Entrance Hall doorway, which perfectly matches the inside of a closet door. Slowly, I push the door open a fraction of an inch./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes lock onto the stupified expressions of a man trying to tear the Key from the doorknob. It lurches backward like a crimson snake, biting with its teeth and ripping part of the man's finger clean off. He cries out in pain, and I shove the door forward hard. The edge clocks him in the jaw and sends him skittering back a couple of feet, nearly to his knees./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What the fuck?!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""My question to you exactly," I mutter, popping two clones into existence on either side of him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The shocked man reaches into his belt and pulls a gun as quickly as he can. I dive to the floor and hear, but do not see, the two clones firing their blasts of white magic into the man's left and right shoulder. He falls to the ground in a heap next to me, eyes wringing with pain and shirt sleeves sizzling from esoteric damage./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sucks, doesn't it?" I ask, pushing myself to my feet and kicking his gun into the far corner of the room. He groans. "What did you want with this woman?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He doesn't answer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Two twelve year olds kick him in the shins, and he screeches in agony./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I feel the connection to Azyr flow, tapping into mathematical formulas that can predict and simulate the very weather of the heavens. My mind races with information that could not possibly be fully understood without years of study, but for me, I cheat. Electricity builds between my fingers like a thunderstorm, arcing from one point to another with all the potential of a lightning strike./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What the hell?" he barks out, eyes widening in terror./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is barely more than what a Taser can do, but he doesn't need to know that. It's the only offensive spell I have managed because it is the easiest to produce: a short range bolt of electricity that can easily take down a mortal man. It even has a funny name: T'essla's Arc./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tell me what you're doing with this woman!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The door to the hallway bursts open at that moment, and a clone moves at the same time to fling a white bolt of its own essence. The bolt splashes against the next thug, and he doubles over as though he'd be hit in the stomach with a bowling ball. The sudden movement knocks the second thug behind him off his balance, but his cries of indignation are cut off when the arc of electricity meets him on the chest. He falls to the ground like a sack of potatoes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tell me, now, or all of your friends will get it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I snap my fingers and generate four more of me, creating a veritable wall of flesh to look up and over this injured man./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't know what the fuck you are," the man spits, "but you're not getting noth-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A clone stomps on his groin, while another snap-kicks into his head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Once more, lightning arcs between my fingers. I kneel down next to the groaning man and hold the energy just before his eyes. I can probably manage one more of these before I need to cool off for a while./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You have two choices," I say, enjoying the serenity that comes with the blue wind of Azyr. "One: you tell me now and avoid this. Or two: you tell me after this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hear shouting coming from down the hall, and the clones meet my eyes for a split-second before they throw themselves into the hallway. Gunshots begin peppering my eardrums, even as flashes of white light brighten the darkness coming from the door./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm not telling you nothing!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I let the lightning loose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man screams in agony, the skin of his bare neck cooking under the onslaught. The smell is horrid, but the sound is far worse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're probably the most stubbo-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A minion of me falls to the ground just outside the open doorway, blood pooling from a circular open wound in his forehead. My eardrums ring from the nearness to the sound of gunfire, and then the clone pops out of existence with little more than a fading white light./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man below me is unconscious./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can sense there's still fighting just beyond the door, but the clones are losing. I send three more into the doorway to engage the enemy, feeling a slight pang of guilt. They are not real, but they… look young./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take a deep breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My best option right now, given that I don't know who else is out there, is to run, but I can't just leave the Key in this random closet door. It would stay here until I can get the woman out of there, which would leave these men with access to the Sanctuary, the Grimoire, and anything else hidden inside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Using it was probably a bad idea./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But how else was I supposed to get her out of harm's way? I cannot phase through walls and other objects while also carrying another person. Sneaking her out in this state was nearly impossible - she can barely think, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"if/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An idea comes to mind quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pat the man below me down and smile when I feel it. A flip phone is in my hands within an instant, and my fingers dance across the number pad./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""9-1-1, what is your emergency?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I heighten my voice as much as possible. "Hey… I can hear gunfire! Someone's hurt. We're on 47th and 10th." I hang up, hoping the authorities would arrive quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I need to wrap up here. Get this woman out of my Sanctuary and somewhere safe to wait for paramedics, people who can actually detox her system. Take down as many of these guys as I can to keep the police safe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A calming breath exhales through my nostrils./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tattoos activate and carry me into the next room, passing through the wall and into a small kitchenette. Dangling over the threshold leading into the hallway is a single unconscious man, a ripped hole in his jacket from one of the minions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wish that my minion ability did not have such a steep range limit - I could send a dozen or more throughout the building to clear the whole thing out, while I sit in relative safety. Instead, I have to be too close to the gun-toting action to feel safe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My voice - higher-pitched than normal - cuts through the din of battle just around the corner. "There're more coming!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The sound of one of them choosing to explode stresses my already ringing eardrums. Powering through, I carefully lean around the corner, crouching first to try to be out of normal eye level. The last thing I need is a hole in the head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Three of these thugs lie prone in the immediate vicinity, while two more are up ahead in fisticuffs with the remaining two minions. Shouting from downstairs proves there/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" are /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"more coming, so I fall prone and prepare my tattoos again. Sinking my torso through the floor in order to get an angle on the room below me is a difficult prospect, if only because getting the right posture to avoid falling prematurely is hard. After nearly losing my balance once, I finally manage to poke my face through./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An empty storage room, filled with boxes upon boxes of who knows what. It smells faintly of charcoal and urine, though why could be anyone's guess in New York City. Twisting my head to reorient my ears to poke slightly through the ceiling, I can still faintly hear the sound of fighting from the fourth floor, but it sounds clear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking a deep breath, I let myself fall and then abruptly cut the connection to my tattoos, allowing me to land carefully near some crates. This room is bigger than I expected - it looks like each of the third-floor rooms, at least on this side of the central corridor, leads to a wide space for storage. It is filled with who knows what, and exactly the kind of place I should check for illicit goods./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If I had time, I would./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, the police would have to handle it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I snap my fingers to generate three new minions and send them up the stairs, hopefully pinching the reinforcements between two groups. The second they round the corner, they shoot bits of their own essence as globules of white magic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck, there's more of them!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What even are the fuckers?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't know!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of them manages to peg the leg of one, sending the thug barreling down the stairs and screaming in pain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If I had some extra durability or perhaps mastery over that shielding spell from Azyr, I would feel comfortable engaging with them directly. Instead, I need to play it safe. I snap my fingers and generate a minion next to me. "Warn them off." I am starting to get tired, anyway - whatever power or magic that I am using to create these minions is bound to run out eventually./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I should really test my limits before I go out again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Damn. That feels like a really obvious thing that I should have realized./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minion dashes up the stairs to join the rest. "None of this is going to stop until you put down your weapons and turn yourselves in to the police for your foul misdeeds."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fat chance! We're the bloody Kitchen Irish. We own this city!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sean, is that thing a kid?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minion does not let that disturb him. "I don't care if you think you own the state. Justice is coming for you!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bullets pepper the air overhead again, and the clone tumbles down the stairs before dissipating into white light./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Three more minions join him at the snap of a finger, and all three are aiming to do the same thing - blow themselves the fuck up. I crouch behind the wall and turn away to avoid the flash in my eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The resounding shock wave vibrates the floor and the nearest windows. Bits of debris from some of the topmost stairs that are now ruined cloud the air like dust, and the screams of anguished thugs reverberate throughout the hallway. I climb the stairs carefully after waiting several seconds to see what they will do next, if any of them are in a position to move after that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I snap pictures of their faces while in unconscious pain, just to ensure there's evidence of which of them were here. While taking the time do that, the building has quieted significantly - perhaps that is all of them. Whomever the Kitchen Irish were, they seem fairly small fry compared to their boasting./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Own the city my ass. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hurry back to the top of the fourth floor stairwell and back toward the closet, heading into the Sanctuary with one goal in mind: get this woman out of here so that the police can send paramedics to detox her. Putting her here was smart, if only because she was not in harm's way, but there were other options. All this really did, this time, is ensure that I would not have an easy way out, not without leaving the open entrance to the Cosmic Sanctuary in the middle of a gang headquarters./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hospital Wing opens for me as I approach, and the woman still lies in a half-conscious state, a floating cup of water trying to enter her mouth safely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right, police are on their way with paramedics. I'm getting you out of here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The bedsheets and blankets relent to allow her more freedom of movement, and I snap two more clones into existence to help her get out./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agh!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A pang in my chest and in my head forces me to my knees, and the minions nearly destabilize as the pain throbs. After a moment, it dulls finally, and the wavering forms of the minions solidify./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Okay, so I'm approaching the limit of how much I can do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be too good to be true to be able to endlessly spawn those minions without any sort of drawback, outside of the range. They don't pack a huge punch on their own as is - nothing they can do is going to do much more than knock an average guy out cold with a solid hit. Start throwing aliens, robots, killer animals, etc. at them? They'd be useless./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minions that I do have left help me to carry the girl to the Entrance Hall, but before I open the door with her outside, I check carefully once more. The room beyond is empty./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull her outside and then pull the Key from the lock. It latches onto my finger, wrapping around it almost like a slimy finger, before returning to its usual state./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stay in here!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The closet door opens again, revealing an actual closet this time, full of clothes and other usual goods. There's enough room for her to hide uncomfortably, but it will have to do. I push the girl inside and close the door, the sound of police sirens getting closer my cue to leave. "Be careful!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Feeling my tattoos burn to life, walls, doors, and furniture are no obstacles for my escape. The moment the night air touches my skin, nearly half-a-block away from the action, I breathe a sigh of relief./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I need to rest, to recuperate, and to study, before I attempt anything like that again. One gang hideout has been raided - likely one of several, just from the same gang. Whomever the Kitchen Irish are, they have dealings with Geraldine back at the cafe. Is she one of them? A front for them? Do they have something on her? One less hideout in the area available to them is bound to put pressure on the rest, but maybe - just maybe - they'll leave her and the rest of the city alone./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_9_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 8/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Frigid air billows across every inch of my exposed skin, snowflakes biting like like needles against my cheeks and lips. Thick flurries make it difficult to see beyond a few inches in front of my face, though vague shapes of dead deciduous trees fill the space just beyond the periphery./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I push forward then double back, thoughts and confusion filling my thoughts. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"How did I get here?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blizzard blasts the forest with such intense cold that I can hardly move, forced to put one foot in front of the other in careful, controlled movements. My feet thrust deep into snowbanks that grow taller by the second, and frozen liquid seeps through my flannel pajama pants. I may as well be nude for all the good this is doing me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Howling winds steal my voice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello! Help!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nothing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agony begins to seep into the soles of my feet, into my ankles, into my hips and waist. I fall to my knees, barely sticking up from the snow while I struggle to survive. How long before hypothermia take my fingers and toes? Before I'm no longer a man? Before I could moonlight as Voldemort?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A glint of light fills the space between my fingers, and something slightly warm slides into my palm. I grasp onto it like it is my last hope and open my hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Resting on my palm is a familiar icy-white crystal, the symbol of a snowflake etched in a darker blue. It pulsates with an intensity that cannot be ignored, and with every second that passes, the feeling of the cold against my skin ebbs away. I grab it tighter, desperate for quicker relief, and the snow /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"bends /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"away from me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blizzard howls. The snow falls. The cold seeps./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But it does not reach me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A small shielding aura envelops my body, concentrated power exuding from the crystalline stone. I experimentally wave it to the right, and snowbanks roll away from me under their own accord, exposing the dead forest floor. The pattern of the falling snow itches to follow my whim, ignoring the will of the storm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But it lasts a moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The wind reasserts control of its ice, and the power from the crystal returns to a dim, dull glow keeping only some of the cold ferocity at bay./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" knew /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"you could accomplish this feat, 'fore the ice seeks to steal the seat."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar voice echoes throughout the forest, carried loftily and unnaturally by the wind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sitting in the bough of a nearby tree is a young boy with the sparkling wings of a fairy and the ears of an elf. Dressed in greens and whites, his rosy cheeks belie his shared exposure to the cold. The carcass of a partially skinned rabbit - the product of a hunt, I guess - hangs from his waist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Puck?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fey spirit leaps from the tree and lands amidst the forest floor, touching softly upon the snow without sinking. The flurries dust him over and over, his shoulders covered in white./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This frost seeks to ruin all, for it answers to her call."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"More important questions fade, and my eyes blink. "Wait - who's her?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That time will come soon, for speaking her name can lead to doom. We must stay hidden from her scries, for you now possess her greatest prize." Puck gestures, and a flurry of greenish-yellow magic coalesces into an image of the Celestial Grimoire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So this/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" she/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" wants the book?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Puck nods and closes his fingers, forcing the illusion to vanish. "The Celestial Grimoire is the best of her intelligent designs, able to pierce the veil between distance spaces and times."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My brow furrows, the wind stinging against my cheek even with the protective magic of the crystal in my hand, whatever it is. "Why are you telling me all this now? Why didn't you tell me when we met?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Puck glimmers with a smile, fairy wings fluttering for a moment. "'Twas first a whim that brought me to you. Now, I see you have promise to change my view. Stepped into harm to save another soul - perhaps a hero is your perfect role."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Frustration builds in my chest. "So now you give a shit? Because I beat up some unprepared thugs?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fairy sighs, wings aflutter. "Only someone with the will to fight could possibly stand against her might. One day, she will come and-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The storm rages to a higher and higher intensity, wind threatening to down a nearby tree. Puck glances up toward the sky, where the clouds begin to part. With swift fingers, he draws a single fig leaf from a pouch attached to his belt./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You must leave Avalon behind, for this ice can threaten even my kind. The storm of her wrath shall grow, until all but you will stand alone. She will come for you and your book, until she can take what I took."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With preternatural speed, the fairy pokes the leaf onto my forehead. My stomach lurches from its position, like the world's worst reaction to an elevator's change in speed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Become a hero, and magic you'll learn. Fights you'll face while her darkness yearns."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His words trail off, while my mind reels, trying desperately to understand the impact of his words. With each of Puck's syllables, the surroundings fade like water poured onto a wet canvas. Colors bleed until all returns to white, whiter than even the brightest snow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I gasp, fingers latching onto the post of my four-poster bed. The ceiling of the castle's bedroom - the only one, even if it would be neat if all four common rooms and their towers were present - looks uninvitingly dull. The room is quiet, and the heavy weight of the thick spellbook rests on my chest, a bit of drool coating the side of my pillow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Just a dream./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Or… a vision?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't think about this today. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Going through my morning routine amidst the spacious accommodations of a pseudo-castle is a melancholy. I itch to snap my fingers, just to have something to talk to, but… well that won't do. Twelve-year-old me is not an engaging conversationalist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lean against the teachers' table, enjoying the Great Hall's bonafide Fruit Loops. I have dragged Dumbledore's owl-shaped podium into reach, because atop it rests the terminal that can access the Internet just beyond whatever strange pocket dimension this seems to be. Despite my predilections to spend hours and hours online, I have not actually spent much time looking this thing over. Studying magic has taken that space up in my day - the Grimoire lies tantalizingly at my side even now, waiting for me to open it and see if anything new has appeared, but I need a moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I tap the screen, watching magic and technology interface together to simulate a state of the art computer. In fact, it might be better than state of the art - the fact that it's touch-screen alone means it's better than any computer I've ever had before./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A browser opens, and fingers dash against the keyboard. News websites, public forums, social media - anything that may reveal more information about the aftermath of what happened to that girl and the pub. It is a frustratingly slow process, which likely means that it's not going to hit mainstream news or I'd have found something already. Minutes bleed into half an hour, earning me a cold bowl of half-eaten cereal and a mind that cannot stop thinking about Puck and whatever the fuck that meant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That little elf doesn't deserve my attention right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The headlines all read the same - nothing about me, nothing about the woman. My vision focuses on the lines of lyrium running down my fingers. A less useful Shadowcat: at least Kitty can do rescue operations. If I could have taken her with me, maybe I'd know she was safe, or at least know more about where she is now. I only stayed long enough last night to see the police arrive. She's probably in police custody by now, so that at least assuages my worries./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I spend another half-hour searching websites for local New York papers, but nothing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scanning the huge, empty dining hall, I grimace. The keyboard shifts into view again, and another website appears only a moment later. Going through the registration process is easy, even for someone who doesn't legally exist, which is convenient enough for now. A few minutes later, and a phone number appears - a moment more, and my smart phone finally has the ability to be used for calling. It's through an app for burner numbers and it needs wifi, but it will do. Much cheaper than buying a phone plan./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar set of numbers ring./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My heart skips a beat, and then disappointment settles into the pit of my stomach./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A woman's voice, but not… not my mother's./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello?" the poor woman says again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, no- wrong number."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hangs up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A tear wells in my eyes, stinging slightly against the more sensitive lyrium tattoos that run toward the base of my cheek./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not bother to call anyone else in my contacts, yet I cannot bring myself to delete them. A monument to my past - a way to remember them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Celestial Grimoire rests just inches away from the forgotten breakfast, within arm's reach. A thick stack of scratch paper and parchment rests within the pages, the remnants of the hour of Azyr studying I got in before I fell into a deep slumber. Pulling the scattered pages from their position and then opening the book, I settle in for a busy morning, brow furrowing at the complex series of diagrams./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some part of me knows how these work, at least in brief, but context is missing and it makes truly understanding what I am reading, what I am doing, difficult to master. There's no quick cheat to Azyr, unlike the tattoos or the ritual for my minions. Even still, even without becoming an apprentice to a master diviner of the Heavens, I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"am/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" getting it - T'essla's Arc is proof enough. I simply need to put in the time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nothing in high school geometry could have prepared me for /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"arcane /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"proofs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I flip further in the section for more Azyr spells, but something feels off- oh! There's something else stuck in the pages./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A thin silvery-blue mirror catches my reflection. Circular in shape, the runic markings of the Celestial Grimoire dance around its edges, condensing most strongly around a single ruby crystal at its apex. I meet my own gaze within the reflective surface, and as I pull it from between the pages, it begins to hover a few inches from my hand before finding a stopping point, anchored to the air above my hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Grimoire's pages reveal its secrets, and oh boy this thing is useful. I'll never have to commute home again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull the ruby from its socket and place it carefully on the ground at my feet. Twisting the mirror in place three times counter-clockwise and then seven times clockwise, I tilt the mirror's face down to capture the ruby's position. Now, the surface loses its reflective powers, instead showing the gem's position no matter the angle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Picking up the ruby and placing it back into the socket, I dash excitedly across the room. With a careful exhale, I press my finger to the gemstone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A flurry of light and sound pulls me from one place to another nearly instantly. A flicker of blue magic deposits me above the place where the ruby gemstone once stood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A magic mirror that can always teleport me back to a specific point, one that has been prepped properly. It should work across any reasonable distance - a few hundred miles, apparently - and I'll always be able to get back to where I want to go. It does not work in both directions, and it looks like it won't work to bring me back to the Sanctuary if I'm not already in it. The mirror itself can appear and disappear to my side at will, so at least carrying it around is not difficult./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This could really help me escape some dangerous situations. Mid-firefight with a gang of thugs that I can't feasibly take down otherwise? I can get home. Too close to a nuclear explosion? No more danger for me. The latter feels unlikely to happen, but I'm running around in a universe that runs on narrativium. If some villain or villains really want to nuke New York City, then it'll be because some story arc needed it to happen that way./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Which… is unsettling, to say the least./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take a dive through the Celestial Grimoire, just in case anything else new has appeared. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"No, no, no - oh, there is. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes widen./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This…. this would make all of it easier. All of it. Learning Azyr, studying the Grimoire, remembering details in an investigation?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I must have it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Reading this passage involves some truly esoteric information. An acknowledgment of one's infinitesimal place in the universe. An understanding that an even more miniscule place for one exists in the infinite multiverse. A goal - to learn all that exists, existed, and will exist. An ambition - to learn all that exists, existed, and will exist in/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" every /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"place and time. The pages end with a slow descent of thought, a deepening of knowledge, a furthering of one's own mind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With each word I read, my body droops into exhaustion. Each syllable of thought drives the mind into paralysis. Into incapacitation. Into slumber./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My forehead falls hard onto the parchment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For a moment, just a moment, it almost feels like my head falls further, slipping into the pages./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And then consciousness fades into nothingness as sleep takes over./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A knocking sound at the door slowly pulls me from my dreams. It takes a moment for my clarity of mind to return, crystal clear and better than ever before./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I push myself from the Great Hall, from the Grimoire, wondering idly if all that was successful. A flash of memory slowly expands into detail that I could not have thought possible, almost like I can picture the exact wallpaper designs of the living room decor from the house of my childhood. That's better than before, so it must have worked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The knocking continues distantly, and I slip through the door to the Sanctuary, pulling the Key from the lock. The hotel room door shakes again as someone raps their knuckles against it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Coming!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The knocking stops as whomever it is takes the time to wait./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Brushing at myself carefully, I slowly open the door a bit just to check./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The worried face of Beth meets my gaze, her blonde hair tied back in a knot. "Logan! Where have you been?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Today's my off day-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shakes her head and gestures for me to let her in. "No, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"yesterday/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" was your off day. You missed your shift today."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull back the chain and allow her inside, the woman carefully pacing back and forth. "Wait- I thought I was off on Saturday."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You were," she explains with a confused look. "It'll be Monday in two hours." At my expression, her face softens, and her eyes study my bare torso. "Logan, are you all right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh? Yeah, I'm okay. Sorry for the no shirt, I just woke up."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Am /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I okay?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Did I just lose almost two days to the book?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Geraldine is pissed, Logan." Beth sits on the chair next to the hotel bed. "Where were you today?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I overslept," I answer, hoping that I'm not lying. It's true, but hard to explain. "Stayed up late last night."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth purses her lips, looking toward her watch. "That's more than a little worrying." She takes in a deep breath. "Look, I don't know how to say this properly, so I'm just going to say it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can feel a pit in my stomach drop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You don't work hard enough. You come into work distracted, like your mind is on ten million other things."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She holds a finger to stop me. "I am more than okay knowing all of that - you're staying in a hotel, you're not finishing school, there're no parents. I understand all of that." She puts a hand on my shoulder and her lips extend to a tight frown. "But then… then you come to work with all these tattoos. I don't know where they came from, I don't know how they're so intricate - you're so young! And you're not getting paid enough for them - I couldn't afford anything like that either. So, I'm worried. Everyone at work is worried. Hell, Markos thinks you're some skinhead druggie."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I look away from her and take a seat on the edge of the mattress, fingers gripping at the blanket just for something to hold./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There is so much I wish I could say. Every story that I've ever read says bringing others into the fold is dangerous - keeping up the secret identity, keeping up the masquerade is important. It keeps others safe, allows the hero a piece of normalcy to cling to despite all the chaos./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, it would be so easy to simply walk to the bathroom door and show her the Sanctuary, the Grimoire. She would understand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But I can't. And she wouldn't./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Don't shut me out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes flicker up to meet hers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You need someone to care for you," she says carefully after a moment. "To listen to your struggles and act as that role model you're missing. Whatever you're going through," she takes in a deep breath, "you can't do it alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hesitate, mind reeling of crystal clear memories of family, of friends, more than a universe away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I appreciate you coming here, Beth, saying all this. You've been kind to me, kinder than I deserve."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She sighs. "C'mon, you deserve kindness. Someone in your situation, that's the least someone can do."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I smile half-heartedly. "I wish I could tell you everything."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth looks away for a second, contemplating what to say next. "All right then. Find a therapist. Send me the bill."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, no, I couldn't ask you to pay-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shakes her head. "You need to talk to someone. If whatever is going on is distracting you enough that you cannot do a job as simple as dishwashing without losing focus, then it's a big deal. It has to be. And big deal problems require big deal solutions. Be honest with someone, Logan. If it cannot be me, then it needs to be someone. I don't mind helping you pay for it, but-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Please, let's just move on." She purses her lips. "Is Geraldine going to let me come back?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm sure she will, but she's not going to forget it. The woman holds a mean grudge."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Good to know," I say with a sigh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The conversation lulls for a few seconds, and Beth eventually stands. "I need to head out, my boyfriend is waiting for movie night. You want to join us?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head. "No, no third-wheeling for me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She rolls her eyes and smiles. "All right, fine. Do something fun. And please, take a shower." Walking to the door, Beth stops just before leaving. "Call me if you need me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wave in acknowledgment, and she slips out of the room. As the door closes, I drop onto the hotel bed, a lot running through my mind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have a way to make money. I don't have to worry about food costs - the Great Hall provides food. The Sanctuary itself provides any electrical needs, any water needs. The only thing that my job really does is provide an extra door between the outside world and the bloody Key to the Sanctuary. And ultimately, I need that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But I could work somewhere else, one day. A job that allows me to take advantage of my unique resources. Even my most recent ability - an awakened mind, capable of remembering perhaps every detail I ever read? That could make me better at any research job out there, or maybe I could go to school somewhere and earn any degree that I want. Doctor, lawyer, engineer? Any major white collar job could be in my grasp. I'd need a form of ID first, of course, but I'm feeling more confident than ever about that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But none of those would make me as fulfilled as what I did the other night, saving that woman./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"To do that more effectively, I need to do more research, to read more of the Grimoire. To figure out who Puck is talking about and what Puck even himself wants./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And… Beth is right. I should talk to someone. This is a lot. Too much for one person. How do/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" any /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"heroes really do it?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A Rarefied Mind = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Feb 21, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_10_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 9/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fresh scent and taste of coffee is brilliant. A dark, soothing roast that slightly scalds my tongue, despite the deliberate drowning of cream and sweetener. It's surprisingly good for an office like this, and focusing on the cup has helped me get through the awkward first few minutes of this conversation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So, Logan - in our last session, I feel as though we did not make progress."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up at Ty Burrell, near perfect memories of Modern Family's first season running through my mind. Except here, the man is not an actor - here, the man is a therapist, holding a notepad as he leans backward in his desk chair, ready to listen to whatever will spew out of my mouth next. His work environment says a lot about him - disorganized chaos.. Doctor Leonard Samson is not a name I recognize from the comics, but considering that Captain America and Iron Man look like actors, I'm willing to bet he's someone important. I just wish I knew/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" who. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, well, it's week two," I reply. "Don't these things take time?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Typically," the man says as he clears his throat. "You seem fairly intelligent for your age. How are your grades?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot help but frown. My grades back home were good - great, even - but this is not the first time that Samson has pried further into where I came from. In fact, him agreeing to see me at all is weird - what kind of therapist does business under the table like this? Without asking for insurance up front?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fine," I say noncommittally, earning a neutral stare. "Why did you agree to meet with me again?" Samson did not mention it last time, and I'd remember if he did. Perfectly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles. "I meet with patients of all ages and in many unique and troubling situations."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He said that before, too. Why he bothered to take on a client who can't even give him insurance, a driver's license, or anything is more than a bit confusing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's my job to read people. Their faces, their body language, how they present themselves," Samson says after a moment, a slight tapping of a pen to paper punctuating each syllable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do you read about me?" I ask, genuinely curious but feeling a bit silly. Meeting with a therapist is a mistake if I cannot be honest about everything, and so this feels almost like a waste of time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Doctor Samson takes a long drink from his own matching cup, looking me over from behind the lenses of thick glasses. "You mentioned, Logan, that you're feeling overwhelmed, like you have too much on your plate. Quite frankly, the exhaustion is clear as day on your face, like the thick bags under your eyes. You're barely wearing something more than pajamas, and I'm not convinced that you showered before comin-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I did!" My face reddens, and I don't know why he's complaining about the clothes. These are comfortable./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fair enough," he relents with a raising of his hand. "How much sleep did you get last night?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I swallow. "Not a lot."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The spell snaps into existence as the blue currents of Azyr pass through me and then flow high into the sky, almost instantly. The flare of the Winds are likely visible on the horizon for people in the distance, but it fades as fast as it appears, like a powerful bolt of lightning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes shine with renewed power as the stars twinkle above Manhattan, glimmering for a long few seconds and cutting through the dulling pollution from the city's nightlife. They glitter in a pattern - understandable only for those who have studied the stars like an astromancer - before a single westerly star appears to burn ever brighter. I know what that entails - the object I seek is to the west and is moving quickly./span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"The voice of the newscaster from earlier today plays in my mind once more, aided by the enhanced memory recall. /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Breaking news tonight out of the NYPD and - somehow - not the tabloids. Unknown assailants attacked a police transport carrying a local woman into protective custody, and the assailants have captured her. Two officers are injured, a third dead. Sources suspect this is the latest plot in the story of New York City's gang violence problem. The woman, Suzanne Harrow, is the heiress to the Harrow Unlimited fortune. She is notorious for her presence in the Manhattan party scene, and The Inquirer speculated last week that she may have been missing from the public eye since the first week of April. There are no further details available at this time, but the NYPD ensures that their search is ongoing."/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That was her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman I saved. Nearly two weeks ago./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The heiress to some minor trade company. Local college student at NYU. Apparently a target for the Kitchen Irish, a gang in Hell's Kitchen with its own checkered past./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And now, she is in danger again. Presumably from the same goons./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The divining spell from Azyr locked onto her location. Admittedly, this is risky because the spell is not meant for people, but rather for objects. Realistically, the spell could be a false positive or perhaps just wildly incorrect, but I have to try. It's the best way I could find her, without breaking further into the new library in the Sanctuary. Thanks to an enhanced memory, learning Azyr has become significantly easier, and more of its tools are at my fingertips. I must try to find her, before these gang members get whatever it is that they want./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pulling the hoodie tighter around my head and the bandana around my face, I drop through the rooftop of this building, allowing lyrium to force my body out of sync with the Waking World. I cut the connection just as I reach the bottom, hearing a gasp and the sound of a shopping bag hitting the floor./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A woman darts away from me, nearly running into a rack of clothes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sorry! Didn't mean to spook ya!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Not giving her time to call security on what may as well have been a ghost to her, I run straight for the nearest wall and into the street. Nothing is a deterrent for me as I sprint right through a packed tourist bus, lyrium faintly radiating light in my wake. I don't hear their panicked cries for help or for terror, running right for the corner store and continuing west./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd find her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have to find her./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pulling myself back to the present, I clear my throat. "Why do you help people?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That seems to surprise Samson. He puts the coffee down onto the table next to him and steeples his fingers in his lap. "Where does this question come from?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just something on my mind lately," I say simply, trying - and probably failing - to not show how I'm feeling. Not to a trained professional./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I help people because I believe it is my calling," the doctor says with a sincere smile. "It is what I have always wanted to do, even from your age. Firefighter, police officer, soldier, teacher - I wanted to be lots of things, but at the root of each one? Helping people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I bristle a bit under this, but I'm not sure why. He seems to notice my reaction and scribbles on his notepad, only adding to my discomfort./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It should not bother me, really. I've spent much of my life hearing people talk about the call from God to do certain things, to build livelihoods, to support their community or their family./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Have /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I been called?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Did God "work in mysterious ways" to punish the little gay boy and force Puck to steal me from my life, all so I can play hero in an entirely different and previously fictional world?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Okay, maybe it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"should/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" bother me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How did you know therapy was the right way for you to help people? Why not the other things you said?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dr. Samson pushes his glasses up, a movement that I do frequently to center myself and re-focus. "I blame my freshman year psychology teacher. Made me realize that serving someone's needs does not have to involve throwing your life on the line." He looks at me pointedly. "But enough about me. Logan, am I wrong in presuming that this is something you want to do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes widen. "Throwing my life on the line?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blanches. "No, no, I simply meant to ask if you wish to have a career that will allow you assist others."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A career?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Can superheroism be a career?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How do the teams like the X-Men get paid? If memory serves - and it does, but I haven't read every X-Men comic - funding for the team came directly from Xavier's fortune and later came from Warren Worthington's rich inheritance. But does Wolverine get a paycheck from Charles every month? Or do they all work pro-bono?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I think back to the doctor's suggestion about putting his life on the line. In a real world situation, would superheroes actually accept working for free? There's no narrative reason of trying to inspire the audience to better their communities by working for free in a real-world situation. The "ideal" hero receives nothing in compensation for their good deeds, for putting themselves and their lives in harm's way. It feels right to me to be closer to the ideal, but that ideal clashes with reality doesn't it? It's not like police officers work for free./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I look back up at him sheepishly. "Sorry, was just thinking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""About a career?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In the spirit of honesty, I nod./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If something like God called me here to a higher calling, then would it be wrong to accept money to follow that calling? If I could even get someone to pay me, anyway - not like last night./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The touch of Azyr that flows through my chest, that softly caresses the back of my neck, that lightly trails along the edge of my wrists, guides me through every city street between here and their location. The closer I get, the stronger the feeling appears to be - I'm nearing her, I'm sure of it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A realization forces me to stop on a dime, halfway through a broom closet that shares a wall with the outer perimeter of this complex./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Traffic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh man, they're stuck in New York traffic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That explains the stopping and starting, the slow trickle of speed, the shifting in the feeling of the cosmic skies above./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I am nowhere near fast enough to keep up with traffic normally, but I have an advantage - I do not have to go around buildings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Combine that with a busy New York street, and…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, Logan, you got this," I mutter under my breath, before launching myself into motion once more, exhaustion accumulating with each minute of forced running, far beyond my limits./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm surprised I'm still conscious./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Throughout the mad dash to find where they've taken her, my presence has certainly been noticed. There will no doubt be people talking about this tomorrow, tonight, and everything in between. I'm not doing it for that, though, so the whole prospect gives me discomfort./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Finally, I break through onto a main thoroughfare, filled with dozens of vehicles of all shapes and sizes. Realistically, someone of her size could be stashed in any trunk or floorboard, but I make a point to check the vans first - street violence always involves big vans./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The first one simply shocks a Puerto Rican family, the little boy shouting in excitement in the far back seat. I mumble an apology and check the next one, and then the next, and then the next. Snapping my fingers and splitting my soul, six versions of a younger me pop into existence, staying within range and checking for any signs they can access, without sticking their heads in trunks like I am. Not for the first time, I wish my minions got to inherit my tattoos, if only because it would add to what I can do in this moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey! What the fuck are you doing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A voice shouts toward me, barely audible above the din of the city streets. My eyes meet the gaze of a ginger man sitting in the driver seat of a nearby truck, and what is likely his wife and child are cowering in the passenger seat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Looking for someone important," I explain carefully, already thinking of the incantation for T'essla's Arc should it become necessary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You wouldn't happen to have noticed anything strange about any of the cars around your truck?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man scoffs. "No way. Whatever you are, scram. You're scaring my family."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can see the terror in their eyes and realize that he's right, so I slip away from view and shift away to check one by one, periodically checking the stars above to sense if something has changed. One tourist group have noticed the stars and point emphatically toward it, talking in hushed but excited tones about the visible stars above New York City./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is far more high-profile. A D-list celebrity. Gang activity. A fledgling superhero poking into cars like a phantom because he has no better options to find someone quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Luckily - and unluckily - they find me first./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You are distracted."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I poke my head up to look toward the doctor, broken from my reverie. He says it like a statement, not a question, and I blush. "There's a lot of stuff on my mind."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He leans back slightly to take that in. "What are you willing to tell me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My blush deepens. "Is it that obvious?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That you're uncomfortable with sharing?" Samson adds. "You're not the first patient like this, and you won't be the last. Just tell me what you /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"are/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" comfortable sharing. We only get somewhere when you express what you're thinking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take a heavy breath, eyes darting toward the ornate clock on the wall above the doctor's head. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Still have half a session or more./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Have you ever been in a situation where you failed to help someone?" I reconsider. "Maybe not actually fail fail, but ended up doing worse than you expected?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles simply. "All the time." He clears his throat. "You seem fixated on this. Guilty conscience?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"After a long moment of hesitation, I faintly nod. "Something like that." My memories take me elsewhere./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Gunfire pops in the distance, and I run for cover behind an occupied SUV. Pedestrians shout for terror and run for help, and the sound of shattered glass from broken windshields shakes me to my core. If traffic was not /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"already/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" at a near standstill, then the sudden firefight in the middle of the busy street grinds it to a halt./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A moving truck ahead has one of its back doors open. Leaning from it with one hand, a pistol in the other, a man fires wildly in my direction - or the place where I once was. Instead, I slip away and further back, preparing my next move./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There is /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"no/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" chance that Suzanne is not in there. I can feel it in the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"stars./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Azyr flows through my fingertips, arcs of possibility sparking like lightning. With a snap of my fingers, four minions of myself run into harm's way, splitting off into different directions. More gunfire stings my eardrums, the rapid beating of my heart palpable in my chest. My breath heaves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I gotta get in there before the traffic breaks and they're able to outrun me. With the clones maneuvering in different directions, the gangsters do not know where to aim properly, firing into the vehicles around them. I glance up to see through the back window of this car that a family is hiding, terrified and in the line of fire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lean forward and phase through the back of the car like a ghost. "Hey, I know this is-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What the hell?!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, yeah, I know. No time! Go out to the left!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I run toward the right, pop more minions into existence, and leap through a parked and empty cab car. In the distance, clones begin shooting bits of their own essence, like tiny motes of white light with just under the force of a sledgehammer. They impact against the ground, against the sides of vehicles, against the back of the truck, but no lucky hits against the thugs ahead./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One leans outside the truck's passenger window and fires his weapon three times into the crowd of minions. One pops with a frightening scream, while the others return fire once more, forcing the thug back into his car, lest he lose his kneecaps./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I force myself into a run, trying to stay low and darting into and out of a bus just to keep them on their toes. They've got plenty of targets to choose from, so this should be easy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Gunfire, even in a busy street filled with screaming people, is /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"loud. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have a strong suspicion that the phantom doctor will need to look over my ear drums later, because this is too much. One of those restoration books in the new library might be useful to stave off the long-term hearing loss, but I've not had the time to look into it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I drop into a crouch, feeling awkward and unnatural. This is sloppy posture, and I'm sure Fenris would hate how I'm using his abilities, without the fighting skills to back it up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why are there so many of these guys?!" an Irish gangster shouts to one of the others. "Hit the damn gas!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The one driving apparently tries to listen, because the truck jolts forward abruptly before stopping just as fast. I can't help but grin from my hiding place, moving as soon as the thug turns to angrily shout at the driver./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My tattoos blaze with azure light as I slip into the back of the vehicle. A quick scan of the space reveals a thug standing at the back exit, preparing another clip into his gun to fire at the clones who are nearly out of my range and somewhere behind the car. Lying in a heap with a bag over her head is a young woman - tied with rope, battered with bruises, and covered in tears./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I move./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Azyr lightning coats my fingertips, and the power of a Tazer crackles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man turns, shocked to see me inside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He starts to shout a warning and to wheel his gun around toward me, but I close the distance in nearly the same moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The thug twists away from my lunge, barely avoiding a face full of magical electricity. Instead, the spell impacts nearly harmlessly against the side of the car, and his gun clatters against the ground outside. The man shoulder-checks me hard into the side of the vehicle, and I groan in pain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I try to redouble, but a kick impacts my side./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The freak is in here!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Another./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Another./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He reaches for something in his belt, and my eyes widen even through the stings of pain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of his allies tries to join us, but a white blast of light intercepts, throwing him to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Let-" I cough, a twinge in my chest accompanying the breath, "her go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The wild look in the gangster's eyes settles on me. "Fat chance!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You really -"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The small handgun levels in my direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Panic fills my chest, and I snap my fingers weakly, barely concentrating enough to draw a single minion into the compartment. The little twelve-year-old dressed in identical, if smaller, clothing rushes for the man's legs, to topple him off his balance, but the gun barrel explodes with smoke and sound./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman screams./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clone falls to the floor of the vehicle, a bit of blood pooling against the carpeted floor. A single hole sits in the clone's chest, and the younger me sputters with blood for several seconds, drowning on his own life. He fades from existence in a white flicker of light, leaving a crimson stain behind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What the hell even are you?" the thug's surprised voice asks, hand still shakily brandishing the weapon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Whatever I am, it doesn't matter - you're not getting her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lean back, trying to force myself upward. When the truck lurches forward with sudden speed, I don't quite manage to catch my balance, tumbling to the ground in a heap. Fortunately for me, the thug rolls back and empties him angrily into the street, gun sent skittering further back. The taxi cab behind him lies empty, the driver having already fled for his life from the sight of the fight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I roll to my feet and snap another clone into existence, the others having long since disappeared due to range. I point toward the driver's seat, not letting my eyes off of the gangster trying to recover, despite the moving truck. "Take out the-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A gunshot wound to the chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A young boy gurgling blood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vomit fills my mouth, and I throw myself toward the open doorway, letting loose the remains of my dinner onto the street./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minion places his hands on my shoulders, but I push him off before allowing him to disappear. I can't use them right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Closing the back door to the truck quickly, I steady myself despite the ramping speed of the vehicle, surprised they'd found enough space to move despite the city street. Any moment, that is bound to change./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking out the driver is important, but so is getting the woman out of here. Time it right, and I could do both./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello," I say carefully, kneeling before the woman quickly and reaching for a knife from my belt to cut her bindings. "We need to stop meeting like this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're him!" she says through the cloth covering her head. "I thought you weren't real."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm real," I say, pulling off the cloth covering with one hand the moment that I free her own. "I regret how things ended last time. I should have gotten you out-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shakes her head slightly, studying me. "No, you can't think that!" She starts to speak up again, but I raise a hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Go to the backdoor and be ready to open it, when I give you the signal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Suzanne shakily crawls across the truck and grasps onto the door, while I stay for a second to ensure she's safe for at least the next few seconds./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Charging a dart of electricity from Azyr to coat my fingers, I reach my upper body through the barrier separating the back compartment from the cabin of the truck. The same prepared hand reaches forward, even as my eyes study the condition of the road. We'd made it past an off-ramp to a less busy street, heading toward the Bronx at a breakneck speed. Distantly, the sound of police sirens are more audible here, probably due to the open windows on either side./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sitting in the driver's seat is a squat ginger man with a pedal to the metal. Next to him, scouring behind and to the outside of him through the passenger door window is a much taller man with a thick mustache, a leather jacket across his torso and a rifle in his hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey!" I shout, announcing my presence to the driver in the same moment that my hand finds purchase on the back of the other thug's neck. A single tap of Azyr-tinged lightning sends the man convulsing in pain, a grip lost on the gun despite his continued consciousness. T'essla's Arc is not a particularly powerful electrical spell, but it's more than enough to take the average man down. The fact that he's conscious enough to shout is a testament to his resilience./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach further down, phasing everything but the lower half of my body in the back of the cab, in order to grab at the rifle. "That'll be enough of that!" A toss sends it careening into the street, now missing its magazine./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The driver pushes himself as far from my ghost-like form as he can, gasping in shock, while the other tries to elbow the back of my shoulder. The movement is too weak, and I hit him back with my own bony elbow directly in the left cheek. He folds like a sack of potatoes, leaving only the driver./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A single finger reaches into the man's cheek, following the inching away from me the driver tries to do. "What do you want?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I want to be clear," I say with certainty, flaring my tattoos more. "Give me a reason to not obliterate that face of yours." It'd be easy - all I'd have to do is turn the phasing off while I'm right here, and he'd have a hole in his face he'd have to live with./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do you-" he seems surprised that he can speak, clearly mystified by the phasing trick, "w-want?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The truck comes to a slow stop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do I want?" I slip my hand back toward Suzanne, pushing through the wall of the cabin to give her the signal in the form of a glowing hand telling her to run. "I want to know where your HQ is, who your boss is, who your allies are, and what you want with Suzanne Harrow."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The latter is an easy thing to answer - money, most likely. A crime syndicate trying to steal an heiress's fortune feels like an easy enough motive to understand. But, if there's more Kitchen Irish out there, then there's more people to break, even if this plot ends with Harrow getting to safety./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You think I'll tell you that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think if you want this ugly mug to ever get laid again, you'll stop me from making your whole vibe even uglier."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He rolls his eyes, and I angrily push a finger into his shoulder and yank it out slowly, turning the tattoo effect off on the withdrawal. His flesh for my no longer phasing finger parts like tissue paper, and he screeches in agony./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The sirens get closer, approaching quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull back for a split second and am relieved to see Suzanne running down the open street. Turning back into the interrogation, I gesture toward him. "You think you can stop me from finding her again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He says nothing, just cowering in fear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The lights from the sirens flash in the mirror to the left and the right./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Know this. Attempt something this dumb on her or another person again, and I'll root you all out and turn every one of you over to every law enforcement agency on the planet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pop his tires on the way out, before running after Suzanne./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Have you hurt someone close to you before?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My question surprises the doctor again, the man leaning back to stroke at his chin. "I don't think there's a human on the planet who hasn't. To hurt is to human."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sigh. "Nice deflection."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles. "It's not usual for the psychologist to explain this much about himself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'd feel more comfortable if you did."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's a shot in the dark, as it were. Whatever hero or villain this doctor is, perhaps getting him to open up about himself would make me feel better. This man's ability to care for someone like me in his situation is stressful, and totally not worth it to listen to Beth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The first time I hurt someone in a major way?" Samson thinks carefully. "During my sophomore year of college, I had a depressive episode. My mom was there every step of the way for me during that time, and I actually had to move back home and take the commute to school during that semester. Instead of going to classes, however, I used to hide for three hours in a bookstore. Mom never found out, and I barely managed to earn credits that year."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I ponder that for a moment. "She never found out?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""As far as I know," Samson explains. "She passed away last summer, and it still eats at me that she never knew."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But you didn't hurt her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Samson smiles. "I hurt our relationship, our trust, our bond - by treating her that way, by not trusting her to tell the truth, I did hurt her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But she never knew."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""She didn't have to know, because /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" knew I was hurting her." He takes a last sip of his coffee. "I hurt her, and I hurt myself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An image of the minion's death is still fresh on my brain, from both of the last excursions into hero-dom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Am I hurting more than just some replica of me by doing this?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When Suzanne and I finally get to a place of safety, I collapse onto a stoop in some forgotten alleyway. Every bit of physical exhaustion in the last hour comes rushing back to rear its head all at once, and the adrenaline fades to allow every ache and pain to return. The woman sits next to me, wiping at ruined eye make-up and trying to make herself look presentable before giving up entirely. I don't want to know what specific horrors she went through, this time or the last./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why'd they want you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She stares at the question for a long few seconds. "Money? Why else?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It has to be more complicated than that," I say non-committally. "They can apparently take someone out from police custody - they could rob a bank if they want money."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She thinks long and hard for a moment before finally closing her eyes. "They threatened my father if I did not do as they asked."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Big CEO."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah. I agreed to go with them the first time, agreed to take their drugs, all to keep him safe," she explains, before turning almost fiery eyes on me. "Then you broke me out of their facility, and the NYPD put me in police protection. Dad swore he was okay. I'm not sure what else they wanted from me, but clearly they wanted more because they went through the trouble of capturing me again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How'd they know you were in transport?" I ask, uncertain. Something does not add up. She doesn't know how to answer, and it's all growing fuzzier by the second./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Moments pass and no more answers come, nor police sirens, nor gangsters. A more peaceful night in the City that Never Sleeps./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do I call you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The question floors me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Despite fantasizing about this for years, I'd never come up with an idea that stuck. Now that I somehow have superpowers, the idea of a cape name has not quite stuck yet in my head. I've barely scratched the surface of what I can do, how I can use my abilities./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Any one of them, if exploited, could be its own themed superhero. A divination-focused hero through the magic of the heavens. An ice-focused hero through the use of the weird crystal that can probably do more. A clone-focused hero that definitely is not knock-off Naruto. A ghost-themed hero that can slip through walls./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Considering how things have gone so far and how much of the Grimoire still lay blank, this is nowhere near the last of it. A name that can consolidate all of it is impossible./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She seems surprised. "You don't know? Isn't that how these things usually go in all those comics and cartoons?" She glances up once more, evidence of shock growing greater on her face. "Hang on. How is it even possible?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Magic," I say simply. "Is it really that weird? A few city blocks were destroyed by a couple of rage monsters a couple years ago, and there's a couple dudes flying around in suits that should crush them due to g-forces but somehow don't."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Magic? Wow." Suzanne barely registers the mention of Harlem before her eyes grow two sizes too big./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah," I explain. "Look, there should be a police station that way. I'll escort you there, but you should really go into witness protection or something. Somewhere where no one will know you, til all this blows over."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Suzanne looks toward the sky for a moment and then back down to me. "I've had to stay hidden from paparazzi sometimes, so I'm used to it." She pats herself down and frowns. "Look, I don't have anything on me right now, but please, how much to repay you? I can arrange-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Pay me?" I ask, confused. "No, no, you don't have to do that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I mean," she says after a time. "You really don't think I should?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's nothing you have that I could want," I say, hopefully convincingly. "Magic, remember?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"To emphasize the point, I conjure the magic mirror from its position clipped to the back of my belt, feeling it appear above my hands. It rotates once, twice, three times before I am whisked away from the woman, leaving her in relative safety and myself wondering if I made a mistake./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, that's all the time we have."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The words shake me from my thoughts, and the doctor looks toward his watch and the clock on the wall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, right. Sorry I spaced out, there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He waves it off. "No worries. I'll see you next week?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod, uncertain if I'll see him again. This was the first full session, and all it really did was reinforce that I need to talk to someone I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" trust. Perhaps before the session next time, I can use some of Azyr's divination skills to portent whether telling the Ty Burrell look-alike about my heroism is a good thing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A knock on the door interrupts the moment, and the doctor raises a hand. "Come in."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A face I recognize steps into view. Wearing a brilliant navy blue suit, a tie, and sporting a balding head, Agent Phil Coulson offers a hand not toward the psychologist but toward myself. "Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt, but can I borrow your client?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, no worries. Our time just ended."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have to fight down the excitement at seeing one of the folks I recognized from the movies face-to-face. A member of SHIELD, he unexpectedly worked with Tony and Pepper to stop Stane. Reports directly to Nick Fury, a man perfectly cast with Samuel L. Jackson./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I do have to ask what your intentions are with my client?" Doctor Samson asks, before turning to me. "Do you know this person?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We just have a few questions," Coulson says, brandishing an FBI badge with a practiced hand. "I'll have to ask you to come with us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Samson slowly recovers, a bit of compassion spreading across his face. "Is he under arrest?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson gives an affable smile. "Nothing of the sort, but it's important that you come with us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I step through the doorway to follow after the SHIELD agent, wondering where I went wrong that they found me this quickly. Was it camera footage from the first outing? Live testimony from the previous one? Or maybe Samson turned me in and just played dumb?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Between you and me, kid, the Director is excited to meet you."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hearthfire - Vast Library - Elder Scrolls. Cost: 200 CP. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_11_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 10/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have no idea where the SHIELD agents took me, but that falls within expectations for their ability to remain discreet. These people are highly-trained and highly-motivated to stay in the shadows. At no point during the trip here did I feel in control - the confidence of the government backing up your actions must be awesome. They kept me out of the loop and out of comfort the entire trip, apart from the affable smile of one man with Clark Gregg's mild-mannered face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They ushered me into a nondescript building and then left me here for over an hour, with nothing but the ticking of the clock on the wall to keep me company. I briefly - and impatiently - considered at several points to just walk out of here - there's not likely to be anything they can do to stop me from slipping through their walls. But, this is an opportunity, one I cannot throw away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Finally, the door opens, revealing Agent Coulson. The man smirks and holds out a hand. "Mint?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take it with a smile, popping the candy into my mouth with a bit of glee. I've always enjoyed little candies like these. A series of perfect memories rises to the surface of my thoughts, ones involving little mint candies at a local pizza place my family used to frequent. For a moment, it almost feels like home./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man settles into his chair - backwards, for some reason. A pile of paperwork in a manila folder falls onto the table with a resounding plop. "You must be wondering what you're doing here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, yeah," I answer, a pit of nervousness rising in my stomach./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Putting all our cards on the table," he says with a glimmer in his eyes. A practiced hand places several photos between us, pulled from the file folder. Each shows me - both masked and unmasked./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The one in the clearest quality is a snapshot from a bus camera, showing a masked individual with bright, glowing tattoos as he dashes through the vehicle's structure like it's nothing. The poorest is security footage from my first night out, showing little versions of me beating up the thugs from the Kitchen Irish in the middle of a busy hallway. The sight of it makes my stomach churn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A suggestion: if your goal was to remain anonymous with that bandana," he points to a close-up of my face obscured by the red cloth, where a faint bit of light shines through the fabric from where the tattoos glow, "then perhaps choose a thicker fabric. Those markings kinda give it away."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blush with realization. "Do you think-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, the average person probably couldn't connect the dots," he says with certainty. "We're not average people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why is the, uh, FBI looking into this? Did I do something wrong?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It is not a dumb question. I know, in the back of my mind, that vigilantism is illegal. But how does someone working for SHIELD, someone who supported Tony Stark in his endeavors, feel?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Some would say that you did," Coulson explains, tapping a finger on the desk to punctuate the point. "Many on my chain of command show strong concerns, both lower and higher. Delusions of teenage grandeur, foolish temperament, a rampant disregard for your own mortality."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," I say uselessly. "That bad, huh?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles slightly. "Not all bad. One of the guys in my department is rooting for you, but you know," he looks over his shoulder and then leans in to whisper, "he doesn't want us to know that we know, you know?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right," I reply with only a bit of confusion, uncertain as to where this conversation is going./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If there are people at SHIELD rooting for me, then I'm not just going to be thrown in some cell, never to see the light of day again, right? I wouldn't put it past them to figure out some way to block or limit my tattoos, given enough time and enough super science from comic books. That threat is always there, I guess, but what are they even planning to do right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clears his throat. "So, when my analysts were looking into what we could find about you, prior to this meeting, one particular conundrum really fooled us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He pulls a basic sheet out of the folder, one with almost every box unfilled to describe basic demographics. The only thing they for sure have is my first name and the last name I gave Geraldine. Attached at the top with a paperclip is a quite high quality image of my face, taken who knows when, without the bandana, and they apparently used that to guess my age at fourteen. I've always looked younger, but that's a little insulting./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No school records. No medical records. No economic records of any kind, not even from your place of employment, nor your place of residence." He gestures toward a few more nearly blank pieces of paper. "You're off the books. As far as I can tell, you've never been /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"on/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the books. And there's a lot of books to choose from."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up toward him, meeting his eyes. How much do I tell him? Agent Coulson feels like one that I can trust, a familiar face in a sea of unfamiliar and untrustworthy people. But he works for an organization that has done some shady stuff in the past, at least in the comics - Civil War and the mandroids come to mind, among other things. What else would they do in this reality?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're like a ghost," he reiterates. "And sometimes you do that ghosting thing literally."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, yeah," I finally say unhelpfully, before steeling myself. "This is hard to explain, but I'm not from this world."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His eyes widen for a moment before returning to their more neutral state. "An alien? I don't quite-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, not like an alien-alien." I sigh, not sure how to read his expression. "I'm from a different universe. You won't find me on any books because, before a few weeks ago, I didn't exist here but instead existed elsewhere."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He clears his throat, trying to regain composure. "That's a lofty claim."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't think it's that weird. Or at least, it's not the weirdest thing about me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He jots something down, an entirely unnecessary thing to do in the moment because I'm sure there're cameras watching and recording every angle here. He can replay and watch to his heart's content./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're from another universe but you seem to be a native English speaker."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I know it's strange, but I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"am/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a native English speaker. For some reason, the same language exists in both places. Where I'm from looks a lot like this place, just without all the bells and whistles."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He looks up questioningly. "Bells and whistles?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Superpowers. Where I'm from, no one has any, not even me. I didn't, until I got here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson's face stays neutral for a few seconds as he processes that. "Where /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"did/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" your powers come from, then? If you didn't get them until you… arrived, then how?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All you need to know is that they're magic," I explain after a moment, earning a dumbfounded look. "You know, you're kinda bad at not looking surprised."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He recovers a moment and then smiles. "Am I?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah. Hasn't the FBI dealt with things like this before?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's classified," he explains with a playful grin. "Sit tight for a few minutes, I have to have several conversations about the things you've said. That's how these things usually go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Agent of SHIELD leaves the room with a jolt to his step, and I cannot help but feel exposed. However it is that they found me, this could potentially be an in to greater situations, or at least a form of support. If they worked with Tony, they'd work with someone like me, right? I mean, they wouldn't really leave a sixteen-year-old to keep doing this /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"completely/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" alone./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson does not quite know what to think as he listens to a group of exasperated SHIELD agents, including one field scientist named Morrow who has made his displeasure at the situation quite clear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Next thing we know, bloody David Copperfield will resurrect from the dead and start punching criminals," the Englishman complains. With a nod to another agent, Morrow re-watches a collection of footage taken from each incident, alongside the recorded statement from just minutes ago explaining that it's magic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We don't really know what it is," another agent explains, gesturing to a frame-by-frame breakdown of this teenager creating three duplicates of himself in the middle of a New York street. Coulson has seen stranger - and lived through stranger times - but magic is a much newer one for him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But not completely new./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nearly a year ago, Coulson had experienced Thor and his magic hammer. This was a Level Six secret - the rest of the agents at this facility were Level Five or lower - so they do not quite know everything the way that he does. Even still, this is just some kid, in way over his head, with a list of enhanced abilities that he believes to be magic. Whether it really is or isn't, Coulson doesn't quite know what to think, but he's willing to take the kid at his word until some analyst tells him otherwise. At the very least, Logan's less magical to Coulson than a mythical figure apparently walking among humans, and even SHIELD's top brass argue over whether Thor really is magical./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The same argument is happening here and now, with Morrow leading the pack in opposition to the kid's claims. Coulson sighs, inwardly wondering whether protocol will help or hinder their efforts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We'll Index him," the man finally says, earning a surprised look from some of the others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Under what pseudonym?" Morrow asks, a bit incredulous. "For all we know, he's an Enhanced Russian asset playing make-believe. Another universe? Highly unlikely."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Other agents begin speaking up, making their voices heard, but Coulson is not hearing it at the moment. "The Index allows us to keep a watch on him, and the initial process will iron out any suspected deceptions."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But he needs more than that," an agent in the back says - Ramirez, Coulson remembers. "I doubt the kid's going to stop going out there unless we intervene."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, we're not going to arrest him," Coulson says evenly, "until such a time as our superiors recommend it. Until then, we follow protocol and put him on the Index."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The scientist paces back and forth. "It's dangerous for an Enhanced to be left alone and to use their abilities in the field," Morrow says carefully, adjusting his glasses. "I can agree that putting him under strict watch is important. We'll need to more strictly evaluate his powers as well. For all we know, this 'magic' could be an energy signature that causes cancer or some other horrific side effects."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson concedes that point, though he is admittedly uncomfortable with the idea of evaluating a child so thoroughly. It must be done, however, or you end up with something like the tragedy in Bahrain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh," another agent calls out from in front of their monitor. "You all have to see this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson smirks./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When the door finally opens, a man with the spitting image of Samuel L. Jackson strides into the room dressed in leather, an eyepatch over one eye and looking every bit as intimidating as he can be. A sour expression fills the face of perhaps the most powerful man in the world, depending on your criteria./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Magic."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I gulp at hearing Fury's statement. The man sits in the chair across from me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not the first I've heard of it," he continues, pointing to the table slightly. "Doubt it will be the last."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clear my throat. "Excuse me, but who are you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""My name is Nick Fury, director of SHIELD, a peacekeeping and intelligence organization that ferrets out strange things like yourself." He leans back slightly, acting cool as a cucumber. "You'll have to forgive my subordinates for their subterfuge, but SHIELD is off the record."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, okay," I reply. "So not FBI then."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, our friends at the Bureau are not aware of your existence, as far as I can tell. And I can tell pretty far."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Somehow that makes me feel more at ease. "That's good to know, but I don't know if it would be better or worse for you all to have found me so quickly."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smirks. "You didn't exactly hide yourself well - you've got a very distinctive facial tattoo pattern. If I were you, I'd invest in some top brand concealer for my day job."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Coulson mentioned something like that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's a good guy - you should listen to him in the future."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""In the future?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury steeples his fingers. "I am a man who believes in the power of investment. Investments can always be a risk, but some have more potential than others. Short-term or long-term, the future needs potential."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He, uh…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He thinks I have potential?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nick Fury thinks that I have potential./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whoa./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At my apparent elation, Fury holds up a hand. "Don't get too excited. The future is a long way away. Let's focus on the here and now."/span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_12_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 11/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You might feel a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"slight/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" twinge of pain."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Groaning, I fight to keep my arm still, ignoring the sting of the giant needle. The angle was all wrong, and it hurts like hell, but it's over in seconds. The scientist holds a tube of my blood a moment later, sealing it and labeling it carefully for testing purposes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman turns a half smile a moment later. "If it makes you feel any better, I hate needles too. The medical advances we can make with them are fascinating and more than worth it, but I don't like hurting others all the same." Her English accent is thick and almost like honey./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, well, it still stings." I rub the spot for a second, before she can finish wrapping the wound. "What was your name, doctor?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, Doctor Jemma Simmons, at your service," she says with an almost motherly grin. "My team and I are going to do some diagnostic testing on your blood, to determine if the abilities you possess have had any changes to your biology, positive or negative."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Negative?" I ask, my face sinking. "I don't understand how they can be negative."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wish I knew more than I do about biology, about human anatomy. I suppose the enhanced memory I possess might make it easier to learn, but I'd just be doing recall. My English teacher in 10th grade made it very clear that students need more than just rote memorization. This is why learning Azyr has taken as long as it has, compared to the other avenues that the Grimoire has highlighted so far./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Medical science is complex," Simmons begins carefully, a frown stretching across her face. A look of concern glimmers in her eyes. "This is pure speculation and not meant to alarm you, but the energy that you manipulate could have ramifications on your bodily functions, without your knowledge now. There could be problems down the road, things like increased risk of cancer or infertility."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wonder what she would think had I gone through with the ritual to become a lich. Undead, even with an outward human appearance, would look quite odd under a microscope, I imagine./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She produces a cotton swab in her gloved hands. "Open your mouth for a moment, I'm taking a cheek swab. This is arguably the most common way that we test for DNA."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The sensation is uncomfortable but not painful, over quicker than I realize./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I freaked you out, didn't I?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her gaze meets mine, but I shake my head. "Um, no, but I hadn't thought of things like you have. This is all so new to me that it still feels exciting, almost like playing with a toy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the other scientists almost glares at me when I say that, but when he realizes that he's been caught, quickly clears his throat. "My name is Dr. Morrow, one of the lead researchers. Why, child, do you view these abilities as a toy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Simmons shoots him a look, but I realize what he's doing - and where I fucked up. "A toy is the wrong word. It's more like when you get a new car. It's exciting, it's fun, but you still have a responsibility to treat it the right way on the road."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A very practiced answer," Morrow says with a glower./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is taking a lot of time, doc," I reply. "I have plenty of time to think."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, I don't see how all the smoke and mirrors could be fun," the man says haughtily. "Magic? Bah."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach for my mirror with a thought, just to prove him wrong, before realizing how that might come across in a room of tightly-wound agents and scientists. I glance toward Simmons. "Permission to demonstrate something? There's zero chance of danger, unless someone like faints out of shock."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman looks around, her eyes focusing on the cameras recording the lab for a moment, and then nods. "Oh, yes, I suppose that's all right. I'd quite like to see some of this myself. It feels a bit too good to be true."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the agents turns a different style of camera in my direction, eager to capture my demonstration to record for analysis. Apparently, there'd be more of that kind of recording in the engineering lab later today, but for now, this would have to do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I fixate my attention on Morrow just to watch him freak. With a thought and a flick of my wrist, the magic mirror floats a few inches above my hand, suspended in mid-air. The reflection does not match the sterilized and almost futuristic lab around us, but instead shows my hotel room where the mirror is currently keyed, something called the spawn point according to the Grimoire's pages about the mirror. Its crystalline structure glitters in the florescent light./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The looks on the research team's faces are priceless. Something as simple as a mirror that does not seem to fall prey to gravity is a feat for science that no scientist has been able to achieve, not without the use of magnetism. Mr. Fletcher from eighth grade taught us about how magnets can make things float, so long as they are magnetic, but this is not that unless I've got a magnet embedded in my hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you're impressed by this much," I explain with a smile, "then you should probably know that I can use this mirror to teleport myself instantly to another location, the one you see in the reflection. I'd demonstrate for you, but I couldn't come back here without having to go the boring, normal way by car."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What? No brooms, no floo powder?" One of the research analysts in the back, a younger man who'd likely be attractive if he lost about twenty pounds, asks with an incredulous look./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Harry Potter /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a thing here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That should make this afternoon even better./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Give me enough time, and who knows? Maybe I could figure those out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Morrow bites his tongue and then powers through the motion anyway. "This is hard to believe. Magic? This is just some technological trick. Mighty convenient that you can't use the mirror right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can use it right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd be getting rid of my most convenient way home, but it's worth it just to make this asshole understand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Repeating the steps of the ritual, one that involves that ruby-red crystal embedded in the frame of the mirror, I set the keyed location to the middle of the lab. "That should do it. Inside the lab or outside the lab?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Simmons stares in confusion for a moment before recovering. "Both?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The mirror turns three times in mid-air above my hands, and then I am without warning standing six feet away in a flash of purple light and a whimsical sound./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fascinating." Simmons tracks both locations with her eyes, blinking to ensure that she did not miss anything. "Again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I step outside the lab, one agent following me outside as an escort, before I repeat the steps and magically appear in the same spot only moments later./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A couple of the researchers clap with excitement, while others stand in awe. Morrow groans for a moment and then nods. "All right, it's impressive. You've got some flare, I'll give you that. But this could still be some technology we do not understand. Perhaps the generation of a limited wormhole, or-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I click my tongue for a moment. "Which is more likely? A sixteen-year-old with far-too-advanced technology lies about it just to sneak into the world's most dangerous organization of super spies. Or a sixteen-year-old with superpowers that involve magic is under undue scrutiny from said organization."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Morrow stammers, "Well, the first is more likely given my worldview."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I roll my eyes. "Does your view of the world explain how a sixteen-year-old got that advanced tech? Germany, Russia, China, Japan - would they be capable of building something like this? And would they really send an untrained sixteen-year-old white kid to the United States with it just to somehow trick them that magic is real?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I put the mirror away, annoyed. Morrow has nothing to say immediately, so I continue. "I could demonstrate several other things to try to prove my case, some of which involve nothing but a few magic words and a clear manipulation of the world around me. Which would break your world view the most, Agent Morrow?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The doctor almost storms out of the room until a look from Doctor Simmons forces him to sit in a corner, stewing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sorry about him," she finally says with a whisper. "I think some of these folks are not quite ready to understand just how much the world has changed."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head. "It's fine. Are you? Ready?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman grins. "I'd like to think so, but at the same time, I have my own struggles." The grin fades. "It will take some time to adjust to a new strand of logic, I think."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's the mature response./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The engineering researchers are not quite as mature./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, no, you can't put that there," shouts a cutie with a thick Scottish accent, gesturing to a pair of researchers carrying a tray of tools that I cannot possibly understand. They were about to set it down on a shelf in the northeastern wall before the head researcher shouted his frustration. "Please, just leave. I'll put it in place and we'll get started."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Finally, the engineer turns to address me, his curly brown hair and kind eyes quite adorable. Jesus, if all scientists were this hot, I'd sign-up to go to a research college immediately. "Hello, you're the talk of the facility. You can call me Fitz. Hand me that screwdriver, will ya?" He points to the table of mundane, recognizable tools a few feet away, before he immediately hops underneath a shelf containing a metallic contraption that is just as confusing as basically anything else in here. "Hurry, we don't have all day."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sorry, sorry." I place the screwdriver in his hand, remembering what it felt like to work with my dad on anything relating to cars and failing miserably. "What's this thing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's a modification on a spectrometer," he says carefully from underneath the shelving, twisting away at some component that I cannot see from this angle. "When you use your abilities, there is sometimes a visible phenomenon, correct?" At my verbal confirmation, he continues, "We are going to use this to capture data about it, see what conclusions we can make."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Damn, this man is pretty./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Within a couple of moments, the spectrometer buzzes with activity. Another few seconds later, and Fitz declares that he has finished calibrating it for initial testing. He gestures for me to stand a few feet away, while the other engineers do some configuring of their own, following in Fitz' direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right, whenever you're ready, do some magic." After a second, Fitz blinks. "You know, the kind that doesn't hurt people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With a chuckle of understanding at his cute awkwardness, I nod and then concentrate, opening the Winds of Azyr. It darts across my skin with its near invisible manifestations, occasionally congealing into blue sparks of light that can twist into prophecy, into lightning, into wind, into divination. I hold it within that potential, rather than letting it loose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the researchers in the back lifts up his glasses and blinks, rushing to find a lens wipe so that he can see more clearly. An elderly woman begins furiously typing with her darkened fingers, speeding up every second that passes. Fitz himself has to pull his jaw off of the ground, and immediately begins checking the readings from the spectrometer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right," Fitz says distantly, mind clearly racing. "All right, so can you, uh, do something else? We'll need multiple readings to compare and contrast."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I allow at rest currents of Azyr to explode into activity. The Winds collect around my eyes, glittering with an almost sapphire lightning. With a twist of my index finger, electricity gathers around my palms. A second passes and then I force my hands together, allowing a bit of lightning to gather in the space between both hands. With a flicker, Azyr fades almost instantly, the room smelling faintly like the aftermath of a rainstorm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There are other things I can do?" I say, testing the waters. "What else do you need?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fitz blinks. "Lots. Show me lots of things."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Captain America is actually one of my biggest inspirations." Coulson reaches for his lunch, a simple ham and cheese sandwich with a cup of black coffee. "I, uh, have a lot of his memorabilia, from when I was little up til now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sample my own lunch, more than a little disappointed with the food that SHIELD gave me for the day. Almost nothing compares to the feast of choices that the Sanctuary provides. The only thing that blows them out of the water is my mother's holiday green bean casserole - there is nothing better than that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So you're a fan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He chuckles. "You could say that." He takes a sip, watching the other agents moving and eating throughout the cafeteria. "What inspires you to be a hero?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown, watching the man with interest. "Stories."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His brow furrows. "Not the answer I expected."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I've lived my life reading, watching, listening to stories of people putting others before themselves. It's a big part of who I am, and when I got the opportunity to do something else, why wouldn't I try to do that?" Talking with Doctor Samson helped a little bit, at least from hearing his answer. "You're easier to talk to about this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I try to be a good listener. And hey, it helps that you can be honest."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It does," I explain. "And can I be honest?" He nods in the affirmative. "This sandwich sucks. Like, it's fine, but it has almost no taste. What brand of mustard is this?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks. "It's my grandmother's recipe."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," I say, blushing. "It's fine, just nothing… uh, special."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson says nothing for a long moment, chewing his sandwich./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Is Fury really going to let me keep doing this?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson thinks for several seconds, ruminating on the question. "There are concerns about your age, among other things. What role you will have will come later, after we have a lengthy discussion and finish some testing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't help but bristle, a tension growing in my shoulders./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Are they going to stop me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When I saw Coulson and Fury for the first time, I was excited. SHIELD agents in the comics work with teenagers all the time. Surely it's not going to come down to my age. I'd rather be told not to do this for any other reason than being too young. I'm not ten./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Do I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"let/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" them stop me?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I know being a hero requires sacrifices. But would Fury still think I have potential if I decided to do it on my own, without any sort of SHIELD assistance? I could potentially gain a lot from them, so turning away whatever they decide just out of pride feels like it would be a mistake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" I even do this myself?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have put on the suit - my haphazard version of a suit - twice, both times to save the life of one woman I accidentally discovered in danger. Both times, I encountered gunmen, and both times, one of my clones… died, right in front of me. It matters little how many spells I have, how many rituals I can perform, how many magical abilities that I have grafted onto my skin - without proper practice and training, I will face challenges./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Next time, it could be a real little kid dead./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Is her recipe really that bad?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown. "Uh, no, it's fine. Sorry, was thinking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson coughs into his elbow, nearly dropping a bit of the bland mustard onto his navy jacket. "What you did - putting yourself in those situations? There is reason to be proud and there is reason to be upset, for yourself and for others. Most kids? They'd have run, superpowers or no. At the end of the day, you didn't. Before you do it again, let SHIELD determine what next steps should be, for your own sake."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worry grows in the pit of my stomach./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury watches alongside Coulson as I step toward a closet door, holding the undulating Key made of my own solidified blood. It wraps itself around my fingers, silently stroking the flesh until it straightens, itching to enter the keyhole./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This stays between myself and the two of you," I explain carefully, deciding only to trust the two faces at SHIELD I know, not the greater population of agents. At least, with this secret. "I am only showing you this in order to illuminate one of my strongest magical talents that I can bring to the table, should you deem fit to work with me in the future."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury has not actually given that approval yet, so he shoots me a disbelieving look with his one good eye./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You said this was easier to see for ourselves than to explain?" Coulson asks, staring at the custodial closet in the midst of this SHIELD base./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah," I answer. "I don't really have the right way to explain it, so you'll have to take my word for it and see for yourself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When the two of them give me the go ahead in this nondescript hallway, one with no visible CCV cameras, I do not immediately place the Key into the knob. Instead, Azyr courses through me with a flimsy thought, the Winds shifting into the environment for a second time today. The spell shifts from potential to actual in the next moment, as light explodes across my vision for a split second./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In a reversal of night, blackened stars stretch across a white sky. They twinkle with an ethereal light, until finally, they display a specific pattern, one perhaps no one else in the world could interpret. Before the spell fades and the world returns to its normal hue, I get the message loud and clear: a portent of the future reveals that both Coulson and Fury can be trusted with this knowledge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Perhaps my divination spells are wrong, or perhaps the wiggle room that always exists in prophetical visions makes it difficult to read the whole truth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Regardless, before I cut Azyr away completely, I force one more spell into that connection, to divine whether I can trust them with knowledge of the Grimoire. An image of the stars and other planetary bodies shifts across the sky in my mind, distant apparitions of celestial bodies marching to their own tune. Finally, they settle into position, a position only scrutable to an astromancer: they cannot be trusted. The Celestial Grimoire must remain with me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An idea runs across my thoughts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Before we head inside," I say carefully, "be careful not to touch anything without my permission. I cannot be certain how they'd interact with someone other than myself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury and Coulson share a look, before the Director nods. "Fair enough. Has anyone ever been inside this space, other than yourself?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I think of Suzanne. "Yes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I twist the Key into the lock, and the tool almost leaps into the space. It oozes with excitement, turning of its own accord./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That it?" Coulson asks, surprised. "I figured there'd be more of a light-show."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, there might be a light-show," I posit, "it's just probably beyond the doorway."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The door swings open at my urging, and the Sanctuary Entrance Hall stretches into the space beyond us. The eternal flames shift within braziers, the space decorated with banners depicting the four houses of Hogwarts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury chuckles. "I'll be damned. Harry Potter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson blinks. "You've had time to watch that as the Director?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I kept my one good eye on it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Director urges us forward, and I collect myself at the sheer craziness of this moment. I'm dragging two fictional characters that I recognize into what may as well be my own home. A house tour. For a space that looks like Hogwarts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's so weird./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You carrying a stick to do all this?" Fury asks as we continue, his attention focused on each oddity that he sees./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, no wand."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Could I get a wand from the Grimoire? I imagine it might help me focus, but would it even be compatible with spells from Azyr or anything else? Wouldn't I have to know some Harry Potter spells to use it?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is the Great Hall," I explain, gesturing to the enchanted ceiling and the space filled with food on four long tables, the House banners floating above each one. "There's enough here to feed a few dozen people every day. I've, uh, never run out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson seems to struggle with what to say while staring at a biscuit. "It's good?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah. There's enough variety that you could probably eat whatever you want."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury shifts uncomfortably. "Does it come with everything that Hogwarts has to offer?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A library, a hospital wing, four common rooms and a bedroom each. Most of it is there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And the, uh, House Elves."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My brain fizzles out. "Oh. Oh! No!" My blush deepens. "I looked for them, but I never found them. The Sanctuary just provides food. There's only one other person in here, though I'm not sure you'd call it a person." Fury just looks at me. "You'll see."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Grimoire rests on the Headmaster's owl-shaped podium, alongside a few other books. Apart from how thick it is, the purple leather-bound book does not really look any different than any other book. I put it under my arm, hiding it among the others, and gesture. "Let's hit the library next so I can put these away."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson is not paying any attention, his attention taken by the touch-screen monitor embedded in the podium. He swipes his fingers across the screen, and the room's light shifts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The enchanted ceiling becomes an enchanted web page. I poke my fingers up, trying to shift the screen, and magically, it does, creating a keyboard just above my hand for me to use. "Huh. I didn't know it could do this. Thanks, Coulson." It'd hurt my neck to look up all the time, but it's still neat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't think Hogwarts had wi-fi."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Director, it's not actually Hogwarts." Coulson stares ahead, mystified. "Does this mean that Hogwarts is real?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No," I explain. "Surely not."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Somewhere in the multiverse, the place must exist, if only because the Grimoire and the Sanctuary appear to be a small piece of it, drawing power from other places, other worlds, other universes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If they're doing their job right," Coulson says with an odd expression, "it's not like we'd know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'd know," Fury says simply./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We continue the tour, showing much of the place. It's not as large as the castle, and it doesn't have the grounds - which means that Hagrid's Hut is not a place I can explore, sadly. The Hospital Wing's phantom doctor does not appear during our tour, but Fury calls it something interesting: a genius loci. I'd never heard the term before, but I'll have to look it up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Unexpectedly growing at one end of the dungeons - which are normally far more like a storage room than a dungeon filled with cells and other medieval torture devices - is a massive plant that was not there before. It juts from the wall, twisted and green, with pink petals. Vines and roots stretch across one whole section of the floor, the very top of it scraping against the ceiling. An odd sunlight suffuses the area, despite the lack of light./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This was not here before," I explain with surprise, earning odd looks from the two agents./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Things change in here?" Fury asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sometimes, they have, but this is really unexpected. It's the first time something has appeared in the Sanctuary that I didn't expect."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I approach the plant carefully, remembering every questionable manga I've ever seen, as well as a certain plant biologist from Gotham. Am I about to be eaten?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When I touch the outside, preparing my tattoos to escape should I need to, the plant opens slightly, a small aperture forming between the leaves. "Yeeeeesssss?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It talks."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Of course it does."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Their surprise matches my own, and a fifteen-foot-tall near-naked masculine man bursts from the fronds. Dressed - barely - in iridescent leaves, sparkling glitter and make-up covers his body. Butterfly-like wings break from his too-perfect back, covered in purple markings. His fey beauty knows no bounds, reminding me of an older and taller Puck./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you've not the rupees, then I've no time for you," the fairy warns, drawing his fingers across his hips, across his abs, across his chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The plant suddenly closes around him, the fairy disappearing completely beneath its leaves. I share a look with the secret agents, who seem dumbfounded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't know what that was, honestly," I explain, rubbing the back of my neck. "I know rupees are money, so maybe if we give it some, it'll do something?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It'll do /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" all right."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't help but blush at Fury's joke./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Our tour ends in the library after an initial walkthrough, and the place looks a little different now than it did a few weeks ago. Books fill the shelves now, including odd children's books among others. The others interest me personally, as they contain magical secrets including spells and even methods to create custom spells. I've not had the time to invest in it yet, but I'm itching to try. Once I get some time alone in this place, away from SHIELD. Hell, there's a trench coat that wasn't there before, just resting on a coat rack next to the common room I've been using, and I really want to try it o./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is all very fascinating," Coulson says. "Thank you for showing us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's home," I say with a smile, wanting desperately for them to leave so that I can look over anything new in the library and in the Grimoire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Like a walking HQ," Fury adds, shaking his head in disbelief. "You should really figure out how to lock that door once you're in here, though. I'd feel unsafe to operate from here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't think I can, not without figuring out some kind of spell or something."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I would like to. Maybe a physical barrier just on the inside of the door? Something heavy, or an additional locked door just inside the other. There's a small space between it and the Entrance Hall, so maybe…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury clears his throat. "Let's head back and discuss terms."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Terms?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""For your work with us," Fury explains simply, leaving me more than a little confused. Excited, but confused./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees(or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200 CP. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Worn-Out Trenchcoat (DC Occult) = Chapter 3: Illusion = Cost: 100 CP./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Mar 24, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_13_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 12/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury drags me to a room so nice I'd believe it was his main office, but the man probably has several dozen offices across the country and even the world, scattered across official and unofficial buildings. The thick panels of silver-colored metal and glass feel very modern, a spartan style of decoration that suggests the director keeps his job first in his mind and avoids anything personal. A window overlooks the busy streets and buildings of New York City, the trees of Central Park visible in the distance. This would be gorgeous at night, and I've no doubt that this is the thickest glass known to humankind. There's no way something like Nick Fury doesn't make life-long enemies./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Considering how important that New York is to stories in Marvel, maybe this /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" his primary office./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He grips his desk carefully and gestures with one hand for the agent who escorted me here to be dismissed, leaving me alone with the Director./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I have always believed in being upfront and speaking with integrity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I almost laugh, thinking about all the deceptions that the best spy in the world must have to do all the time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury stands and leans against the window with one arm, the other tight around his back. He studies the city for a long moment, and I cannot help but join him. Police sirens, ambulances, and fire trucks are all calls to action for first responders, and they pepper the sounds of the city even from this high up the skyscraper./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's pretty," I mutter in the silence, not expecting nor earning a direct response./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury, after a long moment, finally speaks. "This world is not pretty. It's broken, teetering on the edge of change. New technologies, new abilities, even new /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"species /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"threaten the hard-fought stability of the twentieth century." He crosses his arms behind his back, pacing for a few feet. "SHIELD keeps the world safe from conflicts that no one else is ready to handle."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's an important job," I say with sincerity. Whether SHIELD really can do that or not, they certainly try. "Wait? New species?" What's he referring to? Inhumans? Aliens? Mutants?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He says nothing about that as he continues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" important. If not us, then who? China? Russia?" Fury shakes his head in disbelief at his own suggestions and then paces once more, returning to his perch by the window to make eye contact with me. "Let me be upfront: you are an investment."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""An investment?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The director says nothing for a long time, returning to sit at his desk. It's clear that he is thinking carefully about what to say next. "I have encountered magic before, things that defy explanation, questions entire teams of scientists attempted to answer but failed to answer satisfactorily. You, Logan, can help us to understand in the future."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You want me to help you learn about magic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Among other things," Fury says simply. His one eye locks onto my face, the intensity drawing me in. "You strike me as the type who wishes to make a difference in the world around you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Of course. Who wouldn't?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Most wouldn't."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Right," I reply, realizing how earnest I must have sounded. "At the end of the day, when push comes to shove, I guess people don't do the right thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He shakes his head. "No, they don't. When faced with the choice of yourself and someone else, people choose themselves."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The conversation lulls a moment as Fury looks toward me and then the city, before finally settling on what to say. "SHIELD needs people willing to risk themselves to be a shield for others." He pauses, staring intently at me. "You've done that. Perhaps for a myriad of reasons, both selfish and unselfish, but you did." He pauses a moment. "Sloppily, I might add."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The vision of a younger me dead on the street sparks across my mind, every detail perfect and exact. Bile fills my throat, but if Fury notices me swallow it down with an acrid taste, he doesn't comment. Knowing the man, he probably did./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He continues, ignoring the forlorn look that crosses my face. "I am prepared to make an offer. Some details still need to be set in stone, but listen carefully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You will work with SHIELD on a research team, designed around the understanding and defense against magic. This will be an extended assignment on base, here unless needed elsewhere. You'll receive lodging, food, and a stipend designed to take care of any other needs you may accrue."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My mind focuses on the stipend for a moment. "How expensive are we talking? There are some spells and rituals that might cost a lot of money in the future." The fairy in my Sanctuary mentioned rupees and looked a lot like a Zelda character, so I'm starting to put the dots together, even if I haven't had time to check the Grimoire to confirm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm sure the, er, materials for anything you need," he seems uncertain about the terminology, "can be provided."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Left unsaid is the warning that the materials /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"probably/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" shouldn't involve the sacrifice of the unborn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You'll receive a legal identity with all the bells and whistles," he adds. "Your ultimate job will be to help us to understand how magic ticks."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"sounds/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" good," I say carefully, uncertain as to why something feels a bit off. "You didn't mention any heroism. Was that intentional or did I miss it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nick Fury glances toward the closed doorway and then meets my eyes intensely. "Make no mistake, Logan - what you've done is reckless, foolish, the dreams of a teenager in over his head."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I think back to Puck, to the Grimoire, to the warning about the one who made it. To every story I've ever read, to the feeling of seeing Suzanne out of danger, to the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"dead, dead dead dead…./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But I can't - no, I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"won't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" stop."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Now that I have had a taste of what that world is like, I'm /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"not /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"going to stop. There is far too much that I could do, one day, to change things for the better. Are they really going to stop me just because I'm two years shy of making adult decisions, in a world where I have no fucking parents to reign me in?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh. That hurt to think. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For a moment, I allow perfect recall to take me back, to disappear in memories, to feel them close even if they could not be farther from where I am today, stuck in some multiversal game Puck's cooking. My mother baking cakes to make an extra bit of cash, sitting down with my brother and I while waiting for the oven to preheat and letting us eat the rest of the icing out of the bowl. The smells and tastes are /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"there /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"- vanilla icing coating my fingers, the soothing background noise of the busy street in the background./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Many more fractured pieces of different scenes from the past take me from the moment, until finally, Nick Fury clears his throat rather loudly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," I cough to hide my embarrassment. "Sorry. I was just, uh, thinking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The ability to near flawlessly relive any memory/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" might /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"just keep me from losing my cool, if I can avoid making a fool out of myself in front of potential employers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Allow us to train you," the Director finally offers. "There is a strong possibility, bordering on a certainty if trajectories continue as they are, that magical threats will rise, the kinds of threats that the rest of SHIELD may have difficulty facing alone. With your direct assistance, we may stand a better chance."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whoa./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is better than I expected./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But still… how do I continue to help people like Suzanne Harrow? Are they going to pull me from the streets of New York - or the streets of anywhere, really - and keep me in a lab all day, only occasionally coming out to fight some big supernatural threat? Am I comfortable with that?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At the end of the day, it's SHIELD. Yeah, there's some shady business in the comics, and any intelligence organization is going to do some shifty stuff over the years. Black ops assassinations? Check. Securing intelligence from foreign adversaries through seduction? Check. But, it's SHIELD. Knowing what I know from the comics - and hoping it's relevant here - they really do have the best interests of others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And, it's Samuel L. motherfucking Jackson./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Okay," I finally say. "But I expect to be able to undergo street patrols, like I've done. As big as SHIELD is," I point toward the streets from the broad window, "I don't want to accept your offer and then forget about the little guys down there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He stares for a moment and then slowly nods. "That can be arranged, though many details will need ironing out. For example, a period of training before you attempt another patrol would be a better use of your time, and increase your odds of not ending up with a bullet in your chest cavity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He has a point./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's one thing to have Taser fingers. It's another thing to know how to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"use/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Taser fingers to effectively take down an assailant. I can't aim a/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" real /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taser and hit a target, much less a magical one./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At my acquiescence, the super-spy stands and gestures for the door. "Agent Jameson will escort you out. We've got some planning to do. We'll contact you in a few days." He steels his gaze on me. "No vigilantism in the meantime. I can't on good authority allow you the chance to hurt yourself or others."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right," I reply meekly, looking toward the door. "Thank you for the opportunity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He waves it off and turns to his computer with a flick of his wrist./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Goddamn that man is cool./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Apparently, the/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" world /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"thinks that I am cool./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Or at least, a bit of local buzz turned larger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With SHIELD having left me to my own devices, I return to my hotel room and to the safety of the Cosmic Sanctuary. The four walls of the Great Hall insulate me from the outside world, while my fingers endlessly scroll through the Internet using the illusory ceiling as its medium. I lean back, arm behind my head, and reach a lazy hand up to access another tab, bringing up a news broadcast from earlier that day./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's wild to see me - or at least, a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"costumed/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" me - on the evening news. They do not have much to show, and more may be coming throughout the next week, but a clip of me dashing bodily through a taxicab like a white-hot blue flame has been on a loop. They do not have my face, but they do have a correct estimate of my height: a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"perfectly adequate /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"five-foot-five./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Height has never bothered me anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Suzanne Harrow and the Harrow family have declined to comment on the vigilante that stepped in to save the young woman from certain disaster," the ginger anchorman reads. "As far as we at the station are concerned, the young man is worthy of our admiration."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not so fast, Bill," the woman next to him warns. "Eyewitness reports suggest that the vigilante is not above ultra-violent means to get what he wants."/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ultraviolent? What the hel-/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The sensation of digging my fingers into the shoulder of a thug come to mind./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"was/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a little violent, yeah./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We reached out to our video editing experts, but the abilities the vigilante used in the clip are in fact quite real, no editing necessary," the other anchor states with a pristine glance at her co-host. "It seems we have another /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"superhero /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"in our midst."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Could someone really edit something like that? And has it happened often enough that people/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" check /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"for these things?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Speculation mounts as to the source of the vigilante's abilities, but the most popular theory seems to suggest a type of advanced technology hidden under all of that baggy clothing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What's he hiding under there, Bill?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No idea, Amy, but it's probably not a suit of powered armor like the city's most famous immigrant, the Iron Man."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""With Stark Tower set to turn its lights on next week, perhaps the illustrious Tony Stark has been busy training a sidekick."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The clip ends, launching a firestorm of speculation about just that across social media. Everything from a hidden lovechild to a bodyguard of a bodyguard, everything ties back to Iron Man. It's… fun, in a way, but frustrating at the same time. Is my debut really getting upstaged?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And do I really care if it does?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fervor ended about an hour ago, but I cannot sit and wait for it to flare up again. Putting down a bowl of midnight oatmeal, I stalk through the Sanctuary, the Grimoire held open in front of me. One hand twists the pages lazily, the other pushing open the door to the now improved library./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"These new spellbooks are not going to learn themselves. The Grimoire itself explains they come from a land tied to something call Aetherius, which is the source of all magicka, the energy channeled for spellcasting in that land. Different from the lyrium of the tattoos, the SOUL of the minions, the Winds of Azyr, it somehow /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"clicks/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" together for me in a way that no other being could. No other being could easily touch each of these powers and still be the same./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All of those are simply magic in the pages of the Grimoire, pages that I can understand. Wizards who channel magicka likely cannot easily channel Azyr, and yet I can do both. How?/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" Why?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What is this thing even doing?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No wonder Puck is so concerned. This thing is so powerful that even/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" should not have it./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm not wholly satisfied with this chapter, but it's been too long since I posted so I wanted to post regardless. This may get another pass later, but I'll let you know when it's posted, if I do./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_14_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 13/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth ties the hairband back into her hair, wiping sweat from the steamy kitchens from her brow. The orders this morning have been crazy busy, in her mind, and she can't stand the tourists who just want a view of the damn fancy new skyscraper. It's grating on her to see such an eyesore on her walk to work every morning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She picks up the tray and strides into the busy street-side cafe, a picture-perfect customer service smile on her face. A practiced grin that could not possibly be real, one that/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;" also/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" grates on her nerves a bit every day. A single moment brightens her mood, turning her expression genuine for a moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy sits at the bar, dressed in a trench coat that she's never seen him wear before. As she approaches to give the boy an warm embrace, she can't help but notice how old the thing looks, but she's got no judgement in her blood. Thrift shops are just as valid as anything else, and the only reason she can afford new - to her - clothes sometimes./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And is that… cigar smoke?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey!" he says awkwardly before accepting the one-sided hug. "I know I've been out, but-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yeah," she says automatically, remembering every time her boss has mentioned the boy in the past couple days. "I don't know how to say this, but Geraldine's angry. I can talk to her, maybe she-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He waves her off. "No, no, I don't, uh, need that." A contemplative pause fills the moment, and she can't help but feel there's perhaps even more on the boy's mind than even before./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth can't imagine what he's been through. There has never been a moment where her parents weren't around, and even now, her father would answer the phone in a heartbeat. Sure, there were rough patches, but she can't imagine being in Logan's shoes, not able to reach them and being completely alone. No support from home, no realistic prospects at further education, no realistic career opportunities. Truth be told, she doesn't know how he's been able to afford that dingy hotel room for this long, not with the crap that Geraldine's been paying him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think you'll need that," she says to break the silence, her attention drawn momentarily to the line of people waiting for their orders. "Hey! I'm going on break!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, you don't have to-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""They'll understand," she says with finality, pushing the boy out of the door and into one of their outdoor tables. "I was due in ten minutes anyway."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's the lunch-rush."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth rolls her eyes. "They can handle it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy enjoys the fresh air for a moment, taking deep breaths. She cannot help but be worried. She has not seen him in four days, and he's missed three shifts. He comes back out of the blue, three hours late, and isn't dressed for work? What could possibly be going on?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I have news," Logan says with a long breath. "Big news. Some of which I don't know how to tell you about and probably won't, but let's start with this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"From his coat pocket, the boy pulls a square velvet box with a single red ribbon bow. She stares at it for a moment before reality sets in. "Is this for me? This… uh…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just open it," he replies, a grin slowly forming on his face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She pulls at the ribbon and then stops. "I'll open it on one condition." At his nod, she continues, "Tell me that you've not picked up smoking."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks and then looks down at the coat. "Oh? Yeah, sorry, that's this thing. I've tried to clean it, but I can't get the smell out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Where'd you get it?" she asks, unsure if she wants to know the answer if they sell clothes they haven't treated yet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He rolls his eyes jovially. "Just open the gift already."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She uneasily smiles, hoping that he's not lying about the smoking. As the ribbon finally falls away and the box opens, she gasps. Inside rests a nicely-made watch, bound with black leather and its face embossed with little gold filigree. It's not an expensive one, but that doesn't matter one bit to her. She immediately pulls it out to try it on, fastening the gift around her wrist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why? I mean, it's beautiful and unexpected, but you really shouldn't have."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well," he starts, tapping his fingers against the table and listening to the sounds of the city for a moment. "That is a token of my appreciation. You went above and beyond for me, when others wouldn't have."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Went?" she asks aloud, focusing on the more alarming part of the statement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He rubs the back of his neck nervously. "Well, I got a new gig."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You found a new job."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah!" he says excitedly. "It comes with all these perks and higher pay and…" He trails off, eyes drooping. "Why don't you look happy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy is lucky to have found this job, lucky that Geraldine is- was? - willing to pay him under the table. Beth can't help but feel uneasy. What other entry-level position would be willing to hire him? Even big fast-food chains, ones that would love to hire a sixteen-year-old who wants to work, would be unlikely to do that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She can't help but ask the question running across her mind. "Please tell me it's not drugs. It's not some gang-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan raises his tattooed hands in defeat. "No! No, I wouldn't do that. Never." He takes in a deep breath. "It's a government job. I can't tell you all the details, but I want you to know that it's exactly the kind of thing that I want to be doing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're sixteen."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan reaches for his phone, placing it on the table. "I know how it sounds, and I don't blame you if you don't believe me. But it's not just the job. I, uh, made contact with my dad." He taps a button, and the phone begins to dial./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth shakes her head in alarm, not sure why he's trying to do this now, but she loses the moment to verbally protest when a man's voice answers over speaker phone. "Hello?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Dad, I'm here with the woman I spoke to you about on the phone," Logan says, a little uneasily. "Dad, this is Beth. Beth, this is my dad, Phil."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh," Beth says, off-guard but slowly recovering. "Oh, right! Hello. I'm Beth. You're lucky to have a son like Logan. I'm glad you were able to reconnect."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Thank you, Beth, for taking care of my son during this trying time," Phil replies. "Look, Logan, I gotta run, but there's money for food on the counter at home."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He frowns slightly. "Okay, Dad. I'll see you tonight." The call ends before the boy's father responds./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" glad to see them connect, but there's so much about this that irks her. She doesn't know the context behind how he lost contact with his parents in the first place, and now after a month all is okay? The boy's suddenly back home and has a government job?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Did your father get you that job?" she pauses, fiddling with the watch. "Jesus, how is there even a government job that would /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"hire/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a sixteen year old?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan doesn't respond at first, and Beth can't help but think he looks worse somehow. The bags under his eyes are more extensive, like he's not getting enough water or sleep or both. He seems withdrawn, and worry etches across his face when he thinks no one is looking./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just be happy for me," he finally pleads. "I don't have to rely on your charity anymore, and-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Charity?" Beth asks, offended. "It might have started that way, but you're a friend now. Friends helping each other is not charity."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Okay," he replies. "Sorry, it just feels good to be on my own two feet. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth reaches for his hand, taking it in hers, the watch catching the reflection of the sun above. "I know you're not ungrateful. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" am grateful that you have people again." She holds in a long breath, horror scenarios about what this boy's home life might be like running through her mind. "I just hope those people are treating you right."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""They are," Logan says quickly. "My dad is a good man, and I enjoy my new job. I can do things like this-" he points at the watch, "-for my friends. Dad even says I should keep seeing Doctor Samson."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She'd recommended the doctor to him, having heard wonderful things about his practice from people all around the city. He'd been especially helpful to people after the battle in Harlem a few years back, and she'd felt comfortable sending Logan to him. "It's nice to see you so excited to speak with him again."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's a good one. Well, he's the only one I've ever had, but I think he's good."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth smiles. "Listen. Just because you have a fancy new job and don't need us anymore does not mean I expect you to be a stranger. Michael and I will want to take you out to eat or something soon, and you're welcome to invite the whole family." Her boyfriend had been wanting to meet the kid, but their schedules had not yet lined up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, okay," Logan says. "I'll keep in touch, I promise. You were… one of the first people who was nice to me, here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She laughs. "How could anyone be unkind to you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Beth!" The voice of Geraldine drifts through the open door./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I should probably get back there," Beth says sheepishly. "You should probably talk to her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He pulls a smaller box from his coat. "I know. Tell me, does she like bracelets?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth shrugs./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Phil Coulson stares at the data first and the recommendations second, running his eyes over the words with careful intensity. The paperwork for the Index is always exhausting, and every year, analysts tell them that there'll be more and more to fill out as the world continues to change./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""An unknown chemical agent concentrated in his skin cells spreads throughout every major organ group within his body," he remarks aloud, reading the summary of some very technical language that he does not have the expertise to understand. "It's believed to be the source of his intangibility through the creation of a surge of equally unknown energy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Crazy, isn't it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His eyes meet the gaze of Maria Hill as she leans against the door frame. The concentrated lamp light basks her figure in shadow until she saunters over and takes a seat in the chair across from his desk. "You could say that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Likelihood that it matches Starr?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's better," Coulson explains. "Doesn't seem to hurt him to do at all, and he can do it all the time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You think there's any merit to his claims that it's magic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You and I have met Thor."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria nods once, tersely. "Fair, though just as many here think that he's just some alien with technology that we haven't mastered."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson leans back in his favorite chair, reaching for a coffee cup to extend his very long night. "As far as I can tell, the kid's magical. Until we've got a better explanation, that's the one that we go with. And hey - it might just be true."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria glances toward the lone window. "And the psych evaluation?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson lifted some papers out of the way and pulled the file from Dr. Samson. "Stressed. Bright. Possible delusions of grandeur. A need for external validation. Problems with motivation. Kindhearted."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Should we bring in another for evaluation?" Maria asks. "Perhaps Dr. Garner or Dr. Millhouse?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shakes his head. "Not yet. I'm sure that Samson's own experience with Banner is helpful, even if the kid doesn't know that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria contemplates the information for several seconds before she finally taps the desk once to get his attention. "Are we certain this is the right thing to do? We know where this leads."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, I'm not," Coulson says truthfully. "But it doesn't have to lead to anywhere that we do not want it to go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria's frown deepens. "Are we certain of that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, but if we can point him in the right direction, help him make the right calls, then maybe we'll have an asset willing to work with us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman across from him smiles slightly at that. "It would be nice to have someone to lean on next time we find some pentagram around a corpse."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson could not deny the logic in that, though he wished that she were not being literal about the last part./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We should both get going. There's news from Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson nods to Maria, and as the woman makes her leave, he rubs his temple, uncertain as to what will await him at the research facility. He hopes Selvig's had a breakthrough, because at the end of the day, Coulson doesn't like the idea of wading into a battle without the right kind of gun for the job./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The last few days have been enlightening on more than one front./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The spellbooks within the library? There were some that were far easier to learn than the spells from Azyr, and I've begun to uncover several of them. I'd still need to practice to learn the ins and outs of the magicka that I can feel deep in my chest, deep in my soul. But, a few tricks are available to me now, ones that I cannot wait to utilize in the field./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Great Fairy named Matero sits across from me, his lithe body producing vines that stretch all the way back to his plant perch near the dungeons. "So, you want to use this SHIELD as a resource to help you do acts of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"dashing/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" heroism in the real world."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Something like that," I explain, trying to eat a late night snack and read another book from the Destruction School, an entire field of magical study designed around using magicka to produce elemental damage. Why such a thing would be an established field of study in a university is a weird to me. This one, apparently, produces a medium-range lightning blast, so I'm hoping that it corresponds with my Azyr spells. Perhaps I could combine them in some way?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Here you are, eating your fill," Matero says with a laugh. "When are you going to feed me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So, you do eat the money?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fairy laughs. "Oh, no, no, no. I don't eat it. 'Twas a euphemism."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Until SHIELD gives me some additional funds to test your services out, I won't be able to pay you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fairy rolls its eyes. "Fine, fine, I can see my services aren't wanted." The vines start to unfurl and unlatch themselves from the Great Hall's faculty table, Matero preparing to head back to the dungeons. "Perhaps one day I'll be needed!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink. "You can fix something that already has an enchantment, right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yes," he says with a glimmer in his eye. "I really should fix that ratty old coat. It's unbecoming of a strapping young lad."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I fight the urge to roll my eyes. "Yeah, well, it has character."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do actually intend to ask Matero to improve the trench coat, but I figure it might be better to let SHIELD test it on a bulletproof vest or something first. The Grimoire made it clear that the Fairy could increase a piece of armor or clothing's effectiveness in exchange for money, but it's one thing to read a description of it and another thing entirely to see it with your own eyes, to feel the material with your hands, to fire a bullet into it to see what happens./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have a feeling they'll be more concerned with the first thing I plan to give them to test: the ability to cast spells. More specifically, a scroll case that fills with new scrolls every few days, a multitude of spell scrolls that could tackle different things. As far as I can tell, you could store an endless supply of them inside the case, but I've already pulled the ones out that it has made so far and placed them within the library. Some of them I'll keep, some I'll give to SHIELD to study./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't wait to see Dr. Morrow's face when he tests one of these scrolls, if I get to see him again. The details about the team that will help research my magic is up in the air at the moment, as Fury still owes me a phone call, but Coulson swears they are working on the details for my "government job." I can't imagine such a thing is easy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I really should buy Coulson a watch or something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Realistically, I should save any money that I have now for Matero, though I'm glad that the Great Fairy left the Great Hall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It gives me space to test the latest ability from the book, one that might be a game changer if I can figure out the right moves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Following the description within the runic script, I calm my mental processes, tapping into Azyr just for a split-second burst of sweet serenity. Cutting the connection in the next breath, the Winds cease as my Heart opens to the world around me. White light gathers across my body for a second, and then I leap with my Heart toward the left wall. My body follows suit, zipping forward in something called Flow Motion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The speed is too much, too soon, and I collapse into a heap against the wall of the Great Hall, a suit of armor clanging from my sudden proximity. My lower half aches, the arches of my feet burning from the impact, and my ass stinging from likely growing bruises./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But I won't stop there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I burn magicka in my left hand to coat my aura in /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oakflesh/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", a twisting tendril of vine-like magic growing for an instant before settling behind the naked eye, providing myself an extra layer of magical resilience against harm./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I should have really done this the first time./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With my Heart on my sleeve, I gesture toward the opposite wall, leaving a trail of white light behind my every movement. At the moment of impact, I flick my Heart toward the enchanted ceiling. My body flips of its own accord, following the will of my Heart, and a kick off the wall sends me shooting upward. I snap toward the ground before crashing into the ceiling, Flow Motion carrying me toward one of the four tables filled with food./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The force of my fall would have sent me scrambling for the Hospital Wing, but instead, it merely stings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Breathing hard, I crouch then collapse into a sitting position, covered in pudding and the remains of a house salad. My Heart recedes into the recesses of my being./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm not giving up. That ability is awesome for getting around a city - or any terrain, really - quickly. Combine that with my ability to slip through obstacles, and it's practically a limited flight. I just need some practice, before I end up in a situation where I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"really/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" need it./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks This Chapter /span/p
p class="28"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Apr 11, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_15_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 14/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The alarm klaxons blare in the background, loudly enough that the sound of the helicopter's whirring blades have difficulty drowning them out. A harried agent continues his repeated warnings over a loudspeaker about the evacuation of the site, and Fury wonders idly if the situation really warrants it. Moments of crisis like this have many moving parts, and intelligence often updates, minute by minute. An hour ago, the facility wasn't in need of immediate evacuation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Now? Well, he wonders if he shouldn't have stayed behind. Landing like this in the middle of a potential meltdown is plain wasteful, but he has no regrets./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill shakes Coulson's hand as she disembarks ahead of Fury, and the super-spy brushes his overcoat for a moment before stepping off of the copter himself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How bad is it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Coulson's sunglasses glint in the light of the complex, bright enough that the deep night sky above is barely noticeable. If P.E.G.A.S.U.S. wasn't a joint project with other government agencies, then Fury would have had his team disguise the whole place with the same panels that keep his favorite helicarrier from surface-to-air missiles. As it is now, all this light is a security risk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's the problem, sir," Coulson answers. "We don't know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As they descend into the depths of the base, Fury considers cutting his losses. A place like this is just a place. Get the equipment they need out of it, downsize until they can escalate production again. Whatever Selvig and his team were doing to the damn box, he was certain the man was smart enough they could pull back and start fresh, without causing whatever this entire situation is. And if he wasn't intelligent enough, he'd find someone who was./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They disembark from the elevator while Fury's mind continues to think of all the angles, to prepare for the better and the worse. Hill follows in position as she always does, and he doesn't have to look back over his right shoulder to know the pensive look on her face. She has a penchant to be apprehensive, to give her time to think things through. He considers idly whether she'd be a good replacement when the time comes - he can't do this forever. Even now, as they escort him into a potentially dangerous scenario, the pain in Fury's left knee tries to cause just the slightest of lags in his movement, something that he lets /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"no one/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" see./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Dr. Selvig read an energy surge from the Tesseract four hours ago," Coulson says as he leads the three of them past a retinue of agents, scientists, and analysts likely trying to get as much of the equipment out of here as they can./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury shakes his head, familiar with what that could mean. "NASA did not authorize Selvig to go to test phase." Truthfully, Fury knows there are good people at the organization, but not even the highest of the higher-ups know what he knows about the great beyond. If he had to do it all over again, they'd be doing this in-house./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He wasn't testing it. He wasn't even in the room," Coulson declares, sparking an alarm in Fury's mind. "Spontaneous event."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It just turned itself on?" Hill asks the question on the tip of Fury's tongue./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Where are the energy levels now?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Climbing," Coulson answers. "When Selvig could not shut it down, we ordered evac."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury doesn't like that he doesn't know the window, that he's not familiar with the science, that he doesn't understand this thing personally. It's been in SHIELD's possession for the better part of a century, and there's almost nothing that they know. "How long to get everyone out?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Campus should be clear within the next half hour."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He turns his attention to Coulson. "Do better."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man breaks off to do his job with a nod, leaving Hill and Fury alone to make the final trek toward Selvig and the big blue mystery cube. His thoughts turn to a conversation from the week prior and every complex step in between, and he contemplates bringing in the kid. Maybe… maybe he can shed some light on the mystery./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill glances toward the director as they descend another stairwell. "Sir, evacuation may be futile."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What? Should we tell them to go back to sleep?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, if we cannot control the Tesseract's energy, there may not /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"be/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a minimum safe distance."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury considers again how to ensure that they do not lose everything they have worked for, everything they /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"have/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" achieved. "I need you to make sure the Phase 2 prototypes are shipped out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, is that really a priority right no-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill doesn't like it - Fury can see it plain and clear with his good eye. He admires that about her - she has her head on straight and isn't afraid to ask questions. They do not always agree, and that's what he needs./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Clear out the tech below. Every piece of Phase 2 on a truck and gone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She acknowledges the order and breaks away to do her job, and Fury turns briskly, thoughts of how magic and science could influence their plans with the Tesseract and their derived Phase 2 weapons. Whatever is in Logan's wheelhouse, could it have prevented this potential meltdown?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He enters the containment lab to turn to the proven experts they have on hand. Dr. Selvig and his team are frantic, the room bathed in the cerulean glow of the ominous cube in the distance./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The freedom in this new ability is like no other I've gained from the Grimoire thus far, and if I never get another ability again, this /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"might/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be cool enough on its own that I never /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"need/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" another one again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The trench-coat billows in the wind, my body leaving trails of silver-white light almost like a comet. I zip from one rooftop to another, only having to touch the ground every few yards, and with each touchdown and push, my speed continues to accelerate and the distance between jumps grows. I whizz past the top of a generator, using a quick kick of my foot to change directions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I vault over a concrete barrier and into the innards of a parking garage with a single flicker of the Heart, something that would have taken longer to do earlier in the night. Not wanting to stop, I snap my attention to my right and change directions with a thought, narrowly avoiding planting myself face-first into the back of an Escalade. The speed rush continues up the incline and toward the rooftop level, and I aim with my Heart and allow the momentum to carry me forward, over the edge, and into freefall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck, I wasn't ready for this!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An impulsive thought enhances my body with lyrium, flesh becoming more dream that real. I can avoid the impact of the street, but timing is everything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fear pounds through my chest, making it difficult for my Heart to respond to my wishes. A nearby street lamp and a quick spin. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I need it!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Have it!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My trajectory minutely changes at the last moment, cutting some of the speed, but not before I slip through the asphalt and layers of earth, still way too fast to completely avoid it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The smell of sewage impacts my nose before I have time to react, and the tattoos fizzle out with a panicked thought. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Oakflesh/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" shatters into flecks of emerald light the moment I hit the base of the tunnel, coating the cylindrical walls with gallons of grime./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Every twitch of my left arm erupts with pain, with my left hip nearly as bad. It roars like a fire and stings with every second, and it's all I can do to keep my eyes open, squinting in the darkness of the tunnel without taking in any extra details. The only thing I can consciously perceive is the stench in my nostrils and the pain in my likely broken arm and bruised hip./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All I wanted was to practice, and I can't even do that right. What even /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" I do right?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My minions get shot and die. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" nearly got shot and died. Sheer dumb luck that they didn't hit me. The last part wouldn't have even happened if I had followed up with Suzanne, instead of assuming the police would take care of her. I can't even make the right decisions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, all this fucking praise./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Potential. Nick Fury thinks I have potential? Yeah, sure, uh huh. I can't even have my Spider-Man webslinging montage without screwing up./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oakflesh didn't help much, but without it, I'd be even worse off. I bit off more than I can chew, and now I'm wallowing in sewer water. At this rate, I'll have dysentery by the end of the week, all because I can't fucking master this shit fast enough./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With a snap of my fingers, two minions appear in a flash of white light, both looking pristine as ever. "Help me up."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They move without verbal complaint into the murky liquid, but their faces - my face - are scrunched in horror. Lifting me to my feet and supporting my left side for a moment, I nod my thanks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach with shitty fingers into my coat pocket using my good arm, putting all my weight on one of the clones. Pulling a leather tube from a pocket that would never hit something of this size, I twist the cap on the top to reveal a dark space within. I almost reach in myself but think better of it. "Find /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Restoration/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy me freer to move takes the scroll case and nods, rummaging his whole arm inside for a second before pulling a blue-tinged piece of parchment, covered in runic diagrams even on the outside and tied with a simple leather cord that ends in white beads. He unfurls it without much fanfare, though his eyes glimmer with excitement to see this scroll used in real time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Broken arm stinging with pain, I reach with my other hand to take the parchment, reading the hydrosophy scroll aloud. Words undulate from my lips like the soft, churning waves of an ocean, and an identical circle of bright blue runes erupts beneath my feet, encircling me at the center. The power of water to cleanse rot, to erode decay, to soothe the wounded gathers within the circle and then washes over me as both a layer of liquid and a layer of magic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The spell scroll cleans the grime from my clothes just as well as it drives away the pain, but leaves trails of both behind. Other spell scrolls of hydrosophy might be able to heal a broken arm completely, but this one does not seem to have enough power to do it fully. I carefully test the limb, and while it hurts, it is no longer debilitating. Thankfully, the pain in my hip is gone completely, so it's not all bad news./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd try it again, or try another one, but the scroll case seems capable of producing spell scrolls from several schools of magic, and I doubt a pyromancy one would heal a broken arm. As it is now, the hydrosophy scroll of restoration is just a piece of parchment, the magic inert as its water essence faded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sigh, thinking more about the horrible practice session now that I had a clearer head. I'd made smaller leaps from one rooftop to the next earlier, but that was the first attempt at a jump with no clear target. I could glide in the air for a few seconds, but that doesn't slow your momentum down without an effort, and I panicked when I realized I had no landing zone in mind. If I did that same jump again, I think I could do it, but not tonight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I need to keep working at it, because if I ever need to use something like that in a real situation, against real superpowered threats, then there's no chance in hell that I'd use it correctly every time. SHIELD could help devise training for it, help me test its limits, help me prove that I'm not a fucking joke. That I deserve to have that potential./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I leap up with a bit of flow motion, a simple movement that I could make in my sleep, I think. I cling to the first light fixture that I see that is high enough to reach the ceiling of the tunnel, and then reach up with my tattooed arms blazing. Finding a handhold on the street, I allow my hand to become tangible again and pull the rest of myself up and through the street, onto a sidewalk above./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A group of school girl tourists screams as they spot me, standing there like a shining turd. I wave an apology and then dash at the nearest wall to escape their unwanted attention. Right now, I want nothing more than to be alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few minutes later, I plop onto the edge of a nearby rooftop, watching the nighttime view of a city still vibrant with life. A City That Never Sleeps. A city full of people who need someone to stick up for them against the big stuff. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Someone better than I am now./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My attention drifts toward the newest skyscraper, not fully visible from this angle but close. The lights are on - in fact, today was the day the news kept talking about. Stark Tower is officially open for business, its power finally turned on, a beacon of apparently sustainable energy. The proud name of its owner shimmers brightly in neon blue on the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Did Tony have so much trouble with this stuff starting out? I remember a man in the movie, the one who helped Tony build the suit. Yinsen, my enhanced memory tells me. He lost his life giving the billionaire a fighting chance, so, yes. He had troubles. Maybe they all do. Tobey's Spider-Man struggled. The X-Men struggled./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't help but whine, yet I know that it's not the right attitude to have. This is not going to be easy, and thinking that it would be is silly. This might be the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"hardest/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" thing someone's ever tried to do alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury has not yet called for me, and that's the first big step toward improving myself and my capabilities. I have to do something, or I'll keep messing up. Next time I take a fall like that, I might end up dead, and it will all be for nothing. Puck'll have to choose someone else to help him play keep away, to watch become a hero. I don't want that for him, and I don't want that for me either./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach for a different pocket in the trench-coat, barely large enough to put a handkerchief, and pull out a phone, a phone programmed with only one number. The phone rings three times before finally, a voice answers. "Logan, can I call you back? This is not a great time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Coulson," I start, sensing something in his voice. "I want in. Now. Tonight."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There is a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"long/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" pause. "I've been in contact with the Director about your situation, and it's coming soon."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, it's coming now," I declare. "I have the mirror. I can be at HQ in like the next ten seconds. Give me a project, give me a training regimen, give me something."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nearly ten seconds passes, and I check to see if he hung up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why the, uh, urgency?" Coulson asks, his voice lower. "Did something happen?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A loaded question. "Yes and no. But really, I'm just tired of waiting on you all to set things up. I have so many things I want to do, to improve, and I want your guidance to do them properly."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Another moment passes. "Where are you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Somewhere on 18th Street. I think near 8th Avenue. A rooftop."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Words cannot express just how poorly timed this is," Coulson says finally. "If you only knew, kid, you wouldn't want this right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink. "This sounds serious. Is something wrong?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Very." He sighs. "I'm notifying Fury of your request. In the meantime," he sighs again, "stay put. I'm on my way."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The first Avengers movie is well underway. I am very excited for you all to see how things go this time around./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_16_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 15/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My leg shakes with nerves, something I picked up from my dad. It always used to bother Mom, but I don't really remember a time when they weren't fighting. A moment in early 2004 rings to mind, one where they took my brother and I to a fancy dinner party, the kind of party that a poor family like mine never got to go to. It was a community fundraiser for our elementary school. Mom argued with him the whole car ride home about his leg twitch, because it had apparently embarrassed her. I didn't learn until later that this was just one among many straws that contributed to the fight. Mom's been like an exposed nerve my whole life./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"God, I miss her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"After several long minutes, the door to the small twenty-four-hour restaurant opens, revealing a sweating Agent Coulson dressed in a nice suit. He adjusts his cufflink as he steps inside, waving at the one worker manning the front, a thick-necked Asian-American man. "Did you order anything?" the man asks when he finally sits across from me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, yeah, the dumplings. They were nothing special," I answer. "It's hard to enjoy food out here when the Great Hall provides a little of everything."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man nods, taking a long moment to consider something. He looks like he hasn't slept in over a day, and it's only two hours til dawn. Dark circles rest under his eyes, and he glances frequently at his watch./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What did Fury say?" I ask carefully, before something else comes to mind. "Wait. What is so serious?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shifts in his seat and looks over his shoulder a moment at the only other person in the dining room, a young man over forty feet away who has almost fallen asleep in his food twice. The man'd be cute if he weren't so drunk I could smell it from here. "You'll be debriefed later."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My head tilts as realization hits. "Wait? He said yes?" Nothing about this stops my shaking leg. If anything, it gets worse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Against his better judgment, we need all our cards on the table right now." Coulson's expression turns stony. "What I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" tell you is that there are forces at work that, in a few days time, might put the entire planet under threat."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shouldn't be so surprised. The world almost ends every month in the comics, and sometimes, it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"does/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" end only to get rebooted. The situation cannot be that dire, can it? And… SHIELD wants me to help them with that?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How, uh, bad are we talking? Climate change bad or nuclear winter bad?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If either of those two things were /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"literal/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" guesses, I don't think anything in the astromancy arsenal could shift the climate enough to save the day, even if it can influence the weather some. I have nothing against nuclear fallout./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Unclear," he says in a clipped tone. "If I had to answer, more of the latter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh. Damn. "Immediate?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clears his throat. "Like I said. We have a few days."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nervously chuckle, leg shaking wildly beneath the table. "What's a few days to stop the end of the world?"/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A Quinjet. An actual Quinjet!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The surprisingly spacious vehicle has a cargo space capable of holding several people, a small team or a small squad of agents. A few tools, weapons, and other gadgets that I can't quite name lie attached to the walls or are locked away in chests attached to the floor. It makes sense that SHIELD would outfit planes like this, big or small, with enough tools for the occasion you need./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The small jet flies close to the ocean below, almost skating across the surface of the water and giving a truly breathtaking view, even from all the way back here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The more impressive view though is that Steve Rogers sits across from me in the cargo bay. A man who is not Johnny Storm, despite the gorgeous face of Chris Evans. Does this mean that Marvel Studios cast Chris Evans for a different Marvel hero, not even ten years later? That's a weird choice. His impressive arms hold the same type of transparent touchscreen tablet that I do, though I am having trouble focusing on the intelligence in front of me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I feel tremendously out of place./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"SHIELD calls in Captain America to stop a world-ending threat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They don't call in /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to do that./span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"They /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"shouldn't/span/emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The tablet does not help my feeling of inadequacy. Each slide displays small fragments of details about other heroes, from text to images to repeating video clips. On one slide: Tony Stark, a few known specifications of his armor, a video clip of himself in action stopping terrorists. On another: Bruce Banner, an assessment of how angry he must get to transform, a video clip of the rage monster destroying a neighborhood in Harlem, New York City. A third displays the very same Steve Rogers that breathes the same damn air as I do, complete with an old clip from the glory days involving the famous shield that inspired the SHIELD./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"… Huh?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wait./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where is Edward Norton? Why is Mark Ruffalo the Hulk?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I almost ask Steve - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"would it be disrespectful to call him that? /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But the man wouldn't know enough to recognize the name. He's only been in the present since 2011, according to the tablet, which is not a lot of time to pick-up modern pop culture./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, I turn my attention to the last slide, one that provides more information than any other. It takes little to realize that the threat we now face seems to revolve around something called the Tesseract, a big blue cube of seemingly infinite power. The instigator of the conflict is the Asgardian god of mischief himself, Loki, who now has it in his possession. There are clips of his brother, Thor, as well as other details involving a conflict that sprung up in New Mexico last year and included a goddamn giant robot attack that leveled a town./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki. God of treachery, illusions, deception. A powerful sorcerer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The character that brought the Avengers together in the comics for the very first time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Internet was clear when I looked a few weeks ago: there were no Avengers, no Fantastic Four, no X-Men. I remember the stinger at the end of the first Iron Man movie, where Fury himself introduced Tony to the Avengers initiative./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Is this the threat that will birth the Avengers?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Penny for your thoughts, kid?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve is intense, intimidating, almost too perfect. His posture is confident - he shows no signs of nervous energy. The man is the ultimate soldier, enhanced beyond human limits through a serum that everyone wants, so badly the U.S. government created the Hulk by accident. The first Avenger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, uh," I say nervously. "This is a lot. I don't really know what my thoughts are."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve purses his lips. "How are you tied into this?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tied?" I swallow. "Oh, no, not tied. I need to talk to Fury, I think this might be a bit more than I wanted."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You know Director Fury?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes," I say automatically, though I realize now that I might not need to share all of this. Even if I know this is Captain America, probably the one paragon you /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" count on in Marvel Comics. Not even Xavier is that trustworthy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Have you been watching me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Come again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That day, at the cafe. You approached me. And now, you're here. And you know Fury."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head fervently. "Oh, no, that's not-" I sigh, feeling myself shrink. "I just recognized you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson perks up at the conversation and removes the headset covering his ears, turning to address both of us. "Logan has been with us for a short time, Captain Rogers. He has a unique perspective on this conflict."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What kind?" Steve asks sternly. "Is a teenager's perspective really that useful?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, that's not-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clears his throat and produces another tablet, passing it to Steve. I'm tempted to stand to see what's on it, but the soldier only looks at it for a few seconds before turning his attention to me. "You're that one in the papers, the one who glows."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I activate my left arm tattoos for a second, still twinging slightly with pain from the previous night. Steve watches with interest as the lyrium radiates light before fading. "That's me. The one that glows." A nervous chuckle fills the air./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fury's dragging kids into this?" There's a fire in Steve's question./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shakes his head. "The specifics of Logan's involvement are minimal. Given what enemy we face," he turns to me, "a magical opinion might be valuable."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve says nothing for several seconds, his gaze intense and his eyes way too blue./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I just want to be helpful," I add, starting to connect the dots as to why I'm here as well. "SHIELD doesn't know much about magic. I know some."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Magic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson strides to sit next to Steve. "It's a weird world these days, Captain Rogers. It only gets weirder by the year."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whatever Steve is thinking, he doesn't share it as the moment ebbs into silence. I continue flipping through the screens, studying what information there is about the situation that we face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My involvement won't be actually /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"fighting/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Loki, will it?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If I were Fury, I'd just throw Thor at the problem until it goes away, but the gorgeous man with long blond locks is not here, according to his file. Not even on Earth, having left through something Thor calls the Bifrost, and something the SHIELD scientists call a wormhole./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh god, the Bifrost is the Rainbow Bridge from the comics?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If Loki comes from a society with a Rainbow Bridge, how dangerous can he really be?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Quinjet comes to a soft landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier decorated with a bright yellow eagle symbol on the tarmac, the symbol of the organization called SHIELD. I'd never even /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"flown/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" before earlier today, much less been onboard a military aircraft carrier, so my life just keeps getting better. And stranger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wish I were Steve at this moment - he'd probably feel right at home in something like this, surrounded by military personnel onboard a steel ship in the middle of the ocean. It might have felt strangely isolating, but no feeling of isolation compares to being stranded in an entire universe without anyone you love. Magic and superheroes and superspies are just consolation prizes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson escorts the two of us off the plane and onto the hot tarmac, while he directs the crewmen to take care of landing protocols. The surface teems with people, some dressed like agents while many are dressed in yellows and oranges, bright colors designed to be easy to spot from the large control towers that rest high above the water. The thing is so big that I can't really feel the impact of the waves, but maybe the ocean is just kind today./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A redheaded woman approaches dressed in a leather jacket. Beautiful, curvaceous, she has a smile on her face as she greets us./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Romanoff," Coulson gestures, and I cannot hide my surprise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Black Widow. The best spy in Marvel Comics, probably second only to Mystique./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hi," she says, voice raspy. She seems to recognize Steve, but her head tilts in confusion as she sees me. "Who's the stray?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan, this is Agent Natasha Romanoff," Coulson says without answering the question, putting a hand on my shoulder to guide me forward. "You won't find a better agent."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She smirks. "I don't know about that, Coulson, but I know how to take a compliment." She gestures to Coulson with a tilt of the head. "They need you on the bridge. They're starting the face-trace."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He pats me on the back. "Come with me. We'll get you settled in."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All right," I say noncommittally, wanting to stay to witness perhaps the first interaction between two future Avengers. "Does Agent Romanoff not know about me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shrugs. "Logan, I've learned to assume that she always knows more than she's letting on. That's kind of her thing. If she doesn't know, she'll find out if she's curious enough."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hmmm. Is this a world where she's on the side of the angels or a story where she's fronting for something like HYDRA?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson directs me deep into the hull of the ship. Throughout the narrow hallways, often filled with pipes, and even past an interior hangar, we earn curious looks throughout from various agents. If Coulson weren't here, it's a guarantee that one of them would have accosted me by now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We come to a stop before a small door in an area of the boat labeled quarters. Coulson scans a keycard in front of a device beside the door, and the room opens to reveal a small cabin filled with a pair of tightly made military bunk beds. A small door rests on the other side, and he gestures carefully toward it. I catch his meaning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is your space while you are here, unless or until told otherwise. I must head to a debriefing. You should stay here for the time being. I or someone else will collect you when you are needed. Any questions?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, a ton," I answer. "I'll save them for when you come back."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He claps me on the shoulder. "Oh, also, in a moment you're going to feel the ship lurch. Don't worry about it, it's just takeoff."/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Takeoff/span/emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh good God, it's the Helicarrier!/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull the Key to the Sanctuary from the lock, feeling it twist back into its normal form with a squelching sound. It sweats with excitement at having been used, and I clear my throat as the knocking at the door continues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm Agent Robinson," a young woman declares, her hair dark brown and tied in a pony tail behind her. "I'm here to escort you to the laboratory."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman moves with purpose, dressed in a dark blue suit - oh wow, it's kinda the classic navy and white suit from the comics, but modernized and realized. She doesn't give me time to protest, and I don't need to - I've had enough time to gather the things I need from the Sanctuary anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is the Helicarrier! I may see information that someone should not know, secrets involving governments around the world that I do not need to know. At the end of the day, sharing anything I see here will likely lead to a black-site execution, so I'll keep my mouth firmly shut./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She rounds the corner and heads up a tight set of stairs, finally ending the trip in front of a set of white double doors. Windows line the chamber beyond, revealing the actor Mark Ruffalo who apparently replaced the last Bruce Banner. He hunches handsomely over a desk, fiddling with diagrams on computer screens that hover in the air so transparently that they could be holograms./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Two guards dressed in all black uniforms and carrying large rifles rest nearby, while others likely rest in other places as well, but wow. That man is the Hulk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This would be scarier if I didn't have any escape tools./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Dr. Banner is searching for the Tesseract using technology," Agent Robinson declares. "Agent Coulson suggests you may have a way to help him. Get to it." And with that, the woman leaves me alone with the man who will become the Hulk at the slightest inconvenience./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey," I try carefully, feeling both a little terrified and a little excited./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He looks up from his reports for a moment, glasses firmly abridged to his nose. "Hello. You must be Logan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah," I say, shrugging and pulling at my now-clean trench coat collar. "Look, I'll just get this out of the way and off the table first. I'm a mage - I do magic. It's real, I have it, and I think it will be easier if you just believe me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks before breaking into a small grin. "Fascinating."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hmm?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Banner stands excitedly. "Oh, yes, you're incredible!" He bounds over to me a little nervously, as though getting a closer look will help him get it more. "I never would have thought it was real, but this is good news! This is amazing for the history of science."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cough slightly. "How… uh, is that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ancient researchers at the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"foundation/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" of scientific practices thought alchemy was real," he mutters, turning away slightly as he almost paces in front of his desk. "We've come full circle! Can you do alchemy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown. "Well, I don't think so. At least, not exactly like you're thinking. I do have a few rituals that kinda remind me of it." The one that turns me into a lich involves complex chemical reagents, magical circles, and a transmutation of flesh into un-flesh, among other materials. "I can actually give you something that might let you do magic yourself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Banner shivers. "As fun as that would be," he turns his attention toward the guards outside and then toward the cameras in the corner of the laboratory, "why don't we wait until after we locate the Tesseract?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fair enough. How are you planning to locate it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The scientist shifts a hand toward the screen and bites down on the end of a pencil with his other hand, eyes studying the read-outs. "SHIELD has set up spectrometers." He pauses. "Do you know what those are?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Actually, yeah?" I reply, thinking back to Agent Fitz. "Or at least, I've seen one before. They used one to analyze some of my magic."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce gestures with a finger, and the screen shifts to show a larger image of the cube. It shimmers with an odd blue light, undulating with power beneath its surface./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My mind flashes to the comics: is this the Cosmic Cube? An object with unfathomable energy, capable of granting the user's greatest wish, almost like a genie. Pretty much everyone in the comics has dealt with one before, on one occasion or another. It's the kind of item that could start whole comics events./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'd love to test your magic myself," Banner says after a moment, clicking once more with his finger to show a diagnostic display revealing different… levels of radiation. "The Tesseract emits gamma radiation when active."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Gamma? My eyes widen upon hearing that, but I hope he doesn't notice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The spectrometers are calibrated to detect it in the upper atmosphere. We're trying to narrow down where it might be, if not locate it outright."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clear my throat to recover. "And this Tesseract. What does it do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He points to another screen, the top of which declares it to be the notes of someone named Erik Selvig. I've never heard of him, but they are quite detailed. If I had more than a tenth grade science education, I might make heads or tails of it. "These are the top scientist's notes on the subject. The Tesseract is like a doorway, drawing energy from one place and distributing it at another. It's a por-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A portal," I finish. "Or at least, it can open one?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man nods. "That's how this Loki got here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'd seen the footage earlier. The Asgardian arrived holding some kind of spear or scepter through a giant hole in space, conjured by the Tesseract. The entire complex collapsed when the portal fell apart, but the alien narrowly escaped with the cube, a scientist, and another agent. The footage wasn't exactly clear, but the latter two were following him seemingly of their own volition, so they must have been working for him or something. Maybe they're how Loki managed to activate the Tesseract from afar to bring him here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So," I say, thinking. "What does he want with it now? Can it open a portal again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's the theory," Banner says solemnly. "There's no telling what Loki wants to bring here to Earth, but even if he doesn't, he can still open unstable holes in spacetime that might have enough force to level a building, a town, a city. This is bad news."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We watch the footage of the destroyed compound, and I imagine something like that used on a skyscraper or some other important building - hell, the White House or the Capitol - could be catastrophic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do you think?" Banner asks, not tearing his eyes away from the screen for several seconds. At my look, he adds, "Magically? Is there something about the Tesseract that we are not seeing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sigh, not wanting to look at him as my mind whirls with potential. "I study very specific types of magic, and no one spell or ritual or ability works like the others."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He stares for a moment, the gears turning in his mind. "So, it's not consistent."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes! Or, uh, no, it's not consistent." I almost snap my fingers to create a duplicate but decide against it, not wanting to spook him. "I have a spell that can create solid duplicates of me that I can then control - that spell involves splitting pieces of something called the SOUL. These tattoos allow me to phase through solid objects, and they use a form of physical magic called lyrium. Lyrium and the SOUL are, er, not the same thing, so they work differently."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He paces for several seconds, trying to understand. "So, is your point that you might not be able to help us understand it?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Er, maybe not," I explain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're a specialist, not a generalist."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod and point excitedly. "That's it! That's a better way to put it." It still doesn't feel exactly right, but it's closer./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Then what /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" you do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I feel the Winds of Magic touch my very being. "Dr. Banner, with a little bit of astromancy, I think I can find it, or at least, point us in the right direction."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Apr 17, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_17_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 16/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Do I point out to Bruce that the SHIELD soldiers are following him? I mean, they're following me too, but only due to sheer proximity. Then again, they've been pretty keen to keep me from any sensitive locations on the Helicarrier. Regardless, pointing it to him feels like it might be a mistake, because he… well, he's the Hulk. Arguably the strongest /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"force/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" on the planet, packed into one poor scientist's addled mind. A modern day Jekyll and Hyde./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Regardless, as Bruce leads me through the gigantic base, I keep track of their every move. They're not exactly trying to be subtle, but it's not as overt as a group of jackbooted soldiers boxing the scientist in with rifles. The Hulk's stories in the comics are a constant push and pull between the government and him, and whether or not the powers that be can be trusted to handle the situation. At any point, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"any/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" hint of green, and the interior of the Helicarrier could /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"sing/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" with the sound of gunfire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That question of trust can't quite escape my brain, and I clear my throat as we walk. "How'd you get involved with the Avenger Initiative?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man wipes at his glasses before sliding them onto his nose. "Fury says it's for the brain." A solemnity in his words is clear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You, uh, don't?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He turns, eyes glinting with amusement. "How could I?" A languished sigh escapes his mouth. "If not for the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"brawn/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", I'd have likely never gotten this far. There are other scientists who could fill my role and find the Tesseract." Bruce sighs again. "And apparently some wizards."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you'd rather I not-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man blinks. "Oh! No, if anyone can help, they should. End of the world, the enslavement of all mankind." Bruce gestures toward a stairwell leading up to the surface of the Helicarrier. "After you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I climb the stairs, wondering how to not to make the man feel any more unneeded here than he must already feel. A pair of workers dressed in orange head down and nearly pass us, and the male one blinks, confused. "Hey, uh, you're not-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"are/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" supposed to be here," I say confidently. "I need to see the sky to find the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks, reaching up to scratch at his graying beard. "I don't know what that is."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce breathes deeply and exhales sharply as shoves past me. The woman stares in surprise and grasps at the other's arm. "We'll, uh, leave you to it." The two practically dash down the stairs until they are out of sight and out of earshot./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why didn't they know what the Tesseract was?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The scientist pushes open the doorway heading onto the deck, the night sky enveloping everything beyond in a pit of darkness, our only reprieve the exterior lights of the floating deck. "Fury's secrets."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Wouldn't it be better for everyone to know what we're dealing with?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce shrugs, face still annoyed from their reaction to him. "I am sure from his perspective, keeping the circle of trust as tight as possible is useful for mission security."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But Loki's going to do something big. Shouldn't everyone have a chance to prepare themselves?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes," Bruce says simply, face forlorn. "If I had to guess, the top officials in governments all around the world will be scrambling to hide now, if not earlier."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A lot of good that will do. No bunker is safe when everything is a portal cube away. Depending on the range, maybe nowhere in the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"universe/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" is safe. It /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"already/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" teleported the Asgardian here from wherever he came from./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The pressure mounts even deeper into the muscles of my shoulders, my upper back already tight and burning. If I can't find it, if Bruce can't find it, then we're not safe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No one is safe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How does this work?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink, shaken from my reverie. The scientist steps onto the deck, eyes studying one of the large spectrometers that rests a mere thirty yards from this doorway. It whirs with activity, lit by a series of lamps bolted to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, it'll only take a moment."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce studies me with the same gaze he gives one of the machines. "Yes, but how?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There is a… current of magic in the upper atmosphere called Azyr,"I explain. "I can channel this magic to flow into me, around me, through me. I can then direct its movement into certain patterns to perform effects that are, uh, related to its nature."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He paces with fascination, rubbing his chin. "You called it astromancy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It has other names, but yes. It's the lore of the heavens, celestial magic. It deals with the-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stars," he finishes for me. "How do the stars help us find the Tesseract? Are you tracing the energy that it uses to create holes in spacetime, through them, somehow?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown. "I don't think so. I could use this one to find that one sock that always goes missing in the laundry."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles, though still confused. "Truly a worthwhile use of magic."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I point up. "Uh, you might want to step back. We're closer to its flow, and the books I've read say that unpredictable things can happen the closer you are to Azyr."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He takes several steps back to lean against the spectrometer, though he never loses sight of me. The amount of air is light this high up, and we truly could only last a little while without feeling the effects of oxygen deprivation. He shows no signs of slowing down or breathing hard, but I do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Taking a moment, I begin to chant under my breath the words for a finding divination, focusing my mind on the Tesseract. Azyr opens to me like a sixth sense, and the flow of air around the Helicarrier begins to bend to my whim, a bit unexpectedly. It congeals into barely visible, whirling shapes that twist and turn around me, incomprehensible to the eye of anyone untrained in this kind of magic's unbridled nature. It buffets at us both for several seconds, before finally, I feel the signs in the stars begin to take shape./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I point upward and almost begin to laugh at Bruce Banner's incredible look of awe. He rubs at his forehead, then at his glasses, squinting at the shifting of the night sky. Patterns manifold appear to brighten and dim, until a single series of stars glints into a new constellation, the kind that only someone who has seen and deciphered the math behind astromancy can understand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's west!" I point somewhere to my left. "I don't know how far it is from me, but if we head, er, southwest, we'll find it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Southwest?" Bruce asks carefully, still studying the vibrant heavens. "You're sure?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The skies do not lie." They helped me find Suzanne Harrow. "Some of my divinations are unclear, but I know the Tesseract is west of us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce does not look down until the connection to Azyr falters and the sky visually returns to its normal vista. "That's incredible. It… couldn't be that you /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"moved/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the stars. The amount of energy that would take is impossible. Something like a trick of human perception, maybe?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I smile, ecstatic that it worked. "I just know it as Azyr, Dr. Banner."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, of course, yes," he says finally, pointing to the spectrometer. "It doesn't give you distance, so you might have to triangulate it." I nod, realizing a slight disadvantage here. We wouldn't know we'd found it until the Helicarrier shot past it and I tried again. "But if we use that data and the information from its gamma radiation," his words get more and more excited, "we can narrow it down!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh yes, that's awesome./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I may have just helped /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Bruce Banner/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A woman steps into the laboratory, her brown hair tied tightly behind her head, her posture held tight, reminding me a coiled snake waiting to strike. I cannot help but smile at the face of Cobie Smulders, but there's no chance that she would be here dressed in the dark navy blue bodysuit of upper SHIELD personnel. This is someone important./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Dr. Banner, Logan." As soon as the door behind her closes automatically, she nods. "We have good news on our end, and sources tell me that you've found good news as well. The Helicarrier shifted directions."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's been a development, Agent Hill."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whoa. That's Maria Hill. A controversial character, depending on the run, but one that usually means well./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Tesseract is west," I explain. "We sent word, and we're headed in the direction of its location."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill starts to speak, but Bruce quickly adds, "According to my readings, it could be anything along this westerly line where there's a spike in gamma radiation." He presses a button on a screen, revealing a three-dimensional model of the globe. A dark green line rushes west, and several dark red points are already highlighted. "With a bit more time looking at the data, I can confidently learn where he's keeping it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She nods once. "Good work."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A question irks me, and I finally perk up. "What's your good news?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Captain Rogers, Agent Romanoff, and," she tenses, "Stark have returned with Loki in custody, alongside Thor. Fury and his team are securing the Asgardian on base now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What a statement. Thor is on Earth, he's helped the damn /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Avengers/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" stop his brother./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Then it's over," I say with a glimmer of hope. "We just need to find the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman shakes her head. "It's a good first step, but Agent Barton is still in the wind, alongside Dr. Selvig and whomever else the man has under his sway. It's not over."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What does Fury want us to do?" Bruce asks, not looking up from his readings./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Come with me," she explains, waiting at the open door. "You'll want to see this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance toward Bruce and then follow both of them through the innards of the gigantic hunk of metal. I wonder idly if the man feels claustrophobic - the only person who could escape this boat faster than the Hulk is me, with a thought to activate the lyrium burning through my skin. He'd smash through its many layers in no time, I'm sure, and he'd probably actually survive the landing. I'd hit the water and turn to paste./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It takes very little time for us to arrive at the bridge of the ship, a massive space filled with agents and support personnel, maintaining the ship's flight and operating a global organization with untold numbers of employees. More importantly than that is the fact that Maria Hill brings me into the heart of the Helicarrier, where most of the rest of the damn /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Avengers/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" are./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor. Black Widow. Captain America. And now, the Hulk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In one room, scattered about a central table while a video feed shows something that I cannot possibly give my attention to in this moment, in a room filled with your goddamn heroes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor's exposed biceps alone are enough to keep drawing my eyes, something that would undoubtedly bring me shame later. The colorful patriotic suit does wonders for Steve's figure, and if you're into it, I'm sure that Black Widow looks great. This is an attractive group./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm reminded of something that the great Amanda Waller once asked: "why is it that superheroes are always so good looking?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't hold a candle to this group in comparison. Way too skinny. Funny looking nose. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Slight/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" acne problem. They're enough to make me feel inadequate just from /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"looks/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria leans against the railing to watch, while Banner beckons me to come with him to sit at the table. A SHIELD logo proudly shines in the background just behind it, and I really /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"shouldn't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hi," I cannot help but say, truly feeling the towering height of Thor, nearly a foot taller than I am./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The video feed resets a few seconds with a press of Natasha's thumb, and she gestures for us to watch and listen. The camera catches Fury and the Asgardian in the discussion, while the latter is trapped in some kind of round chamber lined with windows and colored with a greenish paint. What color is adamantium? Or maybe it's vibranium? Whatever the material is, is there really any chance that it could hold someone who's as powerful as Loki? I could slip in and out without a bit of effort. He's not even cuffed!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you so much as scratch that glass," Fury presses something on a nearby control panel, and the floor beneath the cage opens to reveal nothing but the ground below it, the wind picking up in the room and causing the spy's coat to dramatically billow. "It's thirty thousand feet straight down in a steel trap."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't hear the rest of Fury's statement, looking up at Thor. "He'll get out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man blinks, bewildered. "What of this /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"child/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", Hill?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's a consultant," Hill explains without skipping a beat. "Reports directly to Fury and to Coulson."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I still think he'll get out," I say again, ignoring the rising tension./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's an impressive cage," Loki responds as Natasha quickly resumes the video to cut the rest of us off. The redhead shoots me a look, and I shut up. "Not built, I think, for me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The color is what makes me realize it's /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"actual/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" purpose, but I have the decency to not look at Bruce. Fuck, that has to feel isolating. Even when you're called on to assist others, said others build a special trap just for you./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Built for something a lot stronger than you," Fury declares./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, I've heard," Loki quips, staring directly at the camera. "A mindless beast. Makes play he's still a man. How desperate are you that you call on such lost creatures to fend you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury is unperturbed, stepping closer to the glass. "How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace, and you kill because it's fun." Fury glares. "You have made me very desperate. And you might not be glad that you did."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not hear the last few seconds, my mind reeling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This cage wouldn't work on the Hulk. Probably. In the comics, Hulk would laugh at something like that. Not even the Illuminati would have cooked up a solution like that, instead just sending him off-world./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Would it work on Loki? Was I wrong in that prediction? If he has to rely on physical strength alone? Yeah, it might work. But the dude has magic. It's a force multiplier on its /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"worst/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" day. All Loki needs is a quick teleport spell, and he'd be out of there. Can he teleport in this universe?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Does the cage stop magic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill meets my gaze. "No."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor's knuckles go even whiter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve's eyes flicker between me and the Asgardian. "Thor, what's his play?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard, nor any world known." Thor looks anywhere but at me. "He means to lead them against your people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Damn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Chitauri do not ring a bell from the comics. I'd sooner expect Frost Giants or Dark Elves over whatever this is./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""They will win him the Earth, in return I suspect for the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""An army," Steve says quietly, "from outer space."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This sounds really bad. Of course SHIELD doesn't have any wards against magical threats, and now we learn that the current big bad as a damn alien army with technology will likely far outstrip the Earth's own ability to defend. "How quickly can their fleet travel?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor looks toward me with interest. "You'd have mere weeks to prepare, perhaps sooner if they commandeer jump gates. I suspect that would be difficult, as the Nova Corps would intervene."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Jump gates?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Nova Corps?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor opens his mouth to answer Steve and Natasha's questions, but Bruce perks up. "He's building another portal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The details line up, and I steeple my fingers. "He doesn't want the Cube just to destroy buildings. It's worse."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He has Erik Selvig under some kind of spell," Natasha says, her attention turning to me at the final word. She starts to say something else, but I see her hold her tongue./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Selvig?" Thor asks, as though he recognizes the name./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""An astrophysicist," Bruce clarifies./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's a friend of mine."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something occurs to me. "Did Loki hurt your friend on purpose? To hurt you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor steps forward. "Have care how you speak, child."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I didn't, uh," my cheeks redden. "Sorry."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Whether he did or didn't do that on purpose is not getting us anywhere," Natasha adds. "Selvig could get him another portal. Bypass these… jump gates and Nova Corps."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think it's about the mechanics," Bruce says. "Iridium… what do they need the iridium for?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The reason the team had captured Loki at all is because they apparently stole some of the stuff from a lab in Germany. But I've no idea-/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's a stabilizing agent."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Walking confidently into the room is the spitting image of Robert Downey, Jr. Iron Man himself, Tony Stark. Next to him is Coulson, and apparently they go way back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It means that the portal won't collapse in on itself like it did at SHIELD." Tony steps toward the bridge proper, patting Thor on the side of the arm. "No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the hammer?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Also, it means the portal can open as wide and stay open as long as Loki wants."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clear my throat. "He can't make the Tesseract do anything if he doesn't have it, right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maria doesn't look convinced, and I remember the report about the cube acting up seemingly of its own accord./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Excuse me," Tony asks, staring at me, "where's his high chair?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha fights off a laugh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tony, this is Logan, our consultant on all things magical," Agent Hill clarifies with more than a little annoyance in her tone. "Asgardian technology counts as far as SHIELD can stomach it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony guffaws at that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Look, I know it's weird that I'm here with you all," I say with a swallow, forcing myself to look the billionaire in the eyes. "But I can help. I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"have/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" helped. And there are more important things to do than bicker over this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We know the direction of the Tesseract's current location thanks to one of Logan's spells," Bruce adds. "I estimate another half an hour, and I might have a location."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Great!" Tony declares, positive and likely trying to ignore my presence. "Selvig needs a high energy density power source. What's the direction?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're heading west," Maria explains./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony paces, running his fingers along the equipment around him as he walks. I can practically see the gears turning in his head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve shifts up from the table, and it takes everything in my power not to stare at the man's back. "Anything ring a bell, Stark?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not… immediately," he says, uncertain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Tesseract could be in transit to wherever it's actually going to go," Natasha says. "Selvig, Barton, and the rest could be headed to anywhere in North America with it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can think of some places where it might work," Tony says and then locks eyes with Bruce. "We should compare notes, Dr. Banner. It's good to finally meet you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Thanks," the man uneasily says./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot help but feel my ability to influence this situation has grown less and less stable. These great minds, these great muscles, these great skills - I am barely starting out, while these guys have years under their belt. If not for the Grimoire, a kid who hasn't even passed an economics class wouldn't - shouldn't - be here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There is… /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"one/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" thing I can do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Mr. Stark."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man turns away from talking shop with the other scientist in the room. "Yes, Landon."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What I said."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ugh. "I have someone I want you to meet. You'll want to bring your armor."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hmm?"/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So, do you cosplay Gryffindor or Slytherin?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I roll my eyes. "I take you to a pocket dimension and this is your reaction?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""When said intra-liminal space looks like it was ripped out of terrible kids' movies, then yeah, that's my reaction."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Sanctuary's hallway that resembles the dungeons stretches before the two of us. The man did not bring his armor, but I hope this convinces him it's worth it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So, kid, you gotta tell me - radioactive goo? Alien kidnapping? Strange technology?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Uh. "The middle one?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So, you /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"are/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" a fraud!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, it's not that," I defend, annoyed. "That's just the closest one you said. It's a long story that I'm /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"not/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" getting into."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I wouldn't want to talk about probing either."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We round the corner as /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"that/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" comment rests on my brain. At the end of the alcove rests a small fountain of crystal clear water, a large bulb like a plant protruding from the middle of its surface. Vines cover the walls, stretching out of sight. It's actually kinda weird that Matero the Fairy and the Phantom can stay here, even when the Key is in my pocket - I couldn't let anyone else stay here while the door is inactive, not even me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"This/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" is what you wanted me to see?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not yet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I approach, and as I do, the Great Fairy rises from the plant as its bud opens, revealing the no longer slumbering giant twink within. Nearly nude, the glittery creature stretches its arms and its multicolored wings, long Elven ears poking at the vines as it stretches. Water and oil glistens from his pecs, and it licks its lips in greeting./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hel~lo!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Fairy slides its body toward Tony, while the other backs away a moment, clearly a bit stunned./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"smell/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the pomp and circumstance of cash-money on him, Logan." Matero blushes. "You know how to please me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Mr. Stark, ignore his, er, showiness," I plead. "I haven't had a chance to try it out yet because it's too expensive for me, at the moment."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What?" Tony asks, recovering. "I can promise you hookers aren't worth it, and I'm not… uh-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"No/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"!" the Fairy declares angrily, seething. Vines coil in little shapes all around us. "I would never accept money for that! This is merely an exchange of currency for /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"art/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you pay him enough money, Mr. Stark, he'll improve your fashion," I explain, before adding, "He could enchant your armor. Make it stronger, tougher, more resilient, without sacrificing mobility by adding weight or changing the materials."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony blinks, staring into the eyes of the Fairy. "What?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ah yes, if you give me enough coin, I could make a bit of leather as durable as any of your fancy little suits."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm planning to let SHIELD make improved kevlar vests, among other things," I explain. "It might not amount to much, but it could be the difference between living and dying."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony peers at the Fairy and then back at me. "What's the catch?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hm?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If I let this guy work on my armor, then what's he want in return? What do /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"you/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" want in return?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Fairy beams at the question. "I merely want to eat your money. Nothing more, nothing less~!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I frown. "I j- I don't want anything, I just want you and the others to be safe."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How long's this gonna take?" Tony asks after a long moment of hesitation. "We might have an army knocking on our door any minute now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Fairy giggles, running a hand rhythmically up and down one of his vines. "Oh, I can be quick. You simply drop the equipment into the water, and I pull it out, enchanted and new. Once you pay me, of course."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't help but grin when Tony takes out his wallet and pulls a credit card./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You take plastic?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I've taken all kinds~!"/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The order had come from on high. Very high. She had suited up the moment she could pull away from brunch with a friend, who had no idea that their relationship was a lie built for a deeper cover. That's just how it goes for the life of SHIELD, especially when you've got a record like she does./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The rest of her team quickly amassed itself via motorbike, and she could not stop herself from feeling overwhelmed. This mission was paramount, and given what they were up against, it could go south very fast./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Still, she owes it to Laura to do this the right way. She would never forgive herself if she didn't./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""HQ, Team is assembled," she barked into her ear piece, having to speak loud over the sound of the highway and her squad of bikers. "Awaiting confirmation of vehicle."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Roger that, Agent Morse."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The rookie of her squad-mates pulls a pair of googles from his belt, sliding them into place across his eyes and turning them on with the flip of a switch. She hates the way that they shine directly into her eyes, but Agent Harris doesn't mind it. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Better him than me/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", she thinks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Are we really the right team for this?" Harris asks over their squad channel, the earpiece clicking with every word. "This is a lot."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It is, but we can handle it," Agent Morse declares. "We were the closest team in proximity, and no back-up is coming. We do this here, and HQ says we'll have saved the planet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What could he have on him that that would be true?" another agent asks - Rosenburg, she thinks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Before any of them could speculate, Agent Harris barks into his headpiece a confirmation. Agent Morse pours on the speed at the same moment that the gunfire starts, bullets flying from four different directions. She tags the black-suited assailants aiming rifles in her direction with her eyes even as she ducks, placing another vehicle between her and them on the highway for all of a few seconds before they realize what is happening and put on the breaks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An explosive to her immediate left goes off, and one of her team goes down, their bike tumbling end over end as their bodies tumble at speeds no one could survive. The force of it nearly makes her own bike wobble off course, but she persists and manages to surpass the moment and pour on the speed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her sidearm swings to the side as she cranes her neck, peppering one of the vehicles ahead with gunfire. A van careens to the side as its tire pops, and she drives past it and spins around, firing two more shots into the drivers' cab, earning a splatter of blood with her victory./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It wasn't him./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He's in the semi./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Take out the others./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They do not have a choice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She reminds herself that her team are trained for this and sees Agent Harris dive to the side with his bike, narrowly avoid another explosion, and then trains her eye up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clinging to the roof in the crouched position of an archer is the man in question. A man who has gone rogue, and not of his own volition. She has enough time to push on the speed at the same time that he pulls back his bow, sending an arrow filled with electrical discharge in her direction. It narrow misses but hits the pedestrian truck behind her instead./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Barton confirmed," she barks into her earpiece. "Permission to engage."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A female voice - the voice of Agent Romanov, she realizes distantly, a woman she's only met on a handful of occasions - says back, "Nonlethal force only."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She understands and has no desire to hurt the man. This is more for the rest of her team that are still standing than it is for her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Morse drives faster once more, straining the limits of the motorbike and her own safety. A practiced hand reaches into her leg pouch and pulls the wristbands, twisting them onto one arm at the same time she jumps./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her body slams hard into the side of the semi truck, but her arm holds with a metallic whine, magnets in the wristbands keeping her steady. She twists the other on and begins scaling the side of the truck, even as more gunfire peppers the area all around the highway. She has to move swiftly - there's no chance Barton didn't see that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She flips onto the roof with a twirl, producing her stun batons at the same moment that Barton unleashes an arrow toward Agent Rosenburg. The arrow expands into some kind of sticky tar the moment it hits the ground in front of the younger agent's bike, sending the redhead into the pavement and likely into her death./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Morse cannot stop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She launches herself at Clint before he can retaliate at range, certain that her close-range combat will be enough and hoping that whatever power holds the man's free will at bay keeps his skills away as well./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An attempt to baton to the throat is met with a twisting turn, and a snap of his bow against her blocking arm could have thrown her off her feet. Barton twists around her with a short half-step, and then attempts to drive his knee into the back of her thigh. She clips his knee with a stiff-arm, earning a stinging wrist, and then pummels the man's shoulder with a single blow of her free arm./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They continue to trade blows back and forth for several seconds, and at one point he manages to elbow the baton out of her hand, likely breaking one of her knuckles in the process. She doesn't let the pain show - she's suffered worse - and it's only thanks to her environmental awareness training that she spots an assailant aiming up toward her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She drops to the top of the truck in an instant, avoiding the shot that might have taken her out. Using the momentum of her fall, she twists into a rolling sweep, but he leaps over it and manages to stomp on her already injured hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Shit!" she screams./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Harris barks, "I almost got the back of the truck open! Gotta get Selvig out!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hawkeye reaches back for an arrow and brandishes it like a spike, striking downward with all his might./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Morse forces herself into a roll, narrowly avoiding the super-heated arrowhead that melts a hole into the roof of the truck's cargo container. Coming to a crouch at the same moment she swings her baton, she manages to make purchase with him, but it misses bare skin and instead hits his arm guard./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He shifts his body forward, glassy eyes focused on her for a moment, and then she hears something /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"roar./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Twisting her attention to the street behind her, she blinks in surprise as a man once dressed in the same black combat fatigues as the rest of their assailants grows two, three, four - six feet taller, his skin becoming a darkened blue. A greenish-looking brand glows as it stretches alongside the skin on his back, sizzling like steam, and then he /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"roars/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Harris drops to the ground from the open door of the back of the truck, stunned, and the giant of a man reverses course in a split-second. Agent Morse does not see what happened to her fellow squad-mate as an excruciating pain erupts in her back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A second erupts in the side of her head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bobbi Morse knows no more./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The scepter rests on a pedestal in the lab. Shimmering in gold and silver, the end of the spear contains a crystalline shape that glows with blue light, the same light as the Tesseract. Data readings I cannot interpret rest throughout, but this is still amazing to see. A real-life magical artifact, the first I've found in this universe not connected to the Grimoire or the Sanctuary in some way./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"From the video feeds of the fight in Germany, it can blast things with the same force as the Tesseract, though the power of it pales in comparison to the defenses of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"the/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" shield of Captain America. A shield that can also tank blasts from Tony's suit and Thor's motherfucking hammer, if the story of their meeting was not an exaggeration./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Worse still is its ability to apparently dominate the minds of others to serve your bidding. That's a powerful ability./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How you doing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up to see Agent Coulson slip into the laboratory, pulling me away from the scepter and from Bruce and Tony, while the two of them work. It had taken longer than thirty minutes to find a location, but they'd narrowed it down to three reactors in the northeastern United States. It was only a matter of time before troops on the ground directed by Fury could confirm it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's all a little crazy," I say automatically. "I wish I could do more. I'm not Gandalf - I can't wave my hands and make the problem go away."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Would take the fun out of it if you could, if you ask me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't match his smile. "It would be worth it to keep people safe. If I could say a magic word and end all conflict? I think I'd say it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson thinks deeply for a moment. "You know, I'm not sure I agree. A lot of my best qualities came from conflict."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And probably your worst, too."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""True." He nods. "How out of place do you feel?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I look at him blankly. "You have no idea."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A chuckle breaks the near silence in the room. "I think I do." He points at Tony. "A billionaire." At Bruce. "A scientist." At the other end of the hallway. "An assassin. A god. A soldier." At me. "A magician."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""When you put it like that," I grumble. "I'd feel better if I had some experience."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We all feel that way at some point in our careers, no matter the career. Starting out is tough."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""People's /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"lives/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" are on the line," I counter. "This isn't like working a 9-5."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Also true." Coulson pokes me in the chest. "But you? You're here. You're valuable. Experience will come, if you let it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not in time for an alien invasion."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wasn't going to let SHIELD let me fall into a sense of security. At any point, that portal /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"will/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" open, and enemies /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"will/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" spill out. Whatever this Chitauri army is, it's only a matter of time before they rear their ugly head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha enters the room with a truly frightening look on her face. She stops in front of the scepter and wheels her intense gaze toward me. "I need to know how to reverse the effects of this, and I need to know now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson nods. "Yes, but-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Bobbi Morse is down."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bobbi Morse? I do not recognize it, but Coulson seems to as he blinks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It was Clint."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Three perks (2 100 CP and 1 400 CP) were gained this chapter but they won't pop up in the accordion until the chapter that he can have some time to access the Grimoire./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Apr 24, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_18_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 17/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Several SHIELD agents were dead./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They were dead because /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" sent them there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sent Agent Morse and her team in the direction of the Tesseract, able to respond faster than the Avengers to the crisis because they were closer than the time it would take to get a Quinjet involved. My spell gave them the steps to find its location./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It was a failure. Hawkeye deftly escaped capture, and he, the Tesseract and Selvig were still in the wind. I am not privy to the details of what Fury plans to do next - at least, not yet - but I'm not sure that I want to know. I could do worse next time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's not fair to myself. I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"do/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" want this. This is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Before, I'd have said it was coming out to my mom and finding out she /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"didn't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" hate me, despite the general aura of hatred in the Southeast. The exhilaration of using superpowers to stop bad guys and actually save lies? Nothing else compares./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When it involves saving lives./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Someone died. Someone important, if Black Widow's reaction to the squad leader's death means anything. I don't know her personally, but it still feels /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"very/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" wrong./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With shaking hands, I wipe the bile from my lips and then spit into the sink once more. Flesh pale, my reflection shows the face of a gaunt killer, the fluorescent lighting sharpening my features./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Goddamn./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I try to think back to advice that my parents might have given me for this situation, but no helpful memories come to alleviate the present. I should not be surprised - it's not like parents often know what to tell you to do if your actions lead to the death of another person. Instead, my mind flashes back to the conflicted emotions on Black Widow's face, a mixture of blame, hurt, and concern that I'll never be able to remove from my head. Angry eyes, a clenched jaw, lips quivering./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A knock at the door shakes me back to the present./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Just a minute," I call out, wiping my face with fresh water one more time and then drying with a cheap paper towel. The banality of what the Helicarrier stocks in its bathrooms would normally probably soothe my mood, but not on a day like this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Take your time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clench my jaw at the voice of Steve Rogers, just on the other side of the doorway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A deep breath and a deeper exhale./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The door slides open to reveal the blond, his piercing blue eyes staring warmly into my soul. The man is barely a six or seven years older than me, if I had to guess, but he feels /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"ancient. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He has the visage of someone who has seen war, who has felt war, who has /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"lived/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" war. In that respect, he feels older than Thor. Is it because he's human?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Let's take a walk."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, okay," I say dumbly, following after the man dressed in the suit of a superhero. Red, white, and blue, it perfectly encapsulates a classic ideal, and it's neat, if a little garish. I have to fight to stop checking him out, catching up to walk alongside him - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this is not the time./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan," he says after a few moments of silence. The Helicarrier feels just as tense as I do, though I cannot quite read what Steve is thinking. "How are you feeling?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I bite my tongue to avoid saying the first thing that comes to mind. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Think, before I speak./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" "I don't feel great right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve nods sagely. "I have been in your shoes. Toward the end of the war, my decisions carried weight, whether I wanted them to or not. That weight could mean a loss of life for both sides."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What was it like?"/span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"He blinks distantly. /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh, I probably shouldn't have asked a veteran that. Isn't that rude?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Difficult. Perhaps the most difficult thing I'll ever do. Trying to reconcile what blood belongs on my hands and what blood doesn't? Used to send me into spiraling moments of self-doubt." He pauses at the intersection of two twisting corridors, and just ahead is a stairwell leading to the bridge, where the others lie in wait. "In order to move forward, I had to accept these worries were part of the job, but that I would do everything in my power to avoid casualties, to save those around me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I almost cannot believe this conversation is actually happening right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And what if you can't?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There will be times where you cannot save everyone," he says sharply. "I lost a dear friend of mine near the end of the war. If I had been faster, if I had been in the right place, if I had raised my shield in the right moment? Maybe he'd be alive. Maybe he wouldn't. At the end of the day," he sucks in a deep breath, "you cannot allow these moments to break your spirit."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I think I know the friend he mentioned. It was a core concept of Captain America's story that he loses Bucky during the second World War. The forties were a strange time for comics, so was /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Bucky a small child too? Was it even Bucky at all, here, or someone else? I'd ask him about it, but I don't know how to breach the topic in a way that would not upset him. Instead, I marinate on his words for a few moments./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve places a thick hand on my shoulder, a strong yet gentle grip. "Son, these are burdens I would not wish on my worst enemy. I do not know what your future holds, but are you really set and ready to work with Fury? To work with SHIELD? To be put into conflicts like this, where lives are on the line?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have to choke down a sob. He tenses with concern. "Kid, you okay?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clear my throat and push it all down. A spell that would help me compartmentalize would be /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"really/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" good right now. "Yeah, I uh-" I hesitate and wipe at a tear. "I'll be okay. I'm ready for whatever comes next, I promise. Just need to let it out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve watches for a few seconds and then nods. "If you want another minute, take it. I don't know when you'll get a chance. We're close to the end of this thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As he ascends the stairs, I almost follow him and instead stop, leaning against the corridor wall. The man has the decency to not look back while I wipe at my face and take another few deep breaths. I just need a minute to get into the swing of things./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Just a minute./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha wishes she knew how to kill him twice./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She would settle for once./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She knew hundreds of ways to kill a man, dozens of ways to kill them in seconds. A knick of the brachial artery. A sting from her gauntlets to the jugular. A bullet to the eye. A slash to the groin. Those were just a few of her favorites, and she ponders not for the first time whether those ways will work on an Asgardian./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her playbook has been gaining chapters by the year, by the month, sometimes by the week - that was a particularly strange month, she recalls. Lately, more and more Enhanced have come out of the woodwork, some of which the public will never know. It's become so weird that she once took down a Russian with metal /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"tendrils/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" coming out of his palms./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, she doesn't have the play for how to kill someone like Loki, nor how to truly make him suffer. If he were not so confident about it, Natasha would think that a group of humans managing to cage a so-called god would be more insulting to him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She wanted to see him beg, to grovel, to bring him to her knees and punish him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's why she steps into the chamber holding the cage built for the Hulk with one of the prototypes from Phase Two: a pistol with unknown energy rounds, almost delightfully silent in its precision, even if it provides horrific burns to the target before it is done./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She wants him to scream for what he made Clint do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The weapon is holstered in her usual weapon pouch, though it does not quite fit properly. It's heavier too, reminding her less of a precision handgun and more of a heavy revolver. Regardless, she confidently steps up to the tempered glass, only planning to use the weapon if the Asgardian proved trickier than she expected./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's not many people who can sneak up on me." The slimy bastard sickly grins./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You must not be very perceptive, because I wasn't even trying," Natasha states with her own smirk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I expected torture from a man with as auspicious a record as Fury." He steps forward. "Suffice it to say, your appearance is /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"not/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" torture on the eyes, love."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha does not take the bait. She's heard worse from far worse. Instead, she redirects. "I want to know what you've done with Agent Barton."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki chuckles. "I would say that I've expanded his mind."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An itch scratches at her own chest as his words weave through the air. She could almost see the charisma oozing with every word - this was a man born for leadership, for the kind of throne that Russia would love. She could see a weaker person falling for his exterior and his honeyed words. She'd ended the life of a similar man when she was only fourteen years old./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You've twisted him to hurt the ones he loves the most. I don't call that expansion - I call it subversion," Natasha counters. "A trick for a man who couldn't gain real loyalty."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He sneers, expression uncomfortable for only a moment. "And what would the great Agent Romanov know of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"loyalty/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"? Which silly little organization of ill intent do you plan to twist around your finger today?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She does not smile. Clint must have told him everything he knew, or at least, enough to get the broad strokes, of her history. "I follow my heart."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And does your heart beat for Barton?" Loki asks, glowering./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I owe him a debt," she says simply, arms crossed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He ponders that a moment, stepping back to stew in whatever horrible thoughts of violence, destruction, and arrogance must run through that awful mind of his. "Tell me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She doesn't want to play his game. She wants to open that cage and hit him with every degree of heat the blaster can emit. But doing so only lets him out faster, and she wants to know his game. She'll play along, for now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Before I worked for SHIELD," he grins, likely at the mention of what he believes to be a shift in loyalty, "I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set. I didn't care who I used it for, or on."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He sneers again. "Your history is remarkably similar to my own, if my naysayers in Asgard are to be believed. The stories the sheep on Midgard tell…"/span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;""Oh?" /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm not similar to you at all, you lunatic./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""God of mischief, trickery," he says simply, raising a hand. "Deceit."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And evil?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki rolls his eyes. "Evil? What a positively Zoroastrian concept." He waves his hand toward her. "We could debate the philosophical underpinnings of Midgard society all day, but I have places to be, people to rule. Continue, Agent Romanoff."/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He could get out at any time. And yet, he doesn't, /span/emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"she realizes/spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;". He wants something first. But what?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I got on SHIELD's radar in a bad way," she continues, not wanting to let him grovel in the truly impactful details. "Agent Barton was sent to kill me. He made a different call."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He looks up with a smile. "And what will you do if I vow to spare him?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Spare him?" she grimaces, the first honest emotion she has shown since she arrived. "You could not do more damage to his life if you killed him yourself. It's far past the time to spare him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He leans in, interested. "And what has my little puppet done?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She grips at her own arm to stop herself from revealing that Laura and their kids exist. Instead, she redirects, prodding. "You've turned him into a monster."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He grins, leaning back to come to a standing position, walking forward with a slimy gait. "No, I've merely enlightened him to a new perspective. Perhaps, instead, you should look a bit closer to home for the true monster."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha blinks in surprise, puts a finger to her earpiece, and turns on the dot. "Loki means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the lab. I'm on my way. Send Thor as well."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Standing in the same room with some of the Avengers will never not be cool, even with a mind so focused on some of the horrible things that I've helped create. Banner studies the energy of the Scepter, only looking up every few seconds to study the program he created to sweep for the right gamma signature. Tony filters through some of the truly odd things he's located on SHIELD's files, and I've not even scratched the surface of exactly what Phase Two even is. What was Phase One?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Isn't it kinda cool?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony doesn't look away from the diagram of a blaster turret the size of a tank. "What is, pipsqueak?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The guns," I say again, earning a look from both scientists while I have to ignore how emasculating that makes me feel. "I mean, a laser weapon is straight out of a science fiction movie. You even use them, Mr. Stark."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Repulsors are not lasers. They're highly dense particle blast weapons," he argues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Semantics."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Definitely not, kid, for so many reasons. Talk to me again when you finish third grade."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Banner shifts his glasses away from his face, speaking quietly and ignoring Tony's barb. "Logan, look where messing with the Tesseract got us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We shouldn't stop doing something because it goes wrong one time," I argue. "If there are aliens out there that want to target Earth with better technology, shouldn't we use whatever we can?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's how you end up with a Japan," Steve rebukes as he enters the room to interrupt the conversation. "Just because we have it, doesn't mean we should use it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Old news," Tony says automatically, earning a look of exasperation from Steve. "But he's not wrong."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm surprised," Steve replies icily. "I figured you'd be all in on this, if SHIELD didn't have it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh, my dad worked on it, true, but-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury enters the room with a stomping gait, anger in his eyes. "What are you doing, Mr. Stark?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, kind of been wondering the same thing about you," the billionaire counters, turning away from Steve./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And we are," Banner declares before Tony can respond. "The model's locked and we're sweeping for the signature now." He gives a look toward me. "I'm not sure I trust what you plan to do next to engage it, when we find it. What's to stop one of us from being next to the slaughterhouse?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury softens a moment. "It was convenient-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Convenient?" I ask, interrupting. "Four people are dead because it was convenient?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury rounds back. "Agent Morse and Agent Barton have fought before. I was certain that she could secure the Tesseract without any casualties."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I place my finger against one of the consoles, bringing up CCTV footage of one of the soldiers transforming into what might be a frost giant in seconds. "I guess you didn't anticipate this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He frowns solemnly. "No, I did not."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A bit of temporary transmutation," Thor declares as he and Black Widow enter the room. "My brother has no fondness for his kin. If it were a true frost giant, this Pennsylvania would be in grave danger."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Regardless," Fury interrupts, but Tony swipes at a screen, revealing several more of the diagrams. "What /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Phase Two?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Looks an awful lot like the old HYDRA weapons to me," Steve declares, jaw set with a determination that this is, in fact, the wrong play. If Captain America says building these weapons is wrong, then I'm inclined to believe him. But worse - the first mention that HYDRA exists./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""SHIELD and HYDRA?" I ask, knowing from the comics that under no uncertain terms should those two words ever be spoken aloud in the same sentence. There are so many comics where these two organizations have it out for one another. "Even I know that's bad news."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The nerd listens in history class. I'm impressed," Tony adds./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One day, I'm going to have to get Tony back for all the poking about my age. Acceptable targets… Probable alcoholism? Playboy humor? /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Wrong time to be distracted!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bruce, in a bit of anger, points to Natasha. "Did you know about this?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She raises a hand. "You want to think about removing yourself from this environment, Doctor?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I was in Calcutta. I was pretty well removed," he argues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Loki is manipulating you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"What? He's not hit Banner with the Scepter. It might be possible for him to do it with a spell even from in there, but wouldn't the cameras have seen /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" if he had?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And you've been doing what, exactly?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Unless he tricked the cameras somehow. Or did it without any components at all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes, and I'm not leaving just because some of you get a little twitchy." He walks over to the screen, and all I can think is to remove /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"myself/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" from the situation. If he really is doing something to Bruce, then it's only a matter of time before he pops the Helicarrier to pieces. I can escape as long as I get a moment, but can the others?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I want to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction." Bruce gestures to the screen in front of him, which shows blueprints for a missile that looks a lot like an ICBM, but its payload is entirely based on the energy from the Cube. It's unclear if that would be better or worse than a nuclear weapon, but if anyone would know, it's the gamma radiation scientist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That could do a lot of damage. Directed damage, at any target. As much as I might believe weapons like that might be useful in a war against someone out there, I do realize that something like that would inevitably fall into human hands, to be used by humans against humans. Laser rifles are one thing, but the equivalent of a nuclear bomb is another./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think we're focused on the wrong things," I try to interrupt the tension. "How secure is Loki, really, Thor?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor grimaces at the question. "He is only as secure as he wants to be. No normal Midgard cage can hold him for long."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's not a normal cage," Fury defends./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But it has no real magical component?" I ask. "Anything to disrupt a spell in there? Something that could prevent him from doing something to take over Banner's mind?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At the shake of Fury's head, the room erupts into further arguing, and I don't quite catch all of it. My eyes do not leave Bruce as he inches closer and closer to the Scepter, and - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Oh!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I activate my tattoos with a thought. Blue-white lyrium shifts my body into the Fade, and I push through the desk between the Scepter and myself. With a single kick, the mentally-dominating weapon snaps from the table and skitters across the floor, slightly further away from the group and definitely out of Banner's reach./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha and Fury have pistols in hand. Thor grips his hammer tightly, in a posture like he's ready to swing. Tony stands slightly behind Steve, though he's now wearing the gauntlet that Matero enchanted for him - a sleek golden metal glove with small, red Hylian runes etched into its surface almost like circuits. Bruce steps back in surprise the moment my tattoos deactivate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sorry for the alarm, but we should /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"really/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" get away from Loki's Scepter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, we've not detected any abnormal readings-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I doubt he can do that from where he is."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Loki's lies know no bounds, Earthlings. Do not underestimate him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I look toward the rest. "Just trust me!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury clears his throat loudly. "Vacate!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The group starts to move, including me, but the gamma radiation model suddenly finishes running its calculations. Bruce rushes over with excitement, and the tension slowly mounting in the room fades. "We got a hit. But you're not going to like it, Star-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's when the room /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"explodes/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_19_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 18/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pain wracks the left side of my chest, arm almost literally on fire. The smell of twisted, melted metal and thick, black smoke billows through my nostrils, and something wet and coppery trickles onto my tongue. Alarms blare throughout the space and overwhelm any sense of what /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"exactly/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" is happening, and forcing myself to my feet amidst a heap of metal debris is a challenge on my joints./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With heavy breath, I lean against a nearby wall with my right side, hoping that it stays standing despite my weight. Smoke obscures the immediate details of my surroundings, and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"shit./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is the big leagues. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm willing to bet he caused the explosion. A fireball spell or an arcane rune set to explode? Perhaps just a bit of well-placed telekinetic force against some important machinery. Why /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"couldn't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" he do that from where he is?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The others are… not here. Tony didn't have his armor, Thor didn't have his hammer, Steve didn't have his shield - they could be /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"dead./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" A dead Avenger before they even officially team up for the first time would be a sick twist in a comic book, but here? /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"No thank you. /span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I steady myself to draw in Azyr, and its soothing breath in my lungs fills me with serenity. A spell designed to tame the weather into /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"my/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" will arcs to life between my finger tips and then cascades outward like a ripple in a pond, forcing the smoke in the area to disappear. It continues rippling for several seconds, pushing past even the walls of this corridor and continuing into the spaces beyond in all directions, forcing a Clear Sky within the Helicarrier./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would hold back the tide of smoke for a few minutes and aid the vision of any survivors. It was the most I can do for the aftermath without moving from this spot, but I have no desire to stay put./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, otherworldly magic courses from the surface of the skin and into the flesh, allowing me to become ethereal. With a resounding leap of flow motion, I force my Heart to action and snap upward toward exploded area. Nothing in this flying tin can is an obstacle for lyrium./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want the familiar weapon in his hand./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to bark orders toward unfamiliar men./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to harm any more of his comrades./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to feel like an observer in his own body./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, he continues, like a puppet on strings, dancing to the tune of some alien psychopathic symphony./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants to vomit./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants to put an arrow in an alien's eye./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants to stop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants none of this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants to stop./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stop!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Please stop!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not do what he wants./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're going to be okay!" Natasha cries, trying desperately to pull herself away from the debris that has caught her ankle. Her eyes stay focused on the sight of Dr. Banner, a man in agony. "I swear on my life, I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"will/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" get you out of this. You will walk away, and never ever-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Your life!?" the voice of a monster reverberates throughout the room, sending shivers down her spine. She renews efforts to pull herself free./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The scientist's skin turns green and begins to bulge, muscle, bone, and sinew expanding larger and larger in a matter of seconds. He groans in pain, skittering across the floor and falling to a lower level as he tries hard to fight it, the monster slowly becoming /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"more/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Several /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"somethings /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"pop into existence with a flash of white light around her, and she looks up in time for the kid to finish slipping through the wall like it is not even there. Several more of him - temporary copies, the files postulate - work together to pull her leg free by lifting the material, and she twists onto her feet while barely feeling the pain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Kid, you need to go-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The monster roars once more - half man and half beast - and Logan pushes past her for a moment to join his copies. There's a new twist of light around the boy for a momentary second. "I'll be f-fine. You go!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That was not a request!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The six clones drop to the same level as the now fully-transformed Hulk. White bolts of light flare from each of them, a volley of energy cascading toward the monster. They fan out a few feet as they fire, and each blast impacts against the Hulk's skin almost like a splash of bright liquid. He shows no signs that it matters - she doubts they are very effective, but perhaps there is something that she is not seeing about them. Regardless, the Hulk's attention is on them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We have /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"maybe/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" ten seconds," she says as calmly as the situation can demand, which is not at all calmly. She raises her hand to her communicator, studying the teenager's very concerned face. "We have a Code: Green on sub-level three."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hears several voices call out into the communication lines at once, some lower and higher in clearance level than even her own. It's Fury's voice that finally shuts them all the hell up. "We'll send Thor."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan blinks. "What're they saying?" He snaps his fingers and three more clones leap onto the ground below./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha tilts her head and then realizes. "Could we not have gotten the wizard a communicator?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'll take it under advis-" Fury pauses./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk lifts something heavy and throws it, shaking the whole corridor and leaving several clones to splatter against the metal grating. Sparks shower the area at the site of impact, and Logan looks like he's itching to move. His fingers snap again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Romanoff, lead Hulk to sector four, sub-level five."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hesitates at the absurdity of that request. "Sir, I don't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Get it done."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha takes a long, hard breath. "Don't follow."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Then she leaps down to join the clones, the layout of the Helicarrier in mind to guide her toward her next destination. A single bullet pelts against the green giant's pectoral muscle, doing nothing but capturing the monster's attention. First task of the mission secured, she bolts forward on a wounded foot, and the Hulk engages to rush after her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're hurt," the boy suddenly says as he catches up to her in a burst of speed, able to shift through anything between them. "Let me do this!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She does not have time to hesitate and answer him, the Hulk pushing his way through walls and hallways not designed for someone nearly twelve feet tall. The metal bends around the unstoppable creature as he roars. The kid steps back for half a second and whirls around to face the monster. A look of terror fills Logan's eyes, but a twisting vibration of air and light appears just above his hands a moment later./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk's fist slams forward and impacts hard against the field of faintly blue magic. It lasts for but a fraction of a second before it shatters into flecks of light, and the monster roars loudly enough it threatens to burst her eardrums./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're one engine away from falling out of the sky," Coulson declares into his communicator, a status screen on the way to the armory reports to any technician or agent who rushes past. "We need to do something-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan has engaged the Hulk," the voice of Romanoff declares with exasperation in her breath. "Any Asgardian back-up before a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"child/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" dies under my watch?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson frowns. The boy is not ready. The man could not help but feel he made the wrong call. Logan could be safely in New York while they dealt with all this. Now? He's engaged a creature able to bring any military force on the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"planet/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to their knees./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Get Logan out of there!" he shouts into the communicator./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tryin-" Natasha's voice goes cold./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Engine Three is /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"almost/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" online," Tony's voice shouts over the secure transmission. "And, oh, yeah, I have access to this too."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not the time, Tony," Steve shouts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson cannot help but think that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"maybe/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" they are all doomed./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That way!" Natasha shouts, and I propel my Heart in the direction of a cramped side-tunnel. Exhaustion from all the magicka I pumped into that ward burns through my joints, but it would get better soon. I just have to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"try fucking harder./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I could comfortably outrun the Hulk, maybe even without flow motion, but I cannot just leave Black Widow behind. She doesn't have anything to prevent being turned to paste, and as agile as she is, her only real advantage is that she can fit into smaller spaces without having to take the time to tear through them like the Hulk. A charm spell or a paralysis spell would be great right now just to end the whole thing, but nothing in my arsenal can do that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Two clones throw themselves at the Hulk, but I look away as they simultaneously self-detonate into blasts of searing light and concussive force, designed to be really good at attacking the SOUL of a creature. The beast stammers back but I cannot celebrate for long as he simply charges forward even angrier. Whatever magic the minions can really do, it's not making much of a dent into the Hulk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha rushes ahead of me and then points, directing me toward a final hallway, where something truly remarkable is already happening. A burst of flow motion deposits me inside in time to see Thor's hammer smash into the side of a blue-skinned giant's face, a bit of greenish frost exploding outward as it hits with an impact that sends the whole creature tumbling through a nearby wall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Asgardian warrior recalls the weapon to his hand and swings an uppercut with his free hand into the jaw of another frost giant, throwing it aside with impressive strength. Another roar of the Hulk attracts his attention, and he tenses his muscles to catch the monster as it arrives with his own might./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Child," the god says, "ready yourself should you choose to stay. Leave, should you not."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I rush toward him and stand near, preparing to defend myself should the two frost giants recover and rejoin the fray. Natasha slips into the room but I lose sight of her quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Let the Hulk take these guys," I offer. "Your brother is the real problem. You think he'll stay locked up?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""These mere facsimiles of Jotunkind will not stand against the beast for long," he says carefully. "But you have a point."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk smashes into the chamber with a rip and tear of metal, sending storage equipment everywhere. Thor enters a combat stance and then hurls the hammer after almost no wind-up. The weapon - perhaps one of the most powerful in all of Marvel comics - arcs with electricity as it spins through the air and comes down like a lightning bolt against the Hulk's left shoulder. The monster plummets to his knee from the mere force of it, a scream of genuine pain as the lightning cascades through his torso./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A flick of the wrist recalls the hammer, and Thor expertly dodges underneath one of the shifting frost giant's manic swings. I almost flinch as I didn't even notice the thing get up, lucky that it didn't target me first. With a flutter of my Heart, I'm standing atop a nearby railing, surprised to see that Natasha is mere feet away and hiding behind a crate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We need to move," I say carefully. "Thor's heading to Loki."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The woman nods hesitantly. "I know he's here - I need to find Barton. Stay out of harm's way. The good luck keeping you alive is bound to run out eventually."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She takes a careful breath and then heads for the nearest exit, so quiet I doubt anyone could hear it, especially not over the mess of two frost giants dueling with the Hulk. She has a point, of course - I don't think anyone expects this to work, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blond Asgardian disengages hesitantly when one of the giants manages to catch the green monster on the nose with a forceful blow, but it only serves to anger the Hulk more. The other giant tackles the monster around his abdomen, throwing him so hard into a pile of crates that the very railing shakes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon," I call out to the god./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Lead the way, wizard."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He distantly hears the words of his boss calling for an evac./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He distantly feels his hand grip the bow tighter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of these men, on his mark, throws a grenade into the bridge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something as simple as a grenade would not stop his boss./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The jackboots rush inside to their probable demise as they throw themselves at probably the most fortified room on the planet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to do this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to pull back his bow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to let loose the arrow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants the arrow to fail to bypass their security, glitch their system, and send the Helicarrier into freefall./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wants to stop /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"himself/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" by any means necessary./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"His body cares little for what he wants./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve should have expected this, but he cannot say he was expecting one of the mentally dominated agents shooting at him to transform into a monster with a green flash of fire. Its skin a bright blue, its hair a stark white, its screams a sound reminiscent of a shattering icicle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He wished he had his shield./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stark!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A little busy!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The giant leaps with a single jump toward the railing, latching onto the wall with a fist strong enough to tear through steel to give itself a foothold. Steve brandishes his rifle and peppers its flesh with bullets, but the transformed creature merely ignores the small wounds in its chest. The man notices the larger creature reach back, so he makes a powerful standing jump of his own, making it to an even more precarious position than before and now out of easy reach of the lever that awaits Tony's signal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve takes aim for the creature's head and fires once more, but the giant sees it coming and raises an arm, the bullets mostly hitting its guarded forearm. He breathes heavily as he takes another jump with enhanced strength, trying to land behind him, but the giant slams a fist hard into the exterior wall the second he lands, forcing him to lose his footing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve drops a few feet onto the railing below, managing to just barely arrest his momentum before he tumbles into freefall, though the gun skids then topples over and into the sky. He flips up and onto his feet before the giant can turn to pummel him, hoping that the transformed man's weight just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"might/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be enough./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He slams a hard kick onto the grated walkway just in front of him. The panel bends but does not break. He starts to repeat it, but the giant takes a step forward./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Wrong move."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The giant loses his footing when the walkway snaps away from the rest of the Helicarrier, and the agent with a shimmering green brand on his transformed frost giant back falls thousands of feet to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve's at a loss for words when the ship lurches and begins to follow the giant, plummeting from the sky. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"This day could not get much worse. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He has enough foresight to grab hold of something heavy, because everything nearly proves the day /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"could/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be much worse./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Traveling with Thor should feel like a more worthy affair, or at least a cause for celebration, but I cannot think of the comics right now. All I can think about is how fucked we might all be if we don't get Banner back to himself or get the Hulk out of here. Or if we don't deal with the Asgardian god planning to take over the whole world./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The detention sector is a relatively smaller section of the overall Helicarrier, and I doubt that many of SHIELD's high-profile targets even would be brought here of all places. Regardless, this was certainly better than trusting that Loki would be secure in some facility on the ground. Unless he can fly, in which case, there's not much point in holding him almost anywhere on Earth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Asgard needs to take Loki," I say to the blonde as we rush toward the cell./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""As soon as I am able, that is what I plan to do."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor enters the chamber holding the containment cell built for the Hulk, and boy would it be more useful on the gamma monster right about now. I follow after him but am surprised to see that the door to the cage is, in fact, open. Loki stands in its midst, about to exit, and Thor shouts in outrage at the top of his lungs and rushes him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Only to pass right through an illusory form, and the door to the cell closes behind the god of thunder, locking him inside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck," I mutter under my breath, suddenly very much not wanting to be here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck, indeed," the god of trickery says, ignoring the shouts of his brother. He has his Scepter…. "Such crude language from a little whelp. Who are you on this fine mid-spring day?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do not touch him, brother!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh?" The lithe form of the god leans back in sleek green and gold armor, looking like a modern take of a comics-accurate costume. "My brother wants to protect you. How quaint."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can protect m-myself," I try, wincing at my own stuttering. The heartbeat thrums in my chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki takes two steps toward me, an amused smile on his face, one with way too many teeth. "Oh, no, which of mankind's toys have you armed yourself with, child?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I need a game plan here… Keep him distracted while Thor gets out. Maybe break Thor out myself? Surely the hammer can break the glass. Wait for further back-up - Tony and Steve should be somewhere nearby, among other things./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach for the pocket of my coat very carefully, pulling the enchanted scroll case from it. "I have a few t-tools at my disposal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I see that," he says, seemingly interested. "A fascinating bit of sorcery, that little coat you have there. Did you steal it from your betters?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No." My simple answer seems to amuse him further, and he takes another step forward while I prepare to snap my fingers to create more clones./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Run, Logan!" Thor cries, swinging his hammer hard enough to crack but not break the glass./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pull a scroll from the case and let it fall into my bottomless pocket, surprised that the god is letting me get this far. "Let me show you one of my tricks."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"love/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" tricks."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I unfurl the Polymorph scroll and begin to chant, while at the same time snapping my fingers to create more than a dozen minions between me and him. Loki moves as well, raising his Scepter as its blue glow burns to life. I leap to the side as I finish the spell, aiming directly for him. Clones begin to fire as well, but one group explodes from Loki's cascade of blue energy that scars the very wall behind it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A yellow glow starts to surround the man as the shaping magic tries to take hold, but he laughs as it suddenly stops, the scroll disintegrating in my hands as it is consumed. "You think me foolish enough to shift forms at /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"your/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" whim?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I didn't need it to work," I mutter as I activate tattoos, falling into the floor just as he aims his Scepter at me again. I pop up behind him and cast T'Essla's Arc, the most offensive Azyr spell I can currently muster, though Chain Lightning is close. Lightning rushes from my fingertips several feet in a line of electricity. However, instead of hitting the target, they pass right through his own illusory duplicate - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"damn it./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A white energy bolt from one of the clones that managed to survive for a few extra seconds lets me know the god was behind me, ready to spear me to death with the end of his Scepter or the knife in his hands. I fling myself forward using my Heart, landing on the other side of the room with just enough speed that Loki's barrage of three conjured daggers /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"just/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" miss, one of them cutting a sliver in my trench coat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You are decidedly more annoying than I expected," the god of trickery declares. Thor slams Mjølnir against the glass again and again, while Loki smiles. "Still, you share the lack of elegance, creativity, and grace with those in Midgard."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'd rather be this way than a tyrant." I move to snap my fingers, but they stop before I can as an unseen force grips them in place. Panic spreads as another force grabs my other wrist, enveloping my hand in its touch. Loki's eyes flash with greenish gold light just behind the pupils./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Another crash from the hammer, and Thor barrels free from the cage, sliding to a stop between the two of us while lightning courses through the grip of his hammer. "Loki! Stop this madness!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lunge to the right with my Heart, and feeling returns to my fingers from the sudden movement. I don't go quite as far as I wanted to have gone, nor as fast, but it was enough to be far closer to the door./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is beyond me./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's too late for that, Brother," he sneers. "I will not stop until all of Midgard and then all of the Nine Realms bows for me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor tightens his grip on his weapon and then shouts over his shoulder. "Go. Now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh? You want a last stand? I'll give you one, but not here!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki vanishes from sight in a glimmer of gold and emerald./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I expect him to pop up at any moment, but the moment does not come, leaving me alone with a very angry god of thunder./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: May 8, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_20_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 19/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha knows the Helicarrier like the back of her hand. It has been a launching point for /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"many/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" of her missions abroad, its cloaking technology capable of sneaking agents into any airspace without the country's knowledge. She also knows that the place has very little chance to survive a few of Loki's enchanted pals and the Hulk hashing it out. The technology is so great that they probably won't even see the big ship in the sky until it's too late to avoid getting crushed under its crash landing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At the end of the day, she does not have the skill-set to get the dueling monsters capable of ripping into metal like paper out of here. She knows her limits. She understands her purpose here better than most: take down Clint Barton, before he kills someone else important to him. The second that she received the intel that Barton was spotted on camera near the detention sector, she headed in that direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The moment she rounds the corner to his probable location, she slips back in time to avoid an arrow sticking from her eye. It sinks into a metallic pipe, spitting steam into the area where she had been standing, but she's already on the move, ducking and weaving through and into service tunnels connecting the more traveled areas of the ship./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The archer stands at the ready only a dozen feet away, bow in hand and another arrow at the ready. Natasha aims a shot for nonvitals in the leg, knowing that he'll be ready for it, and then takes the advantage of his quick crouch out of sight to close the gap. With a twist of her thumb against a button hidden in her glove, the electrical sizzle of her gauntlets activates. Another press, and the discharge misses narrowly in a move the real Clint would have dodged in his sleep. The man leaps upward in the next breath, swinging his bow like a club./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She diverts the blow with a practiced elbow and then aims a jab for the throat, managing to make purchase with his collarbone instead to throw him off balance. She presses him, forcing the archer to take a back-step, but there's nowhere left to go as his back presses against metallic railing. Clint spins to the left and manages a hard strike into her abdomen, and she doubles over, only allowing the pain to take her mind for a second - she's faced worse. Far worse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Before he can capitalize, she continues her bend into a forward roll, flipping up onto her feet mid-roll to kick him in the shin. He winces in pain - the first emotion he's shown the entire fight, and she wishes she knew how to reach the man. Desperate, she tries anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You killed Bobbi."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint hesitates as he recovers. He does not respond with words, instead responding with a twist of his left arm into a swinging fist. She sidesteps it easily and pushes a stiff arm toward his left elbow, throwing the archer off balance./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Laura will be devastated."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint's face bulges with intensity, eyes alight with /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" He's in there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha prepares her finger to click on her gauntlets again, using her other arm to defend as the man readies to attack her once more, now with a seeming fury that feels off, compared to how he felt a moment ago./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How could you do that to her?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint spins into a kick at her right side, but she sidesteps and then hits him hard in the torso. A click at the same moment discharges electricity into the man's gut, and he falls to his knees in muted agony. Clint has experienced her Widow's Sting before - they've trained together - but never this intensely, and never while they are on opposite sides of a conflict./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How could you do that to your kids?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He tries to stand, but she snaps a leg into his head and throws him back to the ground, groaning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How could you do that to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"yourself/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She catches a glimpse of Clint's eyes as he turns to look at her in apparent shock. "… Nat?"/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The quick run back to the bridge alongside Thor is a tense one. I keep checking every few seconds to see if Loki will reappear - the man is just as likely to be invisible as he is visible. Something like that would be child's play to a man who's had potentially hundreds or thousands of years to hone the skill and the spells necessary. He could pop up to obliterate anyone as he speaks, to cavort more of SHIELD's soldiers to his side with his Scepter, or to brand more of Fury's men with the spell to turn them into giants. He could do any /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"number/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" of things that I haven't seen or heard him do./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why hasn't he attacked us?" I ask, flipping around to look over my shoulder again, just in case, looking for any disturbance in the light around us. He probably doesn't even /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"have/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" that kind of invisibility, the kind that appears in media because the audience would apparently be too stupid to put things together themselves./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor presses forward as he speaks, blonde hair flowing slightly while he moves. Doesn't he usually wear a helmet? Not that I mind - he's practically angelic on the eyes. "Understanding my brother is a challenge even for one such as I. I suspect that we are in no more danger now of an attack than we were an hour ago."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He wanted to be caged, wanted to draw out this Hulk. He could have attacked us before all of that. He already succeeded."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A realization dawns on me. "He's heading to the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor nods. "Most verily." Pressing a finger to his ear, he activates his communicator. The Asgardian got one but I didn't? "Loki has escaped custody and plans to leave this craft."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not hear the other side of the conversation, but Thor eventually nods and continues heading to the bridge. "They are locking down the hangars now, but I fear that their efforts will not be enough."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can the man just fly?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor considers the question. "He could shapechange into a form capable of flight with ease, but I am unclear on how long he could stay within such a form. It may not be long enough to reach the ground safely."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Well, that's something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The doors to the bridge open, and it's a mess. Two agents train guns on us as we enter, not letting them drop for several seconds. Several uniformed men lie unconscious, injured, or dead near the entrance, where they must have tried to break inside. Two nervous looking attendants back away from the scene. Fury and Hill approach carefully, the latter with her hand on her pistol./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Are you compromised?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor blinks. "No. The Scepter did not near us."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hill seems unconvinced, but Fury steps forward. "If they were, there is nothing stopping either of them from taking all of us down right now, as we are. Given that they aren't, I'm willing to trust."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When Hill lowers her weapon, she pointedly does not put it away. I don't blame her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What is the news of this Hulk?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury relaxes further as Thor asks the question, Mjolnir still in hand. "Stark is on it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Does that mean the Helicarrier is not about to crash?" I ask./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Until we know for sure that Loki, the frost giants, and the Hulk are no longer a problem, then no- it's not safe," Agent Hill answers. "Stark did finish repairs on one of our engines damaged in the explosion - we're in the air and stable, for now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, small blessings, then," I try, though it doesn't lessen the tension in the room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I will go to assist the Man of Iron-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Iron Man," I clarify, but he ignores me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No," Fury says, looking dead in the eyes of the Asgardian. "We need you here. I don't think your brother would risk an attack on the bridge while you're defending it, and if this room goes down," he gestures to the casualties and the damage, "then we'll be drowning in the Atlantic."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor exhales sharply. "You do not know my brother-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""True," Fury counters. The agents in the background hang on Fury's every word, a mix of awe and fear that their director is arguing with a god. "I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"do/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" know that he fled the detention sector the moment that you broke from that cage. I don't think he wants the heavy end of your hammer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor scowls. "Your reasoning is sound, spy, but there must be a better way. It matters little if the center of your command survives while the rest of your ship crumbles under the weight of giants."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Allow Stark to do his job," Fury finally answers, leading to a tense roll of Thor's shoulders. He paces in place, clearly feeling helpless despite the power he must contain behind every cord of muscle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can relate./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk cannot understand why Bruce hates this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This? This is joy! This is pain! This is what makes life! worth! living!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blue-tinged tiny man-giant across from him knows how to take pain. Hulk doesn't care. Hulk wants him dead, so Hulk grabs the man-giant with a single enclosed hand and then hurls him with a mere /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"piece/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" of his strength. When the man-giant collapses into a heap beneath a dented piece of metal, Hulk chuckles./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is life!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk does not allow the man-giant to recover. He pushes down with the force of his legs and hurls himself upward with enough force to crack the material beneath his feet. Just before he lands, Hulk readies a fist to aim his force of momentum downward onto the head of the man-giant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In a splatter of pulpy flesh, the man-giant is no more, but neither is a significant chunk of the floor. Hulk pushes himself backward just as the sky claims the man-giant, the ocean far below the ship. The two halves of the other man-giant's body lie in pieces in either corner of the room, discarded in a purplish-red mess. These creatures are nothing to the Hulk, and he wants /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"more/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No!/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk ignores the voice of Banner, anger filling his form. These people - they're just like Ross, just like the army, just like all the rest who tried to hurt him, hunt him, tear his life to pieces, take away Betty! Hulk did Banner a favor, giving him this reason to live again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something impacts hot against Banner's back, and he whips around to locate its source: a humanoid figure dressed in red and gold metal, a slightly whirring metallic noise emitting from a glowing hand. He climbs through an open hole in the wall of this chamber, shifting the pile of rubble under his feet. "Oops, sorry. Am I interrupting some me time?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk grins and launches himself toward his next fight. Toward Banner's next reason to live./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Twin missiles hit Hulk in both shoulders, the force of each capable of shoving back his assaulting body before he can hit the armored man. A cloud of smoke fills the area around his head, stinging at his vision for all but a second before Hulk decides it doesn't bother him anymore. Somewhere in the back of his brain, Banner calculates the force of those missiles, but Hulk doesn't care about math!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He roars in anger, annoyed and ultimately unharmed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, it was too much to hope for that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"that/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" would work. Jarvis? Scan the Hulk."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A metallic voice calls out just loudly enough that Hulk hears it, but he's already moving toward the metal man again, bounding in only two steps to catch up to him. Hulk aims a haymaker at the plated helmet, but misses when the armor shoots backward with a sudden flight backward. Two blasts of force slam into him from both gauntlets at once, but neither make any headway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk continues to be out of range. He leaps once more, but the armored man's flight is faster than he can jump. The room has just enough room for him to be out of harm's way, but that won't last forever. Hulk can feel it! Close the distance and find joy!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He grips and then tosses a twenty-foot long pillar of metal in the next second, barely having to wind up at all to be a nuisance for the armored man. He dodges to the back with a burst of his jet boots, and Hulk merely grins./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, big guy, that the worst you-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A voice interrupts loudly enough that he can understand it this time. "Sir, nothing in your arsenal is strong enough to pierce through the gamma radiation protecting his tissues."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I was afraid of that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Toys no help, metal man?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not really, no."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk grins and tosses three more large pieces of debris, before leaping himself into the air after them. A blast from the armored gauntlets causes one of them to explode into chunks mid-air, while the other two miss thanks to a quick dodge, a dodge that puts the metal man directly in Hulk's reach./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk snaps out a fist, intending to pound through his opponent's guard and rip apart the metal - just like everything else around here. The blow hits hard but it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"doesn't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" dent the armored gauntlet. Other areas of his armor were already damaged from the fight, but not the gauntlet. Even the enemy looks surprised./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Huh."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, the runic enchant-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, yeah," the man says as he blasts his suit away from the rampaging Hulk. "Big guy, I'm going to need you to calm down. Let Banner out to play."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk merely roars and dashes forward, each foot cracking the floor beneath his feet. He launches himself up with a leap, nearly crashes into the ceiling, and then drops down onto the armored man, who merely zips away once more with a burst of speedy flight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk starts to give chase once more, but the metal man has other plans. "Pour all power to Uni-Beam."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, that won't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Just as the Hulk is about to make purchase, a thick blast of white-hot heat and force ejects from the center of the armor's chest-plate. It does not hit Hulk dead-on, despite the short range, but instead hits the Hulk in the right hip, the energy cascading downward to hit the floor beneath us./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk does not make it to his target before his feet suddenly lose contact with the ship, a huge hole ripped into the hull. He tries to latch onto something, but there's nothing to grab, and he roars in defeat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hulk tumbles angrily, end over end, toward the land and the ocean below. The last thing he sees of the cloaked Helicarrier is a single Quinjet taking off, likely with an alien passenger on board./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not know what to think of today./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I survived an attack on the SHIELD Helicarrier. I witnessed the first time the Avengers worked together - sort of? They were all doing their own thing, in a way, but I fought alongside several of them. Loki, the mastermind behind all of it, had successfully escaped, despite my intervention, and that stung./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I activate my tattoos and slip through a pile of wreckage, angling for a pocket on the other side. Leaning down, I reach for the body of a middle aged woman and check for a pulse. Silence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve exhales deeply when he meets my eyes and then begins to pull away the rubble, piece by piece, lifting heavy sheets of metal that I could never think to lift on my own. I shift to a good angle and begin to pull the body from beneath, the soldier taking over the moment that he can get a good enough grip./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is the third casualty in this area alone. Losses had been minimal, according to Hill, but I was not so sure. Any life lost to an attack like this was too many./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson helps Steve zip the body into a black bag, and other agents carefully lift it onto a gurney to take it away. I lean back with a small, heavy sigh, and Steve claps his hand on my arm. "You did good today."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Today's not over yet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It isn't," he admits./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clears his throat. "We should head back soon. Orders."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I move automatically, feeling every ache in my joints. I manage to make it all of eight feet back to the bridge before I spot something in the corner of my eye. Steve spots it too, and he's already moving to clear more rubble out of the way, to make my own job easier. With a careful crouch, I slip into intangibility and crawl in after another potentially casualty, hoping against all rationality that this one is alive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The white-blue crystal in one of my bottomless coat pockets begins to frost./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_21_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 20/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pass the crystal etched with the symbol of a snowflake through my hands like an oversized fidget toy. It remains cold to the touch - more than ever before - and occasionally exhales an aura of frigid air. Paradoxically, the crystal feels warm and soothing, like an inviting cup of hot cocoa in the winter. It wants to be held, it wants to expel its cold, but why? And for what?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This thing…. Why now? I've tried to decipher what it can do but have shown almost nothing. Freezing glasses of Diet Coke in the Great Hall is one thing - and even that is not something I've been able to do consistently. It fell out of the Grimoire, but its not described in the pages. It must have something to do with Puck, but contacting him is not something I want to do, nor am I really able to do that easily anyway./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Regardless, as distressing as my powers are, there are other priorities right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, and Thor - Marvel's inferior version of DC's Trinity - rest across from Nick Fury, anxiously discussing details that I've admittedly tuned out, for at least the last few minutes. Much of this meeting has been getting everyone up to speed on exactly what happened on the Helicarrier, and not necessarily what we plan to do next. Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton are indisposed, but Fury swears they'll be ready for whatever is going to happen. Coulson stands shoulder to shoulder with Maria Hill, a pensive look on both of their faces./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're dead in the air up here," Fury relents. "Our communications, the location of the Cube."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Banner," Steve adds as he raps his fingers against the glass table centering the bridge. There is no chance that the Hulk died from a fall like that, so he's still out there somewhere./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That too," the spy adds with a careful nod. "We're down, but we're not out." Fury begins to pace and seems to consider his words very carefully. "Yes, we were going to build an arsenal of weapons with the Tesseract."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony bristles. "Not this again-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But," Fury interrupts, glaring. "I never wanted to put all my eggs in one basket, because I was playing something even riskier." He circles the table, walking behind us./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh, God, am I part of the 'us' here?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wild./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There was an idea, Stark knows this, called the Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, to see if they could become something more. To work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor crosses his arms. "You want us as these Avengers?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury starts to speak, but Steve stands to attention. "Where do you need us?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Both Thor and Tony share a glance and a frown. I merely feel out of place, a feeling of cold spreading toward my wrist and then slowly receding, almost like the ebb and flow of the tides. "You can't be expecting us to go along with this after what we learned of Phase Two," Tony challenges. "We're supposed to hope good intentions are enough?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""At the end of the day, Stark, do we have a choice? An army from outer space is maybe hours away, if we're lucky. If we don't try, who will?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony says nothing for a long few seconds. "All right, fine. The geriatric is right. Even if we could mobilize every military force on the planet, it wouldn't be enough if they're remotely more advanced in technology." At the mention of Steve's age, the other man just stares in exasperation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're outgunned," I point out, thinking of Phase Two's potential but saying nothing. If we had better tech, then maybe we could respond better to a pending alien invasion. Maybe the potential for it to be in the wrong hands is worth it, when it is actually in the right hands right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Babe's still here?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clench my fist. "I am. Quite frankly, I don't appreciate that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony doesn't meet my eyes nor responds to my point./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ignoring the moment, Fury clears his throat. "Outgunned? Yes. But we are not without a response."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony seems to discern what he's saying before the rest of the group. "Us? I'm good, but I'm not 'destroy an army singlehandedly' good. Add in Thor, add in the Hulk, add in Rogers, Romanoff, and Barton? We still are not that good."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I want to add in myself to his list, but I don't think anyone's been saying that I'm actually one of these Avengers. Coulson brought me here on the off chance I might be helpful, and I'd argue I have been, but not without some serious flaws. These people… they can do these extraordinary things, they have training and experience. I don't deserve to be here, but I have tools that can help. Are they - no, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"should/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" they deploy my tools or leave me out of it all? So far, they have, but at what point is enough enough?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""All we need to do is get to the Tesseract first and get it out of Loki's hands," Steve says. "Where are we on its location?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Before the explosion," Tony exhales, "Banner'd found a hit. But every bit of tech in that room is fried or in pieces or both. Any chance you have these servers running moment to moment back-ups, Fury?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We could potentially recover the data. I'll send a team."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I think back to the moment with perfect clarity. The six Avengers, myself, and Fury gathered in one room for possibly the first time. The argument about Phase Two, the news of Loki's manipulation of the Hulk, the Scepter's spell. And then the program interrupted all of it, Banner walked over, called out Stark… From the angle I was standing, it's almost hard to see in my memory, but I recognize enough details./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, we won't need a tech team." All eyes turn to me with apparent interest, and the attention forces a nervous shudder. "I can remember things very well thanks to a bit of magic. Dr. Banner's screen showed New York City, and-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony's eyes widen. "Son of a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"bitch/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha wipes away some of the fresh sweat from Clint's brow with a wet towel, while the man fights against his bindings. Agony and confusion sweep across his features, his face flush with a pained expression./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She sits carefully at his side, expecting nothing from him other than a comforting face during a trying time in the infirmary. She suspects she knows more of what he's going through than either of them realize, but she still doesn't know the right words to say. The bindings on his wrists have rubbed the skin raw./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""If you let that fester, it might get in the way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man breathes a heavy breath and then relaxes ever so slightly. "I don't care."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She sighs. "You do care, though. That time you broke your wrist in Nepal? You missed more shots that weekend than you ever have before."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint just looks at her. "What are you doing, Natasha?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What?" she acts innocent. "Can't I take you down memory lane?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He says nothing for a long moment. "I wish you'd just leave me here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I know, but…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But what?" he challenges. "How can you even look at me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha refuses to allow him to do this. Nothing he did was his fault. Not a single moment of it was the Clint Barton she knew./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, you don't get to do that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I kill-" he pauses, face contorting with anger, grief, loss. "I killed Bobbi."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She places a hand on his shoulder gently. "You didn't do that. That was all Loki."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I killed Laura's /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"sister/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", Natasha."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The wild look in his eyes, the hurt in his face, the emotion in his voice. She /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"cannot/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" allow this. "Do not hold yourself accountable for /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Loki's/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" sins. You did not-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It never should have happened. I should have-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What? Should have what?" she asks, wheeling on him. "Should have seen Loki coming? Should have known to avoid his stick? Should have fought harder to get free? None of those things are reasonable, and you need to be reasonable right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Then what?" Clint asks, voice raised. "Huh? What do you expect me to do? What's /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"reasonable/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"? Going home - go home to tell my kids that their dad killed their aunt, but it was a magic spell, so it's okay. Y-you can still, you can still l-lov-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha wraps the sobbing man in a one-sided embrace. Her hands move on autopilot to unlock the bindings around his wrists, so that her friend can properly hug her back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Several minutes of human contact pass before the door to the infirmary opens with a knock, revealing a uniformed Captain America, holding the famous vibranium shield at his side./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sorry to, uh," he pauses, thinking. "It's time to go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha pulls away from Clint carefully, the man trying and failing to wipe at his face with his pillow. "Go where?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'll tell you on the way," Steve declares. "Can you fly one of those jets?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint sucks in a breath, eye twitching for a long second. "I can."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve looks to Natasha, and the woman confidently nods. "You got a suit?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint nods as he pushes himself to his feet. "Yeah."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Then suit up."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When Steve is out of sight, she turns on the man as he heads toward the small sink. "You sure?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I want nothing more than to finish this," he says, still rubbing on his face. "Loki dies today."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Concern in his mind, Coulson steps toward the boy, resting on a table by the edge of the hangar while some teams ready themselves and their jets. Younger by several years than even the most rookie agents on the Helicarrier, the teenager is not ready to hold these burdens. Mentally, emotionally, physically? This is not yet the path for him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Penny for your thoughts?" the man asks, holding an actual penny in his palms./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan smiles and takes it from him. "Um, nervous. Scared. Exhilarated? This all does not seem real right now."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson can understand. He hasn't personally dealt with aliens since the nineties, but that was a conflict of a different character at a very different point in his life. At Logan's age, all Coulson thought about doing in the future was teaching, not meddling in the affairs of gods, wizards, and super-soldiers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It is not every day that the world might end," Coulson admits. "It doesn't seem real to me either, yet the clock ticks ever closer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Clock?" the boy asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's a science metaphor for doomsday," he explains. "You've probably read about it in school."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hmm. That's clever," he says with a smirk, but his face droops, and he bites at his fingernails. "Coulson? What do we do if the Avengers fail?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson sits next to the boy and studies the preparations. He has considered this question himself, but as high on the leadership chain as he is, Coulson does not know what Fury and the World Security Council plan to do. "The world is at risk of a total collapse. Thor said this Chitauri force is relentlessly dangerous. There's not much the planet can do to stop a force like that. If the Avengers don't stop them from coming, then we're in for more than a world of hurt."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan says nothing for several seconds before he turns to Coulson. "Are there other teams like the Avengers? People with resources, tech, powers, magic - anything that might make a difference?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shakes his head. "No. This is our best shot."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's more than a little crazy to put the fate of the world in the hands of a few people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah, well, not everyone can hurl the power of a thunderstorm at their enemies," Coulson deadpans. "More seriously, the U.S. and Canadian militaries are on the move as we speak, but mobilization takes time we might not have, and mobilizing in a civilian area as dense as Manhattan is more than a little difficult." Coulson thinks of how short the window really is. He's not at all familiar with the science behind the Tesseract and how long it may take for Dr. Selvig to rip open a portal, but it's clear that it could happen any minute. "The Avengers will buy them time, if nothing else, and give us a fighting chance."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy considers that for a moment. "Let's hope it does not come to that, then?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes," Coulson answers. "You should get ready."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan blinks. "Huh?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Director Fury wants you out there," he answers, "with the rest of them."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan rubs the back of his neck, a flush to his cheeks. "Well, I'm not sure they want me there. Captain Rogers thinks I'm too young, and Mr. Stark can't stop making jokes about it. It's frustrating."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You'll learn to tune Tony Stark out," Coulson says with a smile. "I cannot speak for the rest of them, but I know that Captain Rogers admires those who stick their necks out for others. You've been doing that, Logan." Coulson considers what he's seen of the security footage. "However, we'll talk more about your performance thus far when the crisis is over. Until then, the director believes you should be deployed."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson and many in SHIELD have their own reservations: age, temperament, decision-making. Admittedly, there has not been /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"much/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" conversation about it - the situation has been ongoing, and until recently, there has not been much they can say at all to one another except to discuss repairs on the Helicarrier's systems and the overall plan to stop Loki. But, Fury thinks it's foolish to leave the boy out when he has skills that are useful, if /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"very/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" unpolished. In the event that a portal opens, leaving someone out who can make a difference in logistics alone would be a missed opportunity at best./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Thank you. I -" the boy stops, staring anywhere but at Coulson. "I didn't expect it to go this far."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson claps him on the back of the shoulder. "Good things happen to those who do the unexpected for others."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An imposing figure covered in corded muscle and shining armor steps from the main Quinjet, blond hair laying across his shoulders. "Wizard. It's time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan tenses, small shoulders taut with stress. Coulson grips his arm and then smiles. "Go get 'em."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy dashes away with a returned, nervous smile, his short stature seemingly carrying the weight of the world on hunched shoulders./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki stands at the precipice of change, a new order to all Nine Realms. This world is but a mere stepping stone to a greater cosmic purpose, a glorious purpose, one that seeks a fit ruler to reach. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"He/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" would be that ruler./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"From the height of Stark Tower, Loki would bring the truth to the millions of small creatures beneath his feet. For once, he would not be a deceiver, for freedom of choice is the greatest of lies. Their betters deserve to rule them, for they know not what wonders rest amidst the cosmos. They think themselves capable of ruling their planet, but they remain trapped without magic or even science to reach greater heights./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The armies of Thanos would bring but a taste of things to come, with Loki at their head. Sacrificing half of the humans to the Chitauri is a small price to pay for a brilliant throne to rule the Nine Realms. From it, he would bring the denizens of Midgard to heel, would usher in a new age to place it at the heart of the universe. They would be grateful, for he plans to deliver the secrets of Asgardian magic to uplift these small folk to a higher station. The loyal leftovers would possess powers and technology beyond that which they could ever dream today./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki senses the coming of the armored Avenger long before he arrives. An admittedly impressive piece of technology, but even the rough can produce a diamond on rare occasion. Twin blasts of energy from Stark's gauntlets do nothing to stop Selvig's machine, covered as it is in the Tesseract's energy. It is already too late - the humans have mere moments before forced capitulation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He watches as Stark's Tower disassembles the red and gold armor around its master, leaving the man nearly helpless in the face of a god. Curiously, one gauntlet remains, covered in odd symbols that do not quite match the rest of the man's aesthetic sensibilities. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Runic emblems? Fascinating./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Loki considers long and hard why he should not blast the man to billions of tiny pieces while he remains so vulnerable, but it is not yet the time. There would be no pageantry without the rest of Midgard to watch!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I must ask, before we begin," Loki says, glancing pointedly toward the one piece of technology remaining on Tony's arm, "how you managed that? You are a man of logic, reason. While I find the notion that sorcery is unreasonable infantile, nothing about your profile suggests you have the talent."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark raises a gauntleted hand as he carefully strides into the chamber. "Oh, this is nothing. A gift from a friend."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ah. The child." Loki cares little for discussions of age - all humans are infantile when compared to gods. But he knows well enough how prickly they can be around the topic, so he prods. "How fascinating that SHIELD would choose to employ such a whelp."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, he's only one of a few whom you've managed to royally piss off," Stark declares. "The Avengers."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Asgardian sneers. Titles from tiny minds add no legitimacy in his eyes. "I've met them."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You want a drink?" the man asks, standing in front of the penthouse bar and holding up a glass bottle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stalling will get you nothing," Loki assures. "The Chitauri are coming. Nothing you do will change that."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm going to have a drink," the man says, ignoring the threat and pouring himself a glass. "Let's do a headcount. Your brother, the demigod." Loki turns away at that, more annoyed at the inaccuracy than he should be. "A supersoldier, a living legend, who kinda lives up to the legend. A man with breathtaking anger-management issues. A couple of master assassins, and you, big fella, are completely screwed."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki smiles. "That was the plan." Breaking the team from within before it could even form to stop him was more than serviceable a plan for such tiny people./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not a great plan," Stark challenges, walking forward with drink in hand. "When they come, and they will, they'll come for you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki grins. "I have an army."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We have a Hulk."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The strongest of them by far, Loki made sure to target him first. "Oh, I thought the beast had wandered off. You threw him off your grand boat, did you not?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark continues to walk forward, seemingly unafraid of just how outmatched he truly is. Loki will not relent to intimidation tactics. "You're missing the point. There is no throne. There is no version of this where you come out on top." He pauses, stopping to confidently raise his head. "Maybe your army comes, and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can damn well sure we'll avenge it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki cannot help but smile. It's impressive word-play - the man has a certain charm about him. But it's time to end the charade. He lets the smile fade, stepping toward the human with a death wish. "How will your friends have time for me when they are so busy fighting you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With a thought and a twist to the fingers gripping his Scepter, its energies activate to new heights. With it, Loki can channel his will to override that of his target. A single touch is all that it requires, and the end of the Scepter taps the center of the man's chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The energy dissipates./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki stares, annoyed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark makes a sudden grab for the Scepter's blade with the rune-covered gauntlet, but Loki slips into an illusion with an expression of will, layering his duplication spell with a concealment charm. The human's gauntlet passes through the illusion with a shower of sparks, two magicks meeting with more than a little disturbance./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki, undetectable, wastes no more time and kicks toward the center of Stark's spine. A satisfying /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"crunch/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", and the man crashes through the nearby window with a smattering of shattered glass. A second later, something of Stark's shoots through the wall and flies autonomously after him before he splatters against the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The god glowers at the world below him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A beam of pure energy from the Space Stone hidden within the Tesseract's casing shoots into the cerulean sky above New York City./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"All Loki can do is laugh./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He nears triumph./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: May 20, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_22_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 21/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A laser rips through the sky over midtown Manhattan./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The intense beam cascades upward until it breaks reality, opening a gateway into deep space where the Chitauri army lie in wait. The rim of the portal undulates with glittering blue energy, occasionally reaching out to touch the skies around it . Even now, aboard the Quinjet, I can see /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"somethings/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" spilling out of it, but from this distance, it's difficult to see if they're flying on their own power, using some sort of technology, or merely falling to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't know which is more terrifying./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint Barton, the only Avenger whom I've not met before this tumultuous flight, stays steady at the controls despite the massive clusterfuck this has turned out to be. A single bead of sweat drips across his cheek as he barks into the comms, "Team Bravo, Team Charlie, there's a hole in the goddamn sky, and we need you working containment."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Understood," two teams of agents declare, though how they were going to manage to contain the chaos is beyond me. Dozens assail the city of New York already, and it will only continue as the minutes go by./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor wastes no time. "Open!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You got it." Natasha pulls the lever from her co-pilot seat, and the exit to the plane opens with a release of pressurized air. Thor takes the opportunity and merely falls out of the jet, determined look on his face while the wind whips his hair into a frenzy, the powerful hammer already swinging to take him in a different direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My fingers itch to become active, my heart thrums in my chest, and I take a deep breath. Magicka flows from my palms and across my body, the spell for /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oakflesh/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" taking shape and providing a layer of protection. Whether becoming more like wood would make a difference against alien technology is unclear, but it's better than expecting /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"skin/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to do it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stark, what's your status?" Captain Rogers asks, pressing into his ear./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There is no response./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh, god, there's no response./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I c-can find him," I say automatically, failing to push all nerves to the side. "Keep me on comms."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Captain Rogers nods, and I allow my tattoos to activate fully, slipping from the floor of the Quinjet and into freefall. Flow motion comes easy in this moment - perhaps it's the adrenaline, perhaps it's the need to save Tony Stark. My Heart yearns in the direction of the nearest rooftop, spins around a flagpole, and comes to a complete stop perched atop the edge./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The chaos above the top of Stark Tower persists. Chitauri fire blasts of purple plasma onto the streets and buildings of New York, with citizens barely able to track their speedy hovering sleds while they run for their lives. They squeal through the air, nearly drowning out the sounds of a screaming city that has only just started to react to the terror that faces them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It is only going to get /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"worse./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I take cover behind a roof access - it might not hide me much if they come from a different angle, but that's the problem with fighting an enemy that can move in toward you from any direction./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This spell works best at night, but the sky will /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"bend/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" for me. Azyr thrums to life, bringing a soothing calm throughout my system, as the heavens envelop me. I concentrate on Tony Stark's enchanted gauntlet, and for the briefest of moments, my eyes burn with newfound sight. Daytime shifts to twilight in my mind's eye, and the stars begin to pop into the sky in newfound patterns. These patterns can mathematically mean only one thing: the direction to the gauntlet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Stark is east of my location," I say into the communicator, twisting around behind cover to see where that meant. Stark Tower? "He should be near the Tower."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Roger that," Captain Rogers declares./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If he's there, why can't I see him fighting? There should be an armored Avenger flying in the sky, blasting aliens with rockets and repulsors. A man in a flying suit should be able to outmanuever any of these guys. But there's no sign of him. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Why isn't he responding?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I check the scroll case in my pocket for a healing spell, perhaps another Restoration scroll, but there's no way to control what scrolls it generates each day, or even what school of magic that they come from. As it is now, I've got some pyromancy, geomancy, and witchcraft spells. Useful at stopping aliens, not useful for healing an injured Stark. Surely that's why he's not responding? Maybe Loki hurt him, or one of the aliens got a cheap shot at him before we got here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony Stark couldn't be /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"dead/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A group of Chitauri sleds races past my field of view, stopping to blast into a nearby office building. I glance around for half a second, expecting one of the Avengers to intercept, but they don't come - the sounds of fighting in the distance are quite clear, the Quinjet on a course directly for Stark Tower. I kick off the side with a blast of flow motion. Leaping off of the edge, I propel my Heart toward one of the sleds, my body pulled along for the ride./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The alien on the back whips around with a metallic sound, technology surrounding its almost insectoid body like a carapace. The strange-looking rifle at its side swings in my direction and fires its corrosive purple plasma with a uniquely horrible smell and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"whine/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" in the air. I flicker my tattoos, and the energy blast passes harmlessly through me and impacts against the windowed wall behind me, causing an explosion of brick, glass, plaster, and superheated dust./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I concentrate on the feeling of Azyr again and force my hands together, T'Essla's Arc firing electricity into the creature's side. He screeches in pain as the electricity cooks his flesh, and a haphazard kick to the side sends him splattering onto the pavement below. The driver, at this point, realizes what's happening, as do the riders on the other two hover-sleds, and I duck to the side as similar blasts of energy barely miss, the energy enough to sizzle my hair./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With a snap of my fingers, minions pop into existence on all three sleds, though one is just far enough away that one of the clones disappears due to my range. Two minions leap to tackle the aliens then sacrifice themselves in an explosion, taking out the other sled in a burst of white light that sends pieces flying to the ground. The last minion sends a volley of charged bolts at the Chitauri driving the my own sled. The alien presses on the controls with a metallic whistle as suddenly as it can, nearly knocking us off kilter as the hover-sled dips dangerously./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I snap forward with my Heart and a flicker of lyrium, gliding with speed into the office building, feeling the magic maintaining the clones dissipate as they leave my range. The office is occupied - several workers are injured, dead, or in hiding, some cowering in the back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm friendly! Get to safety on my mark!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Someone brave throws a stapler at me, but I don't even feel the impact thanks to Oakflesh. I pull a geomancy scroll from the scroll case and unfurl it as quickly as I can, already chanting the few words listed across the page in an emerald runic circle. A similar circle of colored magic dances to life around my feet, and as the final word crescendos, I unleash the spell Living Wall. Conjured from natural earth magic, a knot of vines, sturdy branches, and thick earth erupts from the base of the floor and wraps itself around the exterior of this floor of the building, enshrouding windows and broken pieces of wall. It wraps so tightly that sunlight barely passes through its mass, and will hopefully deter the aliens./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Go!" I shout, feeling the scroll disintegrate in an emerald flash in my fingertips./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A group of men and women scurry uneasily to their feet and then rush from the office floor, disappearing down a hallway. A portly-looking man stays behind long enough to check on someone lying on the floor, only to find a still burning hole in the woman's gut. He blanches and then darts back with the rest, pale as a ghost./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Chitauri don't stop their assault, but they get a nasty surprise. The first volley of fire into the Living Wall bursts open a small hole in the mass of twisted vines. That's just what I want. A cloud of dense corrosive poison emerges from the hole, cloying in the air for several seconds before the wind carries it away. I partially phase through the mass of vines, leaning out to see the result. It's just in time to see choking sled drivers collapse from toxic air, crashing into parked cars below./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't celebrate for long./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is one group of dozens, growing by the minute. The fighting in the distance, only a few streets over, confirms the rest of the team, but the only thing on my mind is getting to Tony. This is too much for six people to stop, especially when one of them is potentially down and the other one is not here and might not be coming. If the Hulk and Iron Man are not available, then… does Thor have enough firepower to save the world?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There is only the /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"war/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor launches himself forward even as Loki moves to engage, Scepter in hand. Lightning crackles to life around his hammer, but Loki stabs forward with the end of the bladed staff, forcing him to step to the side to avoid a skewering. The two trade blows for several seconds, neither able to get their weapon to make meaningful purchase./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He cannot believe that his brother would stoop this low. Does he not realize that this wanton destruction will get him nowhere? That this purchased army has no true loyalty to him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor swings wildly but hits nothing but air as Loki dodges near perfectly, but he was ready for his brother to slip away and instead charges forward, tackling the other to the ground. The chaos in the sky above continues raging around them both as they tussle, but Thor's strength proves superior as he holds the man to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why!?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Because they /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"deserve/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to know their /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"security/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" is false!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki's Scepter flashes, energy cascading into the side of Thor's leg. He grunts in pain but manages to shove the weapon away from his grip with a forceful shove, and it rolls several feet away, nearly off the side of the balcony overlooking the city. His brother grimaces, but Thor does not relent, sending a punch to the man's sternum./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It will take more than your foul trickery today, brother!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Thor," someone - Agent Barton, Thor thinks - shouts into his ear. "Move."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Asgardian turns quickly to see the Quinjet hovering into position mere yards away. Loki tries to wrestle free on reflex. A gun turret emerges from the base of the ship, and Thor barely has time to roll before the turret sends its first volley of bullets./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The rounds chip into the floor of the balcony, into the glass, into Stark's penthouse, and into Loki's leg. Wincing in pain and clearly furious, the traitorous god forces a palm outward, without even standing. Golden hued light flares to life as Loki summons his magic in an instant. A wave of force pulses outward in all directions, shattering glass, bending metal, and splintering wood. The energy wave hits with all the force of a raging bilgesnipe, and it's all Thor can do to keep from tumbling into freefall. A steel bar impales the god's side, and Thor winces with every breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The god watches in agony as the Quinjet loses its altitude, Chitauri racing after the vehicle with reckless abandon. He tries to force himself to stand, but every flex of his torso sends streaks of white-hot pain. He pushes past the moment with an uneasiness, hammer already swinging in an arc around his hand. His smirking brother reaches out with a hand toward the Scepter, the weapon returning to his grasp from a distance./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The god of thunder takes off with a righteous leap, allowing the hammer to carry him up and then immediately down, following after the Quinjet. The plane crashes only moments before he lands, though the vehicle is largely intact. He dodges two blasts from one of the Chitauri as he forces open a hole in the steel, then throws Mjölnir so hard that their hover-sled - and two others behind them - explodes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Are you unharmed?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Barton, Romanoff, and Rogers exit the Quinjet with a quick gallop, uninjured. He breathes a sigh of relief and then pulls at the steel bar./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, you sure you should-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I will heal," he says simply to Romanoff's question, yanking the bar out with a grimace. It tosses to the ground with a clatter, barely audible over the sound of distant explosions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rogers approaches him quickly, shimmering shield at the ready and half-paying attention to the alien army spilling into the skies above him. "Did you see Stark?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor shakes his head. "I did not. The wizard mentioned he was there, but nothing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Logan, you got an update on Stark?" Rogers asks into comms./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few seconds pass. "Kinda busy!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Barton aims his weapon so quickly that Thor does not even see him release the arrow. An explosion destroys one of the flying sleds more than one hundred feet away and sends Chitauri to their demise. Impressive - Thor is glad that the man is on their side after all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We can't just sit here," Barton declares. "Your fucking brother brought this mess."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We need to get back up there," Steve agrees. "Any updates on the machine, Thor?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It is protected," he explains. "I can try to overwhelm it, but Loki will not sit idly to let-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A mechanical growl roars loudly across the city, its source clear to everyone miles away. Their attention centers on the cascading energy from the portal only a few hundred feet above their heads. Another warble, and a giant something swims through the portal. It reminds Thor of Midgard's whales, only covered in metallic plates and flying under its own power. Hundreds of feet long and nearly as thick, it carries dozens of Chitauri with it, their armored suits allowing them to leap off and cling to the sides of buildings, using their high perches to fire into anyone they see below./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Thor looks to the others, in shock at the size of the behemoth. "I must." Mjölnir returns to his hand with a whirl of air./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rogers nods once, still staring, and the god lifts off with a swing of his hammer./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is too much!" I shout as I leap from one building to the next using flow motion, picking up tremendous speed with each whim of my Heart. A group of Chitauri have landed on the rooftop of an apartment building nearby, and I force myself toward it, dodging shots of plasma from a sled team that seems fit to follow me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I flip to a stop to allow three of me to appear, sending my own volley back at them. Two shots miss wildly, but a third hits one of the controls, and a fourth slams into the driver's head, knocking him out cold. The driver's gunner pulls the trigger just before the sled tips to a crash landing, and a bolt of plasma burns one of the minions alive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't let myself think about it, continuing my forceful chase. Captain Rogers asks a question, but I have to blow him off as I land on the roof, the Chitauri firing wildly into the street below./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Letting my Heart pull me toward the nearest alien, I punch forward toward his weapon with enough speed that his gun explodes in his hand, sending both of us flying back, the Chitauri falling off the side of the building. Magicka billows around my palm as I reactivate /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Oakflesh/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", barely in time too as one of the shots burns into my left shoulder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hear a strangely loud noise, loud enough that it rings out above all the rest of the fighting and explosions nearby, but I don't let myself stop. Heart racing, I race forward to slam full force into the next Chitauri, but this one was more prepared, catching the tackle with a grimace of pain. It screeches in my ear, trying to force me off./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I barely have time to think as lyrium burns to life and then abruptly stops./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Chitauri falls dead, my fist covered in the blood from the interior of his upper torso./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minions intercept the final two Chitauri, and I have time to think about my next move, glancing upward to see more and more sleds coming, but also-/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh dear god./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth now understands why her mother told her to leave Manhattan after what happened in Harlem a few years ago. It had not yet been ten years after September 11th. Beth was not anywhere near the state of New York back then, but she /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"had/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" been present when the Hulk fought the monster the media calls the Abomination and wrecked the neighborhood. Beth had argued so stringently that she was going to be safe, that she was going to stay out of trouble, that she was going to be /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"fine. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She loved this place way too much to give it up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Now?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She was starting to get it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""C'mon, Geraldine, you gotta get up! We gotta move!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An explosion rocks the foundation of the cafe, and the windows warble and threaten to break. Markos holds open the side door into the alleyway, but hushed voices of patrons and workers alike argue about what they should do, where they should go. Rubbing sweaty palms against his apron, he calls out, "Whoever wants to stay, stay! But the rest of us, we need to get somewhere higher and away from here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Higher? They can goddamn fly!" A large blonde named Rutger shouts from his crouched hiding place, a stain from his regular coffee order all over his shirt./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We don't have a choice!" a woman she doesn't recognize shouts. "We're all going to die if we stay or if we go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth looks toward her supervisor, barely conscious just from sheer fright. "We need to move," she says carefully. "Markos, I'm coming to you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The cook fervently agrees, ushering the two of them out the door and into the cramped alley space. A man at the other end of the alley dressed in a suit points and shouts for the group that is leaving to follow him, but a nearby explosion blows the man from his feet. Beth gasps in fright and nearly turns around, but one of the aliens' flying things soars overhead, and the group books it down the other direction, as far away as they can./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth doesn't let go of Geraldine, the woman almost catatonic and barely able to support herself. Another patron grabs the woman's other arm and the three of them pick up speed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This way! To that bank!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She looks up to meet the gaze of a police officer shouting orders, directing the flow of traffic toward the right and down the street. She does not let up, blonde hair almost falling into her face and plastered with sweat. Dozens of people are already running that way, and Beth follows after them, hoping a bank would have thicker walls than the café./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The mechanical behemoth of an alien floats through the sky, smashing into buildings with its fins, with its spined tail, and with its impressive bulk. Shattered glass and displaced concrete clatters against pavement below its path, and not one of these skyscrapers could hold up to the force of this thing's movement./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Storm clouds swirl into the skies above, and lightning crackles above in twisting shapes, before arcing downward to strike at the behemoth. Even from where I'm standing, taking just a moment to breathe behind cover, the Asgardian descends his godly might to intercept, an impressive display of power./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Okay, I'm glad that he's on our side./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lightning races across its metallic shell, gouging holes into its rarely exposed and more organic flesh. Nearby Chitauri, the ones between myself and Stark Tower, begin turning around their flight patterns to intercept the Asgardian./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have a small window of opportunity to get to Tony Stark./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My body flickers into flow motion with sparks of white light, leaving a trail behind me. I leap from wall to wall, pole to pole, vehicle to vehicle, performing feats of parkour that would outwit the Jumpman himself, Mario. Once I get the hang of this, it should be easy-/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something grows more frigid in my pocket, air filled with frost leaking from my front pocket and joining the trailing light of flow motion. I pull the crystal from my coat without even stopping, the gemstone glittering with soothing cold air. Stark Tower is a mere block away, and construction crews and scaffolding lie around its base./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't stop getting distracted by this thin-/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The heart of a glade./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An enchanting song./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A white-blue crystal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A frozen forest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A crying babe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A joyous mother. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flashes of memory - a vision of the past - flutter across my mind's eye too fast to focus on any one flash. My head swims in a malaise for several seconds, the crystal tight in my grip, my entire left arm encased in frost almost like a second skin, an aura of cold that solidifies as it reaches the air./span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I… /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"know./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I know what this does!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I dart toward Tony Stark, determined to save him. Whatever comes next, whatever I face?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It cannot stop me./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_23_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 22/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Focus presses past the growing exhaustion, the Winds of Magic billowing toward and around me like rivulets of chaos made manifest, bending to the heavens and then to my whim. The stars in my mind's eye align, as though I can see beyond the cracks in reality far above the city and into the deepest reaches of the cosmos. The celestial energies bend into patterns, and… there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"That's him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I maintain the spell, feeling Azyr's touch throughout every pore, every muscle, every nerve - this is it. Tony Stark is in trouble, and I push as fast as I can on flow motion and as often as I can on lyrium. Vehicles, brownstones, billboards, clotheslines - none can slow me down. I don't have time to acknowledge frightened New Yorkers who cower in their bedrooms, who hide in their bathtubs, who crouch behind their makeshift barricades that are useless to the Chitauri but cannot stop me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I ping the heavens every few seconds and allow Azyr to triangulate where exactly I am headed, and have to force flow motion to orient my body in the right way. I zip beneath a construction zone filled with heavy cranes and steel girders, gripping the mid-section of Stark Tower like an out-of-fashion belt. A headache rightfully begins pounding in my skull, but I cannot stop here./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"will/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" not./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can feel I'm getting closer, but I do not slow for one second, ignoring the distant whispers of alien blasters and trick arrowhead explosions. The buzzing of a once healthy metropolis has become almost entirely alien. The rest of the Avengers are fighting, but I have to leave it to them for now. If I don't, every passing second is another second later. My head throbs anew, but I push past it and kick off of the side of Stark Tower, aiming down once more with flow motion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The touch of Azyr closes in on a building below, a cement block of a bank covered in scorch marks and explosive debris. Once decorative towers have collapsed into the street below, smashing taxis and halting tour buses. A throng of people gather at the front, trying to force their way inside the grand double doors, while some injured, unconscious, or… worse litter the area./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up without halting my movement, maintaining focus on the Finding Divination spell from Azyr, and find a trio of Chitauri sleds heading directly toward the door, while a half-dozen approach from the ground. Lasers begin to pepper the area, and I curse under my breath./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I drop to the ground amidst the group of aliens with a dash of speed, conjuring a half-dozen minions at the same moment to draw their fire. I rush at the nearest one, abusing my tattoos to bypass their armor and impale its chest, yanking my arm out with the next moment as the creature drops. Another burst of flow motion grants me the opportunity to punch through the next Chitauri's arm, turning it into paste with a flicker of lyrium./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A clone manages to launch a well-timed burst of minion magic into the bottom of an overhead sled, sending one of its riders into a heap on the ground, but the rest are not doing so well. A Chitauri gun blast separates the head from the torso of one of the clones, and its body - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"no, my body/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" - drops like a sack of potatoes before it fades from existence. A bladed weapon jutting from an alien's gauntlet cuts into the thigh of another, forcing it to back away as it grunts in pain with a voice that's too high-pitched./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"These were not meant for war./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I launch a kick toward the nearest one, shoving it away, while thunder booms somewhere overhead. Thor's divine lightning cascades in a perfect, crackling arc that melts the flying sleds into smithereens, their remains crashing through brick, mortar, and glass./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pushing past my fast-approaching limits, I reluctantly conjure more minions to provide cover and approach the entrance to the bank. "Get the hell inside! Now!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voice barely carries over the din of battle, but by now, they don't need any excuse. The small crowd continues to shove their way inside, and slowly begins to clear. The large doors quickly close the moment the last woman crosses the threshold./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I almost turn to consider my next move, but /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oh god./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The patterns in the stars align as Azyr swirls to give renewed understanding./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony Stark is right inside./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve Rogers once more considers the ramifications of his own actions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This entire battle? A beginning to a war for the safety of Earth? More than a little of this was on him, his burden to bear. A few months ago for him, he'd lost the damn Tesseract in the ocean. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"It should have stayed there./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A logical part of him knows there was little more that he could have done to get rid of the Cube in his final moments, before the crash into the frozen sea. But the human part, the honorable part, the heart - he couldn't help but feel this way. HYDRA's special weaponry from the war is but one piece of a long chain of events that led to this moment. If he could have hidden it away, kept even his allies from finding it, maybe none of this would be happening./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve sprints around a nearly ruined street corner, knowing there were aliens with energy lances following him. Their best plan was simple - keep the fighting contained to the few blocks around Stark Tower. Police, first responders, and the other SHIELD squads were in place to direct an evacuation and to mitigate losses, but this was too much and it only gets worse by the second./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Spinning the shield into position to catch an energy blast, it diverts into a shop window that shatters into superheated shards, spraying over his back and cutting into his uniform, his skin stinging with pain. He ignores it and brandishes his shield once more, a thrown Chitauri blade clattering uselessly to the ground at his feet. Distantly, one of the SHIELD agents from the other squads shouts into his ear, but he doesn't have time to respond as three more aliens approach on foot from another angle./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The vibranium weapon tanks their energy blasts but forces Steve on the backfoot, as he slowly peels away from the nearby shop where he can hear a woman hiding inside. In dismay, he rolls to the ground to dodge, launches himself back onto his feet, and uses the same momentum to hurl the shield as fast and as hard as he can./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The shield impacts hard against a Chitauri warrior's jetpack technology, their powered armored torso exploding suddenly. It arcs away like a discus, slamming once more into the wall nearby, and then returning to his hand. He starts to dart away and continue to draw them further into their acceptable perimeter, but three aimed shots to the chest and torso drops half of them before he can really consider it, ears ringing slightly in pain./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Miss me, flag boy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Steve has enough time to smirk at Natasha before he has to step between them to block recovering fire. One of them hurls something that seems suspiciously like a grenade, and he takes no time to grab for its place near Natasha's feet, hurl it as high as he can into the sky, and then shield them both./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In twenty-five years of life and nearly five years of military experience, Steve has never heard an explosion that loud. Ears ringing as he tries to recover, he starts to pull Natasha away, knowing that she's worse off. She struggles in his grip for a moment before she seems to realize that it's him, nods once, and then releases covering fire into the oncoming assailants./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We're screwed if we don't get a goddamn miracle," Widow mutters, forcing a finger to her earpiece and rubbing at her aching head. "Please tell me someone's got something."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint cuts in from his position above them all, letting loose a volley of arrows that turn distant Chitauri tech to slag. "This is probably the only time anyone will be grateful for this, but we've got an inbound jolly green giant leaping down 39th Street."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I slip into the large bank through one of the second-floor windows. The greater interior of the space is filled with dozens of people, crowded and cowering. A few policemen and bank security wrestle people away from windows and exterior doors, trying and failing to calm anyone down. Hushed whispers and tearful sobs fill the space, and every loud noise from outside stirs renewed panic. Some tend to wounded while others cover the dead./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"From my position on the balcony, I scour for any sign of the billionaire in his crimson armored suit, but there's too many to see in this space. Perhaps he's not in the crowded lobby of the ban- Oh. Something tumbled hard through the roof above, a ray of sunshine from a makeshift skylight enveloping a few terrified civilians down below. From the size and shape, that's… gotta be him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Attention!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No response./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I conjure three minions in flashes of white light, brighter than a camera flash, and the four of us yell together, "Attention! Where is Iron Man?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Panic fills the room as they spot me. Someone - I don't see who - throws a rock, spurring others to do the same, but it only threatens to alarm everyone more. Indiscriminate shouting drowns out anything that I can say./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Get the hell out of my city!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fuck you, alien!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Wait, it's that guy from the news… !"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I activate the tattoos lining my flesh and slip to a different side of the room, just to try for a different angle. "I'm not one of them! I need to see Tony Stark. If he's hurt, I can get him some help. We don't have time for arguing, just show me!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He helped us outside," someone shouts near the front of the lobby. "Without him…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He's just trying to get us to trust him!" a heavyset policeman argues./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Several people yell in protest of the officer's suggestion and the officer's words all at once, and damn this is not going anywhere./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We don't have time! Show me!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Iron Man is back here!" It takes a second to find the source of the voice, finally spotting a half-dozen teenaged tourists covered in dust and wearing matching laniards. I wave at them and then propel myself through any wall, any obstacle, and any person, much to the fright of the crowd./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lying prone in the midst of a group of men and women is the armored Avenger. A wrecked office desk lies amidst shattered glass, and a blonde woman carefully tries to use a pen to pry open Stark's faceplate. The ice-cold crystal stirs to life in the presence of someone in danger, and I push the crowd aside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hang on, hang on, I got him!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He's replaced his armor from the Helicarrier, though it's not completely untouched. Thankfully, there's more damage to the cratered floor than there is to most of it. The rune-covered golden gauntlet is probably the worst piece, but the defensive suit must not have worked well enough to avoid damage completely. I don't understand how this even happened - why is he here? Did the flight systems fail on the new suit?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Who are y-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cut the woman off without even looking at her, trying to study the crystal in my hand and the extent of the armor. "I'm here to help, but I need you to give me the room. If you stay, what I'm about to do might hurt you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The touch of the crystal's power grows into a seeping cold. It coatss my fingers, my palm, my wrist. The frozen area - noticeable, but not painful - expands to cover my left forearm in an icy-blue frost, while the temperature in the room dips drastically. As soon as the room realizes something supernatural is going on, they begin to back away, shivering. I look up toward the one person still remaining and gasp./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The blonde waitress and the first person who helped me in this universe backs away, an icy breath leaving her mouth as she shivers. "W-what are you d-doing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hesitates to leave Tony, but doesn't seem to recognize me, thanks to the bandana covering my lower jaw, but I don't have to time to fret over identities. "Just trust me, back out into the hallway."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The zone of swirling cold expands like an aura with myself at its center, draining the heat from the environment and coating everything in its wintry embrace. The decorative rug, the office floor, the mahogany furniture, an old desktop computer - all turn to ice. Overhead, the fluorescent lights in the ceiling shatter under the weight of icy shards, forcing the room not into darkness but into an ethereal white-blue glow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth retreats as the destruction showers the room, but I don't stop to look at her or think deeply about how damned dangerous it is that she's here, in the city, in its epicenter. The café… god, I should have checked it first./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ice magic drains more and more heat, but I don't feel anything. It is more than subzero in this space, but I don't notice anything at all. My influence begins to build across Tony's armor, small specks of frost growing into its normally inaccessible seams to reach into the man inside. An faintly audible alarm activates somewhere in the armor's systems, but it is rooted in place with no conscious pilot and has no choice but to subject Tony to the effects of the crystal's magic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An icy connection solidifies with the hopefully just unconscious man inside the armor. I know what I need to do - a cold magic bond between us must form, and using that connection, I can provide him with enough vitality to jolt his body into rapid healing. He's… I don't know how injured the man is, what bones are broken, what organs are bruised, or where there is bleeding. The armor's in the way, and I don't know the first thing about getting it off./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I just have to hope./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A tendril of connection becomes visible in the air, like a string of cold that emits snow as it twitches. End to end, my heart connects with his, and the moment that the elemental power coalesces into visibility is the moment a sudden weakness builds in my own body. I fall to my knees, clutching at my head and wiping sweat from my brow that freezes in the air and falls like hail. Distantly, someone - no, Beth cries out for help, but I wave it off./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The crystal in my left hand to continues to glow, the tendril of magic continues to bind, but Tony… Tony has not woken up. The vitality is going… somewhere, so he's not dead, but it's not - he's not waking, not healing, not fast enough! We need him up there, fighting, not down here dying!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ma'am," I weakly say, gesturing to Beth amidst the crowd of other New Yorkers watching with shocked interest at the door. "I… need some of you to volunteer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth glances down at herself and locks eyes with me. "What do you mean? Do you need water or food or…?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No." I gesture to the circle of swirling cold, almost like a winter's wind gathers around the office's edges. "If some of you enter this space, I can… use your health to help Iron Man. You'll feel tired and cold, but it won't," I sigh, breathing heavily from exhaustion, "it won't hurt you. I can't give him enough energy on my own to heal his wounds. He's dying - he has minutes, at best, before the point of no return. Please, Beth, I need you and whoever else is brave enough."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She starts at the mention of her name, her eyes flashing as she meets mine…./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Recognition fills her face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What? Log-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shake my head fervently. "No time," I mutter, pleading. "I'll explain later."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hesitates for several seconds and then nods down at herself. "You heard him," she says quietly, then louder, "let's help Iron Man!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth rallies a handful of younger, braver members of the crowd to step into the office and the area of effect. The frigid room begins to sap at their heat, but I reach out with concentration and begin diverting that heat into tendrils of connection, tethering each and every one of their lives to his./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk crashes into a nearby skyscraper with such force that his rebounding leap destroys an apartment three doors down from that exterior wall, alongside everything in-between. He relishes the destruction - every ounce of it is /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"his/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to enjoy, to cut loose, to have /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"no limits!/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He snaps the neck of a Chitauri as he soars through the sky, aiming for the great, flying monstrosities of metal and flesh. A laser blast hits him on the side of his chest, but it's not going to stop him. Nothing can!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk smashes into the side of the machine, unleashing a shock-wave impact that instantly sends the creature careening off course. A building topples under the giant, whale-like monster's weight, dust and debris filling the streets below. A Hulk-sized crater forces the creature to land, no longer able to fly under its own power. Chitauri on sleds and jetpacks fire plasma toward him, but he just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"roars/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" and launches the nearest heavy thing, a section of wing-fin from the great metal beast. The projectile spins through the air and splatters nearly that entire group, and Hulk just smiles and then leaps again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk can hear Banner telling him what to do, telling him to go toward the tower with the giant laser./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He doesn't get a chance to listen when something explodes hard against his chest, throwing him off-balance and nearly toppling him to the ground. Hulk feels the familiar peppering of bullets against his toughened skin, chuckling inwardly as he spins around to the source. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"The military./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" A tank fires at /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"him/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", not at the aliens, and it's all Hulk can do to not crush them./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do not hurt them!" /span/emspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Banner's voice shouts in their head. /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Go to the Tower! Take out the threat!"/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Hulk ignores him and chooses his own path./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He leaps, cratering the asphalt beneath his feet. He lands amidst a huge group of aliens on a nearby rooftop and continues the near-wanton destruction that only /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"he/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" can produce./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No Ross./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No Fury./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No Banner./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rage./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rogers' voice is the first thing Tony hears as he stirs, some barked order that he cannot remember if he tried. Something burns brightly, probably doing damage to his retina, the moment he opens his eyes. Temperature readings are in flux and inconsistent with reality./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The armored faceplate lifts away as he gets his bearings, the gyros shifting up as he comes to a rest sitting up, wiping away what feels like something frozen on his forehead with a gauntleted finger. Oh… there's ice? And a whole people looking at him expectantly, including an exhausted but familiar face: the Boy Who Magicked or Something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Glad to see you conscious, sir," Jarvis says. "You were, by my calculations, two point three minutes away from exsanguination."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh. Right. He… fell. Why doesn't he feel…?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Jarvis, medical diagnostics," he says without hesitation, closing the faceplate to allow the HUD provide them. A diagram of his current condition shows bruising, scar tissue, a contusion near the spinal cord, damage from the embedded shrapnel near his heart. "What am I not seeing? I'm not bleeding out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I healed you," the brunette boy explains, holding up a blue crystal. "The ice should melt soon, by the way. I couldn't, uh, figure out how to find skin."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony doesn't know how to compute any of that. "Jarvis, give me readings from before… the kid did his thing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He doesn't have to be a doctor or hear Jarvis' predict it to know what was going to happen. Massive cuts on his right hip, a shattered femur, four broken ribs, and a bruised skull…. All gone, now, unless his AI and his own perceptions were failing him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm dreaming."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Jarvis interrupts, "Sir, brain waves are inconsistent with those of REM sleep."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm dreaming about an alien invasion, a wizard boy, a freaky magic cube." Tony wipes at his eyes, disbelieving his own disbelief by the second. "It has to be the only explanation."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The boy clears his throat. "Mr. Stark, it's not a dream. New York City needs you. The /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"world/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" needs you. We gotta close that portal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony slowly nods, blinking, as the alien in charge of all this comes back to him. The kick to his spine, the glass window, the release of the Mark Seven armor, the rapidly approaching ground…. "Jarvis, we should, uh, decrease the timing window on the mid-air assembly and increase efficiency in our flight systems."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Noted, sir."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If the Mark Seven armor were enough, then maybe he might have avoided the ground entirely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark closes the armored faceplate and shifts up and onto his feet, but it takes way too long for a dramatic exit. The left leg's armored plates are not… not moving correctly, and it feels off in more than one way. He bends slightly to check with his eyes, and there /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" damage but it's not to level that he'd expect to make the gyros hitch up. Did the ice build-up in odd ways, or did he land on that side?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Tony doesn't have time to consider repairs. Loki and the Chitauri are still on the loose. He pushes his way through the doors, the wizard boy joining him. "Thanks, kid, for doing… whatever you did."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Logan laughs lightly, those markings brimming to life across his skin. "I'd have done it for anybody." He takes a deep breath and then exhales, moving sluggishly. "… I wish I could heal the whole city with it."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Since the foray into the bank and bringing Tony Stark back into the fold, the chaos has only become more intense. The Chitauri whale-ships come by the half-dozen, bringing with many enemy infantry each. Sleds pour from the portal by the second, dropping bombs and shooting plasma lasers into any building they see./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up, even while moving, in time to see Thor on the move. He bottlenecks the portal with crackling bolts of a stormy tempest, a massive display of force that would inspire mortal awe in anyone who could see it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Including me. No wonder the ancient Vikings thought them gods./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"As impressive as Thor's destructive force is, he is not the only Avenger that inspires me to do more, far more. Iron Man fires missiles into sleds and repulsors into heads, forcing the aliens to follow after him and away from the city. Black Widow commandeers a hover-sled of her own in an attempt to be as badass as possible. Captain America directs police on the ground, diverts infantry away from crowds, and defends the innocent with a shield that disobeys every physical law but somehow is not magic. Hawkeye clings to the edge of a building on his perch, sniping better with a bow and arrows than he could any actual rifle with bullets built for the task. And even the Hulk wrestles with dozens of Chitauri infantry who somehow thought - with their last thoughts - that rushing him all at once, in melee, was a good idea./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The six of them have been doing this for a while. Maybe not aliens, but they've been fighting the good fight. I've had some successes today, that much is undeniable, but man. I can't help but feel I could be doing more./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Widow, you on Stark Tower yet?" I ask into the communicator, readying to fight, even this exhausted, a nearby group of Chitauri on sleds that have not quite got the memo to follow after Iron Man./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Getting there," she mutters with a gasp of breath. "These guys do not let up."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint huffs into the communicator. "It's less that and more that they keep sending more. Whatever's up there, it's relentless."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An idea arises in my head. If we could get someone up there, then maybe we can slow them down before they even reach the atmosphere or hit wherever they're coming from. "Thor, any chance you can fight in space?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not for long, but I do not know how that helps."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How long is not for long?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Um, minutes, I'd say," Thor explains. "But anything I can do up there I can do down here to keep them from /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"coming./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"" He emphasizes the last word with another crack of thunder that shakes every nearby skyscraper's windows, hurling another bolt of supermassive lightning into the rim of the portal, energy cascading./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Nothing we do matters here if we cannot stop that portal," Widow declares. "I'm nearly there. Loki's not going to like me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Tony, ideas for the energy shield around the machine?" Clint asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Nothing I can bet on right now and keep everyone safe," he answers. "You'd need to overwhelm it with enough energy that the shield fails, but the blowback might wipe out Manhattan. Maybe all of New England. Worst case scenario, the local atmosphere goes up like a sparkler and we lose the Northern Hemisphere."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Oh man./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Somehow, the idea of slavery to an alien overlord sounds preferable to billions of people dying worldwide in a nigh-instant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"But we can't have that either. I abandon the fledgling idea and /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"move./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow motion carries my body, even through the exhaustion. I was tired before, but healing Stark took more out of me than I would prefer. I could not do this all day. If we don't stop them here, now, then what are we even doing any of it for?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I angle my focus up to climb Stark Tower, pushing off the exterior every few seconds to propel myself further upward, appearing to run full-sprint up the wall with a white trail of light behind me. I can already hear the sounds of fighting above me, as Black Widow forces the Chitauri sled riders to rush toward the Asgardian. A blast of blue light from the Scepter barely misses the sled, but Widow takes the moment to leap off and tumble onto the roof./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blast up and over the side, almost hovering in the air for a second, before continuing flow motion a split-second later to get into position behind Loki - or where I think the lithe Asgardian is. He's got tricks, but so do I./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pulling heat from the environment leaves the area around me frosty, while ice begins to build across both of my fists, almost like armored gauntlets of my own. I launch toward the Asgardian a second later, while Widow takes a shot at him from the back. He tanks the bullet to his left shoulder - /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"oh, that's the real fucker/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" - but it does not phase his armor or him. A grin fills his annoying face, but I do not care. Flow motion and a frozen fist to the cheek sends him tumbling to the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I come to stop a few feet later, sliding across the ground like its ice slightly as frost continues to build from the aura around my body. "Don't let up!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha launches a sting of electricity from her glove, but as it strikes his prone form before he can stand, he merely laughs and gets up anyway. "You think a bit of paltry lightning from your little tech would hurt me? I've tasted worse!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She smirks. "I know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks, and I zip forward in that moment and try to smash into him with another icy fist, though he angrily catches the blow and tosses me effortlessly. I narrowly avoid falling off the edge. "And ice? Don't you know who you're fighting at all?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Six minions emerge with a snap of my fingers and send forth a volley of white, soul-attacking blasts. He raises a hand and bits of debris rise up swiftly to defend against gravel, metal, and pieces of concrete shattering to pieces but leaving him unaffected. Dust fills the space around him, but not before Natasha moves into position, lifts some kind of unique pistol from her leg, and pulls the trigger./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A piercing bolt of orange light surges toward the Asgardian, and when it impacts against the center of his back, super-heated energy sears through his armor and cooks his flesh. He howls and collapses to the ground, the Scepter rolling to a stop a few feet away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha brandishes the energy pistol before her, smoke slightly rising from the hole in Loki's armor, from the exposed and harmed flesh beyond. She stops in front of him, taking aim. "That was for ruining the life of a comrade."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A long pause. "So-" he dry-heaves, coughing for breath against the ground, "s-sentimental. You dramatically declare y-your actions here as selfish, not the selfless defense-" he coughs again, this time louder, "-of all of humanity from a foreign threat."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Says the tyrant who just wants everyone to kiss your boots," I add, pressing my finger to my ear. "Black Widow and I brought Loki down."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You can call it whatever you want, jackass," Natasha declares. "You don't get to decide how I feel, nor how I act, nor how anyone else on this rock acts. You failed."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki tries to lift his neck up to see the sky, but he can't move well. I conjure a large number of minions to hold him down, but he seems to be in too much pain to move well for now. "You think /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" failure?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I do," Black Widow answers simply. "You wanted the world to bow to you, and that's not going to happen today."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He tries to chuckle but the effect is lost while he's practically gasping for breath from an injury to his lung and surrounded by a group of twelve year old me. "You're too late to stop it. My army will spill from the heavens until the last of your resistance crumbles."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How do you stop the machine?" I ask, signaling one of my minions to drive a blast of white energy directly into the man's lower back, and Loki winces in pain. "Tell me!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I think I know how."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Black Widow and I turn to see the scientist, bleeding from somewhere on his head, approaching us. Dr. Selvig, I think. Loki tries his best to stand, but the minions deter him with charged shots of white light point blank, their magic attacking the soul of the Asgardian to hold him where he lies./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Explain."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Scepter," Selvig says weakly, barely able to sit upright. "The energy. The Tesseract can't fight, but you can't protect against yourself." He pauses, swallowing. "I built in a safety to cut their power source."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha blinks in surprise and maneuvers to pick up the Asgardian weapon. "The Scepter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""NO!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Loki pulses outward with all his weakened might, and yet the minions fly away and disappear as they leave the limited range around me. He conjures knives and hurls them, but I've been expecting something like this and activate my tattoos, the lyrium allowing the daggers to fly right through me. Natasha rolls to the side, twists the Scepter in her hand, and unleashes a torrent of eldritch energy to hit Loki square in the chest. He tumbles, end over end, and lands in a heap near the end of the Tower's balcony, unmoving./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I let out a breath, staring at her, exasperated. "That was fucking aweso-."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A gurgle catches my attention, and one of his knives sticks from the throat of Dr. Selvig. Blood spills onto his jacket and the rooftop, as he sputters to do anything to stop it. A second later, the knife disappears, causing the bleeding to only accelerate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No!" I shout, draining the heat from the area in an instant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Everything within ten to twelve yards flash-freezes, including the blood pooling around the prone man's wound. I feel the tethered bond attempting to form, and I will my own vitality to the forefront./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Widow." I shakily point to a spot for her to stand. She hesitates for a fraction of a second before stepping forward, now caught in the wintery area atop a hot rooftop in the beginning of May./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The small line of frost forms in the air and connects the three of us, and I pull too on her vitality. Her figure droops, her shoulders fall slightly, and her eyes grow heavy. I can't feel much of anything at all, so determined that I ignore my own exhaustion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The magic flows into Selvig's heart, coating the wound on his neck in frost. Vitality equalizes for but a moment, and he gasps for breath. "You must… t-to-ouch the tip to the c-crown."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Save your strength!" I shout, but he rejects that with his eyes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Crown?" Natasha asks, solemn and exhausted, the elemental energy still pulling on her heat, her vitality./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The pla-place where the power is mos-most de-ense."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We need med evac. Selvig is down." She nods to the man and then looks at me. "Is your magic working?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The bond cuts off abruptly as one side of the three way connection ceases./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can, I can still-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha places a hand on my shoulder as the icy magic fades, remnants of ice already beginning to thaw. She reaches with her other hand to check for signs of life, and I know that she won't- won't find - won't find any. "Dr. Selvig is dead. I think I can close the portal. Anyone copy?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do it!" Steve orders./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Natasha stands and holds the weapon steady, then aims the tip through the energy barrier toward the crown, the spot where the energy is most dense. It pushes further inside, seeming to take effort as it shows significant resistance. I can barely stand, barely able to keep my eyes open while the horror of what just happened runs through my memory over and over and over and over./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I glance up to see more of the aliens coming through the shimmering dark blue hole in the sky, even as Iron Man, Hawkeye, and Thor continue to engage the air. All of us, at this point, are lightly injured and slowing down. I don't think I could fight again, but I would if this doesn't work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Among other colors, something vibrantly orange shimmers in the center of the portal for but a split-second and then disappears, even as Black Widow finally touches the crown of the machine. The machine's geyser of Tesseract energy overhead shudders then fades, and the portal begins to close like a rapidly narrowing whirlpool. The moment that it collapses finally, returning the sky to its normal shape, Chitauri begin to collapse, their sleds begin to crash, and their whale-ships fail and drive themselves into nearby buildings until they finally stop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I collapse to my knees, letting loose a breath I did not know that I was holding./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why did they drop?" Widow asks, shading her eyes to see the remnants of the sky better. "Did they all stop moving?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I couldn't see any stragglers on rooftops or on the streets. "Just be glad that it's over."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Until the Tesseract is out of Earth's hands," Natasha states seriously, now leaning against the rooftop's guard railing, "this is far from over."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She has a point. There's a long list of people from Marvel comics who'd love to get their hands on technology capable of reaching outer space, for an alien army or no. Any one of them could be a threat to the safety of the Earth. Opening a portal to a Kree world could spell disaster, or could invite the Skrulls to do their secret invasion far sooner. I didn't even know about the Chitauri before this, so imagine how bad it could get for one of the more popular galactic threats?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I clutch the, uh, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"cryo/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" crystal in my hand and then slip it into one of my trench-coat's pocket./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is only the beginning./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 16/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: ?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. He has yet to explore what the specifications and limitations of this ability are. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade. Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Future perks will also be listed at the bottom of the post they're acquired in. As more categories are acquired the accordion will get bigger./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Apologies for the delay. Other projects and a renewed DD campaign have taken up my creative juices for the last couple weeks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Next chapter is primarily an interlude, but we also catch up on some perks, for the Grimiore has plenty of new goodies to share (one of which involves portals that spawn little alien creatures of his own that might have been very useful to have during this conflict)./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Jun 25, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_24_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 23/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The director of SHIELD is not a religious man. How could he be? Every year, every month, every week, every day the organization encounters a new mystery that stresses any modern belief system that exists. Gods, enhanced, aliens - nothing at all suggests that any one religion or myth has it right, has an explanation for everything. Best he can do, best anyone can do, is to just believe everything is weird./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"So it is that the weird becomes the foremost interest of himself and his employees, his agents, his comrades. SHIELD exists to fight the weird, to contain the weird, to ensure that the weird does not destabilize /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"everything./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" But they can't do that alone. No, sometimes, humans just are not weird enough on their own to face these unique and far too numerous challenges./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Therefore, a team /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"of/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the weird was planned in secret. Allied with the interests of humanity and equipped to deal with often whimsical problems, the Avengers Initiative was a potential idea. At the end of the day, Fury knows that conflict ends when the right resources are used to combat them. The Avengers were a theoretical weird solution to the world's new weird, a resource to be used to keep the humanity on track./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Then, a year ago, an extradimensional - extraterrestrial? - hammer fell to the Earth and brought with it beings that can level a whole town in an afternoon. Discussions followed among the chain of command and resulted in the abandonment of the Avengers program before it could even start. He'd advocated for the Avengers personally, believing there was still merit to the idea, but others were more convincing, and Fury followed their whims./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, they'd make weapons out of limitless energy to fight the weird, to restructure the Earth's infrastructure, to ensure that they have the tools they need to go to battle against interstellar threats. Wars on the ground would change, but that'd been happening for millennia as new technologies rose to prominence. SHIELD and the powers that be decided that that was a worthwhile sacrifice for the greater good of protecting the Earth from the weird./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Ultimately, the world was not ready for the weird to hit as hard as it did, when an alien brought an army from outer space onto American soil. SHIELD was not ready - their limitless energy weapons were not ready for deployment, and it was unclear the impact that they might have had on their chances of success. Fury hastily assembled the Avengers, and now the world knows their name. Defeating the aliens and stopping the invasion was just the end of the beginning for a new weird./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury sighs as the masculine voice cuts through his reverie. The shadowed forms of Gideon Malick and the rest of the World Security Council are on display in Fury's clandestine office at the Triskelion, where SHIELD would be operating for the foreseeable future while repairs are made to the Helicarrier./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Malick shuffles papers in front of him and the crosses his arms. "Director Fury, understand that we did not intend to harm any civilians any more than your deployment of the Avengers."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You disrespected the chain of command to my own men and fired a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"warhead/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" at Manhattan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He clears his throat. "A warhead with a predetermined flight path /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"into/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" the portal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury saw the data earlier, and to the best of his knowledge, it made sense. The nuclear missile would aim directly for the wormhole, slip inside, and then detonate on whatever was on the other side, hopefully removing wherever their central command was and the bulk of the fleet. It made /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"too much/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" sense, and there were many things that could have gone wrong, with unique alien technology that could have forced potentially deadly interactions. What if a pulse of energy from their rifles or an odd fluctuation in the wormhole itself caused a chain reaction explosion in the nuclear warhead and detonated before reaching beyond? What if they redirected it toward the folks in D.C.? Or across the ocean to Russia? There were fail-safes in place to prevent annihilation, but what if those fail-safes fail?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You can't know the outcome. There are too many loose ends, too many exploits, too much wrong with the whole damn situation. You gambled with the lives of millions."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Malick shakes his head fervently. "Director, with all due respect, we can and will use our authority to make the hard calls to save the planet from an alien invasion." He pauses for a moment, steepling his fingers into the shadowed camera. "Just as you used your authority to make a hard call and trust an untested team with the safety of our entire civilization."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury bites his tongue on that topic and shifts to another, related one. "Malick, do you have an explanation for this?" A seconds-long video from a news station's footage of the wormhole reveals a ring of orange light opening at its mouth and releasing something beyond it. "Your warhead never cleared its flight path, Malick. Something happened. You know what or why?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury knows faces, knows body language, can predict reactions to good news, bad news, and everything in-between. No one on the Council in the video conference shows surprise. They've done their homework, seen the footage. Malick starts to speak, but Alexander Pierce cuts in and says, "Director, I'm afraid I have no idea what to do about that information. Someone tampered with the missile. Someone with Enhanced powers, or advanced technology, or something else entirely."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury clenches his jaw. "You leading to a point, Mr. Pierce?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Any Enhanced member of your team could have done it, or perhaps it was something Stark cooked up," Pierce suggests. "Do we /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"really/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" know the true capabilities of everyone you sent into the field that day? Especially the one we did not expect to be involved? The glowing is a little pretentious if you ask me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury considers for a long moment how to respond. "No one on my team engaged with the warhead, but if they had, I'd have been grateful. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"You/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" should be grateful that this happened, because whomever or whatever did this ensured that millions of lives were not lost in an instant because of a stupid-ass decision."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Be that as it may, Director Fury, I don't like the idea that someone out there can intercept a nuclear weapon without our knowledge," Malick adds, earning terse nods of agreement from other members of the Council. "And I cannot help but be concerned that you've not explained the circumstances behind this additional member of the Avengers. The rest of them were thoroughly vetted before you considered utilizing them for a team. Why not this one?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury expected this conversation, but he has wheels to spin and meetings to attend. "Information about the dynamics of my team at this time are on a need-to-know basis. At the moment, you do not /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"need/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to know." He checks his watch. "If you'll excuse me, I have a memorial service to attend."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He cuts the connection before they can complain and then steps into the next hallway and nearly into Agent Hill, carrying a clipboard in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other, and dressed for a funeral./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, we have confirmation that Thor, Loki, and the Tesseract are heading back to Asgard within the week." She shows him a short report of the conversation. "Additionally, Analytics released their report about the public's reaction to our existence, and things are predictably mixed but overall positive."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There's nothing like saving the world that will boost your popularity," Fury adds with a slight smile, shifting the paper on Hill's clipboard to reflect that information as well. The figures looked good. "I don't like this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Hill cocks an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Publicity," Fury explains simply. "The world has irrefutable proof now that another boogeyman intelligence organization exists. It's one thing to prepare models for that in advance, Hill. It's another thing to have our exposure happen during the aftermath of a thwarted alien invasion where thousands died. We're in for a world of hurt in the next few months."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She hesitates as they walk down the secluded hallway of the Triskelion, surrounded only by those of some of the highest clearance level as they go about their duties. "Speaking of, we /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"do/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" have an update." She pulls him aside into a secure meeting room and hands him a slip of paper decorated with photos of a particular woman surrounded by scientists. "They are preparing her and the others for initial trials."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury nods. "Good. Get it done."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes, sir." She starts to exit but stops and turns and makes direct eye contact. "Sir, are we certain that this is the right play?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Morse is an asset we cannot afford to lose," he explains calmly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Agent Hill slowly nods. "Understood, sir."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""They're calling you the Wizard," Matero the fairy says from his position lying flat across the table, staring up at the Great Hall's reflection of the Internet in the ceiling. "I don't know where they got the name from, but it fits like a glove, does it not?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can barely hear what he's saying while I try to sew disparate materials together. A thick piece of warped leather, the tears of an undine, the breath of a salamander. The Grimoire provided a bit of the esoteric supplies and the knowledge of how to make it, but it wasn't good enough to just give me the clothing. I didn't mind, at the end of the day, because there was an entire section now about crafting and enchanting magical items, and I could hardly pull myself away from the Sanctuary since I discovered that. It'd make my work with SHIELD that much better, and I suspected Matero would be happy to take any armor I make and make it even better./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can you hand me that piece?" I ask, pointing to an already cut and roughly fitted piece that would, with tailoring, protect my back from an inferno./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero scoffs. "I don't think I will."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Fine." A minion shifts into position nearby and grabs it, pushing it into my hands. "Thank you. At least some of you have manners."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minion laughs. "Yeah! What else can I do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero leans back against the table and chuckles. "I won't be made your slave that easily. I'm not into the bondage scene."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I ignore him and gesture to the vial of salamander breath, a bottle with a red-tinged gas so hot that it nearly threatens to melt the glass from the inside. A pair of metallic forceps sits next to them for easy lifting. "If you could hold that at the ready, that would be great."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The minion happily moves to assist, and my smile at the assist fades far too quickly when I perfectly remember each and every one of their gruesome deaths to the Kitchen Irish, to the Hulk, to the Chitauri, to Loki. This? This feels… better./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't afford to spiral./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero shifts away from the scrolling news feeds ethereally displayed in the ceiling and picks up a strip of leather affixed with pouches, lightly worn as though whatever process created it and sent it here through the pages of the book left it in less than pristine condition. The fairy holds it out with a single finger, nose turned up in disgust. "Please tell me you're planning to hide this garish bandoleer in one of your bottomless pockets when you're out and about in costume."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I turn away from him and tightly hold up a piece of leather, arranging it so that the minion can hold open the bottle of salamander's breath in just the right angle to treat it. Sweat pours down my face from the onset of its sudden heat. The treated leather takes in the gas, almost absorbing the effects into its material. Once it's complete, I'll be very fire resistant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I will not be ignored-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm not ignoring you, Matero," I say with a frown, signaling for the clone of younger me to stopper the bottle before I run out. "I actually agree with you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks. "What? Oh, please /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"do/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" say more."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I want to look cool while I'm out there as much as the next guy," I admit. "Bandoleers for a bunch of magic grenades are cool, but they don't fit the aesthetic of someone dubbed the Wizard. I don't want to be Jorgen Von Strangle."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He mumbles, "Who?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Never mind," I concede trying not to laugh at the thought of Matero with a crew cut. "I'm still gonna use it, I just don't want to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"look/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" like a soldier out there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The fairy grins with sparkling inhuman eyes. "Wonderful news. You almost finished?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Getting there. Any chance you'd give me a freebie and clean it up?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero grins and pulls a small sliver of plastic from the tight briefs. "I won't do it for free, but with your permission…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I thought you ate that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""For the last time, I don't eat the money," Matero clarifies, annoyed. "You want me to charge him or not?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I wince, considering it. "He won't notice, right?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stark is richer than god - he won't notice whatever measly amount a simple job would cost. But…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Never mind, I'll just do it." I reach for the card, but the fairy disappears in a flurry of dandelion petals. "Don't use his damn money!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A chuckle echoes throughout the Sanctuary./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The news cycle does not stop. Never before has something so extraordinary happened in the history of the world, and it is difficult for Pietro to tear his eyes from the television screen. Only one local news channel focuses a bulk of its attention on Novi Grad, but even then, the crawler on the bottom of the screen reveals more details about the so-called Battle of New York. "U.S. to unveil its Department of Damage Control, expected to begin clean up efforts following the Incident."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the younger kids rushes over to try to take the remote from him. "Give, give, give me!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He lightly shoves the younger kid, Mikkel, away and pulls the remote close to the chest, while the other two children try to pull at him from the other side. "There's another television downstairs!" he shouts. "Don't you get it? This is a bigger deal than your silly cartoons!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The kid pouts and shoves him back. "Deztin is hogging it! Just let us, please!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro forces himself to his feet, standing several inches taller than the nine-year-olds. He raises the remote even higher and continues watching the news, ignoring the kids. "Nope. Nope, I'm not budging. Go bother someone else."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Defeated, the three kids dart through the rest of the orphanage, shouting obscenities and promising to tell on him. Pietro just settles back into the couch beside his sister, knuckles white as she buries her nose in her homework and tries desperately to avoid looking at the television screen./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voice of Everhart, the anchorwoman, returns from commercial, Sokovian subtitles ready at the bottom of the screen. "The U.S. Department of Defense confirms the existence of S.H.I.E.L.D., whose field agents were boots on the ground during the Incident last week. There are many questions regarding the operations of this uncovered clandestine organization, and many independent investigators have begun putting pieces together after its arrival. One such investigator for the New York Bulletin suggests that the late founder of Stark Industries, Howard Stark, may have been at the heart of the organizations founding following World War II, but such details remain unconfirmed as of now." A side-by-side image of the father and the son appear on screen. "Given the appearance of Iron Man during the Incident, many believe the theory has merit."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What should we do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro blinks, focus now on his sister. Wanda meets his eyes intensely, chemistry book forgotten at her side. "Do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes," she mutters, teeth clenched. "Do."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't understand-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You do not see what is happening?" she challenges, rising to her feet and gesturing animatedly at the television screen. "Americans have their pet billionaire fighting /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"aliens/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" now. Marta brought an Iron Man /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"mug/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to lunch today! This is only going to get worse."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro can feel every bit of that anger, but he does not know where to put it. "Marta wouldn't do that. She -"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Has a family," Wanda finishes for him, tears in her eyes. "She doesn't get it. And neither do you, if you do not agree that we should do something!" She finishes the point with a finger jabbed into her brother's chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He softens slightly. "Wanda, I do not feel any differently than you. What are we supposed to do?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wanda paces back and forth for a long few moments across the common room rug. "We organize more protests, after school, on weekends."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro frowns. There'd been protests throughout the last few years, since the bombings. They had not… accomplished much of anything at all, but they were infrequent. "How are we supposed to do that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wanda steps closer to him. "We'll do it together. Talk to classmates, teachers, friends, the community. We push hard, we make posters, we march. We don't stop marching until our voices are heard."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro wants to do something. Wanda wants to do something. If this is the path that they are on, then he'll accept whatever challenge the world throws at them. They'll counter whatever love the world will heap on the Avengers, on Stark, on SHIELD. What happened in Sokovia, to their parents, will not be forgotten./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The dress-shirt cuts into the skin around my neck, but I ignore it, trying not to move or otherwise make a nuisance of out myself. I already feel too many eyes on me, and I want nothing more than to be anywhere but here. I grip the back of the pew in front of me, remembering years of boredom in church, listening to messages that were lukewarm at best, downright hateful at worst. At least there's been no sermon, but there's also no program or hymnals to distract me from teary-eyed loved ones./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A year ago, I remember my youth pastor, Sam, reached out and offered a seat among the rest of the youth group. He was a nice enough guy, and he tried like many to be with the times. I chose instead to sit with my mom in our usual place, in comfort, and I…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A woman near the front releases a cry of anguish, breaking me out of the swarm of memories. She clutches at her two children, sobbing desperately and forcing the priest to pause the program for a moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sister Laura, we thank you for your strength. Brothers and sisters in Christ, we must stand together in the face of such tremendous tragedy."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I tune him out and start to stand, to leave, to go and deal with all of this somewhere else, but someone grasps my shoulder gently. Phil Coulson delivers a concerned smile and then beckons for me to follow him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I slip out of the service, hopefully mostly unnoticed. Not like they'd remember me in a few minutes anyway. Coulson stands just outside and offers a seat on a bench a few dozen feet from the entrance, away from busy foot traffic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Does it not amaze you slightly that there are people walking to and from work like nothing ever happened?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson settles in calmly. "It's The City That Never Sleeps for a reason."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We sit for a while, saying nothing. Distantly, cranes and helicopters lift chunks of debris and Chitauri tech from the tops of rooftops, from alleyways, from back-streets. Even days later, the city is starting to look relatively normal, but it's not going to happen overnight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I almost didn't recognize you in there," Coulson says. "You've got this… thing about you now that confuses the hell out of me. New trick?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You could say that," I mutter, thinking of a ritual I'd performed the other day. "Keeps people from recognizing and remembering me if I don't want them to."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Huh," he says with a glimmer. "That's useful."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Keeps the face tattoos from being an issue," I explain. "Secret identity intact."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"We fall into a comfortable silence, listening to the sounds of a slowly recovering population./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""One hundred and sixteen people."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson glances up to meet my eyes. "We face a heavy toll."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I expected thousands," I say truthfully./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Me too," he adds. "We're lucky."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I bristle at that. "Lucky implies that this was an accident. Nothing-" I frown, not even sure what I'm saying. "Nothing about this was accidental."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson declines to say anything at all about that, leaving it open-ended. He thinks for several seconds and then pulls something from his pocket and drops it into my palm. "Penny for your thoughts? You didn't… seem okay in there. Or out here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I grin and put the coin away. "I've never been to a funeral before, never lost someone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Never?" Coulson stares distantly as I shake my head. "My dad explained it to me one day. 'Philly, it's a fact of life that we spend every moment collecting new loved ones, but as we grow older, each of them slips away from us one-by-one, 'til we're all alone.'"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's… depressing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He smiles. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. I look at it like this: we can't skip to the end and avoid collecting altogether. Those people in there? They were lucky to have Agent Morse for as long as they did, as they didn't have to walk through life alone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But now they do. And I…" I swallow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson raises an eyebrow. "And?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Didn't I do that?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But I-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You didn't," Coulson says firmly. "Bobbi Morse and her team joined S.H.I.E.L.D., became field agents, and accepted the possibility that they may not come home from a job. Organizations like this have leadership to make the tough calls - you didn't send them on that mission any more than Dr. Banner did."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""But it was /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"my/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" spell that-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He puts a hand on my shoulder gently. "Son, the job we do comes with risks. We wade into these risks each and every day. Fury might send me on a mission tomorrow that kills me." He hesitates at my reaction and then continues. "Don't let what you feel paralyze you from doing the good work that you did, that you can still do. Agent Morse would be proud, and so am I. You helped save the world."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't know to feel, but I know it isn't good./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple addition./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A complex twist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A momentous alteration./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Eye of Agamotto rests on its pedestal, bathing the chamber in glittering green light. One cosmic consultation with causal infinitum later, and she begins to piece the truth together from its disparate, unconnected parts. She directed her foresight toward the conundrum and revealed that something had changed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Something that she cannot quite see./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She waves a finger through the air, a jolt of orange ethereal energy streaking across the cosmos and out of sight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A moment later, and similar energy sears into the background of the chamber. "Ancient One," the voice of Karl Mordo declares, the dark-skinned man stepping into view through a shimmering portal. The Staff of the Living Tribunal rests in his hand, dripping an oddly purple liquid./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Watch the carpet," she says without chastising the man, who has the decency to wipe away the gunk with a napkin from the nearby room./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Apologies," he declares with a grimace at the smell. "Your message interrupted a spar with a particularly angry Lem."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How'd it go?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He blinks. "What-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Were you winning?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Mordo laughs. "Oh, but of course." Despite the circumstances, she's able to beam at him for a second. "How can I be of assistance, Ancient One?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She considers her words carefully and the implications of the situation. "With each moment, we stray further and further into a morass of mystery."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Mordo says nothing for a long moment, eyes filled with confusion. "Come again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She smiles tightly. "I must leave to visit an old friend. Kamar-Taj is in your hands."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ancient One, I-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She shakes her head. "Until I return, they answer to you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He stutters. "Ancient One, you /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"must/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" explain. This is highly irregular."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Explanations will come," she answers simply. "With luck and a bit of insight, I'll be back soon." She pulls a smart phone from her pocket and shoots a quick text to the others. "Drumm, Rama, and Minoru have been warned."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Mordo stares in disbelief. "The Sanctums will answer to me?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""For the time being," she clarifies, "yes. Now, run along and don't leave the place a mess when I get back."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The section of tonight's feast for desserts is long gone, the rest of the four tables mostly undisturbed. Coulson's words from earlier haven't left my mind, and it is all I can do to even leave this spot. The Celestial Grimoire lies open to a section about simplistic finger signs that do a few tricks, but even as I contort my fingers to practice and get a few results, my mind is not able to think of anything else./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I want to just skip to the part where I feel better. I read a whole page in the book about that earlier, about spending less time per task or something, but it doesn't work like that. More than a hundred people /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"died /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"and if I'd been faster, stronger, smarter, I could have saved more of them. If I'd been less weak, then dozens of clones wouldn't have died in front of me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dr. Selvig would not have /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"died/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" in my hands./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I can't./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Could I just… feel nothing for a change? To push past all of that, to keep moving forward, to become desensitized to the deaths from my own actions. To compartmentalize, to break it all down, to keep the parts that are good and chuck the rest away. To just… deal with it and move on./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Celestial Grimoire clatters hard to the ground, spine up and pages down. I curse under my breath and rest it in my lap, the thick tome feeling strangely light. Maybe /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"I'm/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" just the one feeling heavy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It's not on the page I left it, but as I start to turn the pages back to the section on magical Signs, something glimmers. A single, twisted eye swims amid the page, slitted almost like a reptile. When it comes to a stop, it starts to bulge from the page before stopping, the eye flashing with a deep purple light./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The book has never done this before. I place it on the table and lean over to study it, but the eye follows my every movement. "Hello?" I call out, but there's no response from the eye. Like that would be a totally normal thing to do if it had./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I reach out and draw my hands across the eye, expecting to feel ink./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead, I feel Nothing, Nowhere, All at Once./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 16/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: The Wizard/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. With it, he can absorb nearby heat into his body to cool the area around him and to create constructs of ice on his skin like armor. Additionally, he can "equalize" the life force of others nearby him, allowing him to heal the wounds on himself or another target, in exchange for exhausting the targets that are not healed. Chapter 1 = Benevolence /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 1 - Benevolence/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"= Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of multipurpose clothing that was created by imbuing it with a salamander and undine's magic power. It protects the wearer against fire and the cold along with being resistant to water and heat based attacks. It also enables the user to swim better in water and reduces water resistance and water pressure. It is also resistant to wear and tear along with it automatically cleans any dirt and filth from it. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some strange magic enshrouds your form. If you so wish it, your features shall become… distorted. Nothing truly changes, but onlookers will only be able to recall you as an extremely generic version of your race or species. They would be able to recognize you on sight, but attempting to describe you to someone else would only result in their frustration./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 21. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's plenty of dangers in the Mansus. It wouldn't do you any good trying to tackle them at anything less than your full capabilities. With this perk, you now possess the uncanny ability to lucid dream, allowing you to remain in control of your actions whether you are asleep or forced in a dreamlike state. More importantly, in this lucid state it becomes easier for you to manifest your own perks and powers inside dreams or illusions, granting you the same tools you'd have available as if you were physically there./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7: Making/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With all these mystical artifacts going around, someone had to be making them. You're a drab hand with decent skill in multiple forms of craftsmanship, from blacksmithing to weaving, but where this perk really shines is a special property you can imbue your creations with. Just about everything you make can enhance people in some way shape or form, be it increasing strength, increasing their endurance, and if you're skilled with magic you could also find a way to imbue elemental properties into equipment. There are even ways for you to boost your own mana capacity or elemental affinities, though that will take some time./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200. Obtained during Chapter 18./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This simple leather strap is meant to be worn around the chest to allow for easy access of high explosives during intense situations. It has hooks and loops to hold a dozen grenades at once and is always extremely comfortable to wear. The Bandoleer always starts each morning filled with twelve simple, but effective, fragmentation grenades made out of a canister, a lot of nails, and as much gunpowder as possible. However, it is possible to "tune" each grenade to an element by exposing the explosive to a bit of magic. Shock the device with a small amount of electricity magic and when you pull the pin it will explode with the force of a lightning storm instead of nails. You can even get creative, exposing it to the power of love will give the grenade a charming effect instead of a violent one. Experiment at your own peril, as you might not always get the effect you are expecting when you dip into more exotic elements./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 18. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the most useful tools in a Witcher's arsenal is the bastardized form of magic known as Signs. These simple spells can be used with one hand and require little knowledge about magical theory to use. There are a variety of Signs with various powers and you know all of them, though you start out with only a basic level of skill with them. With practise you may be able to improve their power and duration. If you also understand how to utilize magical spells you may become able to alter these spells into new signs, though they retain their relative simplicity and cost./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 20. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The foul empty magic granted to those that gaze upon the Void and are consumed. This hideous power works by creating portals to the void and unleashing what lies within. Pull out raw negative energy to poison your foes, or small void monsters to devour them. With practice you will even be able to bring forth nightmares to infect your enemy's minds./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 22. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Time seems to fly whenever you're having fun doesn't it? One moment it seems like you just started, and the next it's already over. To be honest, it seems that the older you get - or rather, the more experienced you get - the quicker everything seems to move along. For a brief period of time, you can accelerate any actions you are performing, whether it is casting a spell, or just reading a book. This extends to even group activities as well, affecting all of your allies involved./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks List /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator)/span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_25_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 24/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The environment undulates in a deep darkness, movements too off-kilter to be anything but threatening. Twinkling gossamer strands of /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"reach into and out of view - no, into and out of existence, providing brief reprieves from the darkness beyond. Unique sounds never before experienced by man forcefully whisper into the empty expanse, like the discordant chorus of a tragedy so terrible that it shakes its audience for months. Foreign scents shift from wonderful to awful in seconds, punctuated by tastes so horrific and succulent that they belie any sense of reason./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Overwhelmed, I float amidst it all, touching nothing yet feeling adrift in a sea of… mystery./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is not real./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is no dream./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is not real because the space /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"rejects/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" space. A repudiation of the nature of things, of stuff, of mass and depth and height./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And yet, I float amidst unreality./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Every passing second could be an eon. Momentary epochs come and go, ravaging against the rhythmic beat of the heart in my chest, the speed of the alarming thoughts in my head. The dissonance is actively painful, nerves shooting signals to my brain too fast and too frequent to comprehend amidst the weight of nothingness, amidst the weight of eternity./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Where?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No… what is this?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A tendril of undistinguishable mass reaches for me, a motion that I cannot resist for nothing I do has meaning in unreality. Infinitudes later, it makes contact with the skin of my forehead, and a soothing discomfort spreads through my mind, through my body, through /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"me./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A distant thought forces the lyrium swimming through veins, through muscles, through flesh to activate. Faintly sapphire light pierces the darkness, revealing an unfathomable object both massive and miniscule. I try to push away, but there is nowhere to go in a soup of unmaking. Lyrium's touch of the Fade, of a world of dreams, does not have the intended effect, and the light merely diffuses like food-coloring spilled into a drink. The tendril remains connected to my forehead, carving a message into skin, into blood, into bone, into neurons, into thought, into memory, into being./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Help!" I cry to the nothingness, struggling in the presence of an empty place that couldn't possibly be more /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"full./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" The voice does not reach past the vibration of my own skull, for there is no air to vibrate audio. "Anyone? Please!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No one answers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nothing makes sense!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The feeling of something watching precedes the appearance of a single reptilian eye, so gigantic that it dwarfs anything I'd ever seen, taller than any skyscraper in Manhattan, larger in width than the Helicarrier. The corrosive environment continues to harm my very existence, while this… thing watches. The focus of its attention is wild, but never leaves the core of my being./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A voice so alien it defies reason echoes throughout non-space, and surroundings rend and reform, integrate and disintegrate with its every syllabic utterance./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Somehow, I understand its words./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The tendril grasps my forehead and bulges like a serpent after a meal. It empties a mass of something into me, releasing nothing into being, into memory, into thought, into neurons, into bone, into blood, into skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voice echoes once more its meaning, and I wish it did not have meaning./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why do you touch us?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Eye ominously grows closer, and I could almost touch its titanic form./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I d-don't even know what is happening! Please, let me go!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I try to concentrate on the feeling of Azyr, but there are no stars, no heavens, no celestial forces to channel. Chaotic Winds begin to flow through the environment, but I cannot reach them. Magicka builds in my palms and waits for purpose, perhaps a bound dagger to cut me free of the tendril or an oakflesh for protection. The power fizzles as quickly as it appears, suffused throughout the soup of nothing. I snap my fingers to generate minions, but they are swallowed into the ethereal emptiness the moment they appear, disappearing into the greater organic mass. The fear of the darkness and the terror of helplessness drown my Heart, and the Eye blinks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Before you, we were void of purpose, void of understanding, void of perception, void of intent, void of things."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dozens of Eyes as large as the First begin to open, ever-close and ever-far./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We were satisfied before, not having experienced a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"before/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I cannot physically move, my spells aren't working, I don't have the mirror or the bandoleer or the uniform or anything, and I… I try to twist my fingers into the shape for Igni, a Sign for fire, but the heat does not even flare./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What do you want? Please!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The tendril writhes as it releases under pulse of something indescribable into my form, and the Eye twitches./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Before you, before before, we had no desires."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The squelching ocean of nothing begins to /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"breathe /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"and strands of possibility begin to manifest, first an expanding web of incomprehensible matter until the entire piece /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"snaps /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"taut. New sensations begin to form./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The cityscape of New York comes into focus, bathed in the odd light of a purple eye high above them. Impossible monstrosities revel in the destruction of property and the devouring of innocents, as bad or worse than anything the Chitauri thought to do. Entire buildings collapse in the maw of great beasts. Streets crumble in the webs of insectoid predators. Vehicles crash into the titanic hides of behemoths./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A humanoid figure hovers in the air, watching the chaos of unreality unfold as his clothes billow in the wind. Eyes aglow, tattoos blazing, he unfalteringly lifts his arm and scrapes against the sky. More nothingness spills into everything, and where they collide, everything begins to disintegrate like a mist into nothing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Reality slowly but surely unmade in the wake of Void./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"In the wake of me./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth cannot help but pace back and forth, anxiety oozing from her pores. She knows her hair must be a mess, because she can't stop pulling out the knots. The/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Incident knocked the water out at her apartment, but she's not had much reason to go anywhere anyway. The government's closed that whole area of the city, for good reason, and she's starting to worry that nothing will ever go back to normal. Geraldine's old - will she even open things back up at all?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The news won't stop talking about it, radio, internet, television. She doesn't blame them - that's their job, and she can try to tune it out. She lived through it, damn it, and had a close encounter with the one in costume that the news knows about the least. Someone she thought she knew well!/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're going to carve a trail through the carpet."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She glances over sheepishly as she stops pacing, a small but understanding smile on the handsome face of the man she loves. His own blond hair shows signs of worry and disrepair, as they'd both spent most of the last weeks roughing it here. "Look at us. We should probably go to your place."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael shrugs, brown eyes sparkling with mirth. "It gets too hot, love. We'd have to choose between air conditioning or running water."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Okay, okay, okay," she sighs and takes a sniff of her shirt, blanching at the stench. "Then we, uh, we need to find an open laundromat. We can't just sit here in filth."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael's smile grows. "True. My clothes drawer in there is looking mighty slim." She laughs. "Maybe we should make room for more? I could head home tonight and bring some things tomorrow…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth realizes what he's doing, and she's thankful for the distraction. Even still, it doesn't work. "It's just… not the right time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael frowns, face tight above a jawline that could cut glass. "Laundromat it is then." He beckons her to come closer. "But first, why don't you come sit down and tell me what's actually on your mind?" He pats the sofa and her favorite throw, and she wants nothing more than to cuddle with him and think of nothing else./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I can't," she argues, gesturing to the watch on her arm. "It's about the kid, Logan."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael leans closer, arms in his lap. "What about him? Is that who you've been calling all day?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth fights the urge to pace. "He's -"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""He didn't make it." Michael's face softens./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, no, no," she rejects, hurt at the thought of it. "He's… the Wizard."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man's brow tightens. "I don't - I don't understand."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's what they're calling one of the Avengers," she explains, reaching for her phone to show an article about each of the team that just saved the world. He swipes through each of them until his finger stops, eyes studying the blurry image of a glowing figure in a trench-coat, mid-dash across the street. "He's just a kid, Michael. He was on the street a few weeks ago, and now he's, he's, I don't know."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael frowns and continues studying the phone, skimming the article. "How'd you figure it out?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We were hiding from the invaders," she begins, recalling the moment. "We got Geraldine and some of the other patrons to a safer place, away from the action, and there were dozens of us hiding together. Something fell through the ceiling, crashed really, and it was Iron Man! Tony Stark was injured, unconscious, probably dying, and a few of us did what we could, but then Logan showed up. He used some kind of… ice stuff to heal, and Stark got better. I was front and center, Michael! I saw his eyes, and he looked so scared behind that mask."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael listens carefully and then slides the phone back toward her on the coffee table. Distantly, a tea pot boils over, a forgotten water bottle coated in condensation nearby. "So, the kid you pulled off the street is actually some kind of superhero. Weird."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth takes a step back, confused. "No, not /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"weird. /span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Not okay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That explains the government job from his dad," Michael adds, thinking. "You think it's FBI? CIA? Or this… S.H.I.E.L.D.?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Probably that one, but Michael - he's not safe. I don't know what the hell is happening, but I know kids don't need to be fighting aliens!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael stands from the couch and approaches her gently. "Beth, I don't disagree, but how can you even see the whole picture when he's been keeping all this from you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth huffs. "I don't need to see the whole picture to know that using teenagers to fight a war is not okay."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""For all we know, he's older than he looks," her boyfriend suggests, earning a look of bewilderment. "Or maybe it was a one-time thing. The kid has abilities, there were aliens, it was the end of the world. Do rules like that matter in the potential end of all things?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She stares, indignant, as Michael shifts to the kitchen to make them both a mug of tea. "Shouldn't they? Norms shouldn't break when it's convenient."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael contemplates that as he prepares their mugs, grabbing her favorite /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"Teen Titans/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" one from the cupboard. He pauses, laughs, then waves the mug in front of her. "They fight aliens every other week."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""/spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"They/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" are a cartoon that my little brother loved. It reminds me of home," she says, taking it from him but chuckling./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Let's make a deal," he says with a grin. "You promise to stop frantically calling him all day, and I'll take out the trash the rest of the month."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She rolls her eyes at the suggestion. "Why shouldn't I try to reach him again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Because if he really is a superhero, then the kid's just busy," he answers. "The city's probably filled with crime right now, even with the feds breathing down everyone's throats. Give the kid a break."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth could not deny that he has a point. "You /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"know/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" I can't help but worry. And I still don't think it's right that they'd put him out there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""True," Michael says again, taking a sip of tea. "But you have to admit, that it's kinda badass."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She punches his arm in indignation, and he giggles his wonderfully annoying laugh./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When I tumble out of bed, coated in sweat, my throat itches with the aftermath of mid-slumber screams. It takes more than a few seconds to recognize the interior of the Hospital Wing, the nearly transparent ghostly figure of its genius loci, the Phantom, standing near the entrance, watching intently. Near him, several medicinal implements hover under his power and influence, and despite the lack of facial features, I can tell his concern./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""What… happened?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Great Fairy brought the Master of the Sanctuary to the Hospital Wing for his care," the Phantom explains. "The survival of the Master has been uncertain for quite some time."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Distantly, I nod and reach for a hovering gown, barely noticing that I'm nude as the day I was born. I'd feel embarrassed about that, but, well, who cares? He's not real. "How long?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Master of the Sanctuary has been unconscious for twelve hours. The Great Fairy reported four missed calls from a cellular device."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink. Who could that be? Coulson ordered some time off after the battle, and well, I doubt there's anyone else who really cares to check in four times. Thor's off-world by now, Banner's in the wind, Stark's probably ass-deep in a bottle or a reporter or both, and… well, I don't know enough about Clint and Natasha from the comics to make a guess. Steve? Maybe it could be him… but I think he's reluctant to involve me in anything after what happened. I'm too "young."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My fingers rake like claws at nothing, and a seam in the air unravels as something forces its way into reality. Spindly appendages covered in a thick purple exoskeleton rip their way through the gap, as though crawling through a tight space. The crack expands until its widest point, and then the abdomen of the insectoid creature plops through onto the ground./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A… voidling is, for lack of a better word, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"born/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;". It stretches almost like a dog waking from a nap and then skitters across the floor of the hospital wing, barely noticing the portal to the space between universes closing behind it. It comes to a stop a moment later, its pulsing three eyes glimmering with power./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Grab my phone, would you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Its central eye blinks while the other two remain open, their pupils nearly identical to First Eye from… before. A moment later, it skitters into the deeper Sanctuary, and I turn my attention to the Phantom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How do I look, doc?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The genius loci hesitates, its attention on the space where the voidborn emerged. "The Master of the Sanctuary is in near-optimal health. Engaging in a balanced diet will-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't need you to tell me to lay off the sugar," I interrupt. "Forgive me if I stress eat after I let someone's life slip through my fingers."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Phantom says nothing to that, and I don't expect it to. The personification of a place is not going to be a good conversationalist./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Do whatever it is that you need to do to get me healthy," I order. "I'm in a hurry."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Instead of listening, it simply puts away its tools with a telekinetic flourish and then disappears into the aether. Huh. Guess it was done with me after all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hear the movement of the insectoid appendages in my mind before I hear them with my ears, and then it appears around the corner, a smart phone resting in its mandibles. I reach down and wipe away the ooze covering the bottom of it, lightly surprised that it didn't shatter the screen by mistake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A missed call from Steve several hours ago, and three missed calls from Beth throughout the day, including one only a few minutes ago. I'd be surprised that there's good cell service in a pocket dimension, but there's internet too, so who knows? An email from Pepper Potts with a subject that reads, "Thank You!" lies unread, but my mind goes back to Beth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She saw me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She recognized me in costume./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Maybe it was the tattoos, maybe it was the voice, maybe the mask doesn't really cover all that much. Whatever the reason is, she knew it was me, and that makes things complicated. Do I explain things further? Do I let her assume whatever the truth is? Do I just leave it alone? Do… do I care if she tells people?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A spell from the Grimoire already keeps people from remembering what I look like when they try to recall seeing me. Makes things hard to track me down, even with the facial tattoos that are nearly identical the ones the Wizard has. The exact pattern of them was mostly covered during the battle, but it was distinctive regardless. If she tells people, it'll be harder to stay hidden, but not impossible./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The voidling nudges my leg with the side of its head, and I just smile as it meets my eyes with its own. Do I even care about a normal life anymore? S.H.I.E.L.D. employs me, I'm effectively an Avenger if they ever meet up again, and I keep getting new abilities every time I turn around. Even now, I want to check the Grimoire for more, but I turn to the phone first./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I settle into the headmaster's office, the Grimoire resting atop the desk with several ritual components scattered throughout the space. I click the contact and wait for several seconds, hearing it ring three times before the man finally answers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hey, Mr. Rogers," I answer. "Sorry I missed your call."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's fine, son. Just call me Steve," he offers, before continuing. First-name basis with Captain America. No big deal. "Listen, we talked on the Helicarrier, but I know how this all is. It can be overwhelming. No pressure, but I know some guys who'd love to chat with you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't… I don't want to go to a group. "I'm more of a one-on-one person. I've got an appointment with Dr. Samson coming up soon."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's good news. Kid, don't beat yourself up for anything. You did well. We'll catch up soon."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The conversation ends, but all I can think is that it does feel nice to know that someone cares, that someone can see what this is. Has dealt with what this is. The seven of us are in a place no one else has ever stood, but perhaps I'm the most out of place there./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One text message later, and then I'm on my way to Beth's place for some much needed explanations./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson approaches Director Fury with a careful gait, uncertain how to address the elephant in the room beyond the anger that simmers in his chest. "The project was shelved."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""And we're un-shelving it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Diagnostics, including biometric readings, dance across a screen in the most secure room in the facility. Among the reports are the status of each GH compound and its intended effect, as well as the probable output./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shakes his head, hands clipped carefully together to avoid displaying too much frustration. "I made it abundantly clear years ago that I want no part in this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury turns, face intense, the singular visible eye shining amid the light of each display. "Clear as you may have been, it must and will be done. Agent Morse was on the short list to consideration for the Avengers. She is integral to the life of Clint Barton. The math /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"adds/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"up/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clenches his fist. "Director Fury, will all due respect, this math is grounds for my resignation. The experimentation, the side-effects - I cannot, in good conscience, continue working here if that is the route you wish to take. You trusted my judgment once - trust it today."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Director Fury does not answer for the longest time, and Coulson grows impatient. With a heavy sigh, the super-spy meets Couslon's eyes. "I need you and your expertise on this. You were there in the initial trials of T.A.H.I.T.I. and you saw the effects first-hand. If the treatment is effective, Agent Morse will need to be monitored, evaluated. If things go wrong, then we-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Terminate?" Coulson challenges. "What? You plan to kill her again?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We never leave the option open again, and we give her the help that she needs to live a comfortable life," Fury explains, ignoring the dig. "Phil, I'm not a monster for wanting good people to keep living, to keep moving, so that innocent people can live without fear."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson considers his words. "It's stupid."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""So we do it smart. We do it the right way, with the right guidelines."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""There aren't exactly guidelines for resurrecting the dead," Coulson quips./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Already, he can feel the gears turning. Maybe… maybe they could do it. For more than a year, he worked on the project and saw truly horrifying things. At the heart of it is an idea that works, and replacing memories seemed to solve a lot of the issues for different patients. But not for all of them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""We need better biologists," Coulson says finally. "If you're truly planning to do this, Fury, we need better science than we currently have. We can't risk psychosis or worse in Agent Morse, just because we decided to tamper with natural law."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Directory Fury smirks. "We tamper with natural law every time we swallow down a pill, Coulson. I don't see death as a problem medicine can't solve."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson bites down a sarcastic retort. "I don't either, but until we look over the data with a fresh pair of eyes, then I don't consent to move forward."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury slowly grins, swiping his hands across the screen, revealing a profile. "I have just the right folks in mind."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 16/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: The Wizard/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. With it, he can absorb nearby heat into his body to cool the area around him and to create constructs of ice on his skin like armor. Additionally, he can "equalize" the life force of others nearby him, allowing him to heal the wounds on himself or another target, in exchange for exhausting the targets that are not healed. Chapter 1 = Benevolence /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 1 - Benevolence/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"= Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of multipurpose clothing that was created by imbuing it with a salamander and undine's magic power. It protects the wearer against fire and the cold along with being resistant to water and heat based attacks. It also enables the user to swim better in water and reduces water resistance and water pressure. It is also resistant to wear and tear along with it automatically cleans any dirt and filth from it. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some strange magic enshrouds your form. If you so wish it, your features shall become… distorted. Nothing truly changes, but onlookers will only be able to recall you as an extremely generic version of your race or species. They would be able to recognize you on sight, but attempting to describe you to someone else would only result in their frustration./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 21. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's plenty of dangers in the Mansus. It wouldn't do you any good trying to tackle them at anything less than your full capabilities. With this perk, you now possess the uncanny ability to lucid dream, allowing you to remain in control of your actions whether you are asleep or forced in a dreamlike state. More importantly, in this lucid state it becomes easier for you to manifest your own perks and powers inside dreams or illusions, granting you the same tools you'd have available as if you were physically there./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7: Making/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With all these mystical artifacts going around, someone had to be making them. You're a drab hand with decent skill in multiple forms of craftsmanship, from blacksmithing to weaving, but where this perk really shines is a special property you can imbue your creations with. Just about everything you make can enhance people in some way shape or form, be it increasing strength, increasing their endurance, and if you're skilled with magic you could also find a way to imbue elemental properties into equipment. There are even ways for you to boost your own mana capacity or elemental affinities, though that will take some time./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200. Obtained during Chapter 18./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This simple leather strap is meant to be worn around the chest to allow for easy access of high explosives during intense situations. It has hooks and loops to hold a dozen grenades at once and is always extremely comfortable to wear. The Bandoleer always starts each morning filled with twelve simple, but effective, fragmentation grenades made out of a canister, a lot of nails, and as much gunpowder as possible. However, it is possible to "tune" each grenade to an element by exposing the explosive to a bit of magic. Shock the device with a small amount of electricity magic and when you pull the pin it will explode with the force of a lightning storm instead of nails. You can even get creative, exposing it to the power of love will give the grenade a charming effect instead of a violent one. Experiment at your own peril, as you might not always get the effect you are expecting when you dip into more exotic elements./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 18. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the most useful tools in a Witcher's arsenal is the bastardized form of magic known as Signs. These simple spells can be used with one hand and require little knowledge about magical theory to use. There are a variety of Signs with various powers and you know all of them, though you start out with only a basic level of skill with them. With practise you may be able to improve their power and duration. If you also understand how to utilize magical spells you may become able to alter these spells into new signs, though they retain their relative simplicity and cost./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 20. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The foul empty magic granted to those that gaze upon the Void and are consumed. This hideous power works by creating portals to the void and unleashing what lies within. Pull out raw negative energy to poison your foes, or small void monsters to devour them. With practice you will even be able to bring forth nightmares to infect your enemy's minds./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 22. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Time seems to fly whenever you're having fun doesn't it? One moment it seems like you just started, and the next it's already over. To be honest, it seems that the older you get - or rather, the more experienced you get - the quicker everything seems to move along. For a brief period of time, you can accelerate any actions you are performing, whether it is casting a spell, or just reading a book. This extends to even group activities as well, affecting all of your allies involved./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Jul 14, 2022 /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_26_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 25/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael slides a bowl of garden salad onto the table in front of me, grinning a handsome smile. Beth might be the luckiest person alive, because this dude's shockingly good looking. The other Avengers are movie star hot - literally - but Michael has them beat. Short blonde hair perfectly coiffed, eyes far more blue than my own. The top two buttons of his white shirt are open, revealing a hint of chest that is distracting enough that I have to force myself to look toward Beth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't- I'm not hungry." I'll nibble at it to be polite, but this is the second salad in a few hours. The Great Hall never fails to give a wealth of options, healthy and not healthy. Since the battle, there's been far too many ice cream meals and desert foods for comfort, and Coulson could call me in at any time./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth waves it off. "No biggie. It just, uh, didn't seem right to not share."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They did have the good Italian dressing, so at least there's that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How have you been holding up?" I ask, thinking back to how stressful it must have been for both of them. I knew that Beth avoided most of the fighting, but I don't know how the experience was for Michael. Was he in the city for the Chitauri?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth peers at me, brow furrowed. "There has been /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"adjusting/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;", to say the least."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When I look expectantly toward her boyfriend, he waves in dismissal. "I wasn't midtown," Michael clarifies. "A bunch of folks on the street rushed into a police precinct, and I spent most of that day in a sweaty cell."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""That's good to hear," I reply, thinking of the implications. "This actually isn't half-bad."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth beams. "My father always said to add raisins."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The conversation lulls while I consider what to say next, wondering why she so urgently called me. Was it worry? Concern? Fear? Something else? She probably wants to talk about what she saw, but with Michael here, she probably can't do so openly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Did you… ," the man asks, watching me carefully as he considers how to finish the question. "Did you see any of the fighting?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lock eyes with Beth, who grips her fork tightly and then decides to divert her attention to the table runner. That's a… weird rection./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth glances toward her boyfriend and then looks away quickly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Huh."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My heart skips a beat as realization comes crashing down, and the fork clatters loudly against the side of the bowl, directing both of their attentions to me. I swallow deeply against the pounding in my ears, and my face burns as anger, resentment, and fear rush to the surface. My voice stammers before I finally catch myself, eyes intently focused on Beth, whose own facial journey of emotion seems to be reaching the same conclusion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why would you?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her brow furrows, and Michael sits back in an expression I cannot read. Amusement? Annoyance? I don't know, but I wish he weren't here for any of this shit./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I don't-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Don't lie to me, Beth."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her jaw clenches shut, and Michael clears his throat. "Like /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"you've/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" been honest with her?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She stammers, but my attention is now fully on the man I met tonight, a man Beth has known for barely three months. "This is between me and her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He raises an eyebrow, a smirk on his face. Before he can say anything, Beth places a hand on her boyfriend's bicep. "Logan, anything that you say to me can be said to him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Well, I don't agree with that," I argue, wishing fervently that the Grimoire had given me a spell to rid the room of unwanted pests. "I don't trust this guy with my secrets, and I was right not to trust you. How many others have you told?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I didn't tell anyone but him!" she cries. "I wouldn't."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""How long have you been dating?" I challenge, remembering perfectly stories Beth told me of how they got together at a night club. "Nine weeks and three days, if I remember correctly. He's practically a one-night stand that stuck around a little too long. I might be less annoyed if you'd told someone you knew for years, someone I had met, someone I had known more about. But I don't know him, and you practically don't know him either."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth tries to interrupt, but Michael beats her to it. "We don't know /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"anything/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" about you, except that you're a brave idiot with superpowers who took advantage of my girlfriend's kindness."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My teeth grind in annoyance, and I have to swallow once more against the slowly building negativity in my chest. Michael seethes in his seat, and has the lack of decency to think that he's on the right side in this damn situation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I didn't take advantage of anything. I had no one!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Michael rolls his eyes. "You're lying."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I'm /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" damn close to actually -/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Look, Logan," Beth says resolutely, jaw set. "I trust Michael. I've known him for longer than I've known you, and yet I trust you too. I don't like any of this right now, so I- I need you to leave."/span/p
p class="30"span class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"God /spanemspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"damn./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Ah yes. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"You/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" don't like any of this right now," I spit. "I'm glad the conversation is over when /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"you/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" don't like something." She stammers helplessly, and Michael shoots from the table, at least six inches taller than myself as I rise to meet him. Without any of the magic at my disposal, I might have been intimidated./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Before I leave, I reach into a coat pocket and slam the old bandana-style mask on the table. "Next time, try taking a second to think over why I wear this."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Hands in pockets, I fumble around for a tiny bar of charcoal, crush it under my grip, and whisper, "Obscurus." The warmth of the illusory magic of the Stranger ritual wraps around myself as I leave, washing the memory of my presence from the two of them and anyone else I might encounter for the rest of the shitty evening./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Damn them both./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Ancient One binds the esoteric energies of eldritch eternities into her sling ring and then propels herself once more through realities, with naught but a twisting of the hands and a manipulation of thought. The familiar styling of true material realms fade far from form, until finally she steps into the realm some would call fae./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A frozen cliff's edge stretches before her, while the eternal forest of Avalon lies behind her, though she feels a pang of sadness at is frigid, dead state. Heavy snowbanks drown root systems, choking even the greenest and liveliest of trees until they have no choice but to rot, to decay, to become barren and lifeless. She ponders, for a moment, how difficult it would be to set things right, but such a feat would surely be beyond her means at this time, at this juncture. Perhaps with a bit of study as to the cause of this frozen calamity, she may be able to generate enough natural energy to offset its…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Her thoughts trail off as a single figure sits on the edge of the cliff, eating an apple half-coated in ice. An elfin frame, the winged fairy's gangly limbs belie an eternal teenaged youth, long before she sees his face once again to prove that fact. Cradled in the creature's lap is the frozen, desiccated corpse of a fellow fairy, its wings almost statuesque as it twists near him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Goodfellow," she says, bowing to show respect and offering a gift - a tiny mahogany rod coated in honey./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I hate that blasted name," he says with a surprising bark. "It puts my whole identity to shame."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She smiles slightly at the antics of fairies, remembering stories both lived and heard from the past. "If it pleases you, would you prefer Sprite? Or perhaps Puck?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"At the mention of Sprite, his face twists in disgust. "No, no, no, not that. Upon my head, Puck shall sat."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Ancient One nods in understanding, and he takes the rod, sucking on the honey with abandon. She wonders idly if he remembers the last time she gave that to him, centuries ago, but decides to ignore it for now, far more concerned about the state of things. "Avalon does not look how I remember it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Not just Avalon," Puck explains, tossing the rest of his apple over the cliff to focus on the honey. "Nearly all of Otherworld is gone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She ponders this for several long seconds, frigid air pounding against her face, against her hands. It bothers her very little, muted as it is by the powers she possesses and the enchantments she wears. Even still, it bites her at skin, adding to the growing pit of discomfort in her soul./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Avalon is supposed to be an eternally beautiful place, a place untouched by the corruption of mankind, unbothered by those who live within it for it is just /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"that/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" vibrant. What becomes of its forests, its wildlife, its fairy denizens when faced with this false winter, something that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"must/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be born of magic?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be thwarted with a counterspell, a resisting ritual, a confluence of energy that must be aimed properly to target the weakest parts of the offending spell to unravel the whole thing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"must/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" be something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why is this happening to Otherworld?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And more importantly, how had she not heard of it? The multiverse is a vast place of mysteries, but Otherworld and its realms? They were known to her, perhaps more than any other place in the multitude of dimensions that run parallel to her home./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""A complex question in different spaces," Puck begins, "but one that involves many familiar faces. Foreign magic sweeps for her call. With it, frozen death becomes all."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Ancient One halts at the mention of her, skin colder than the ice trying to build around her feet. This is… in line with what she was thinking, and the thought genuinely worries her./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Puck, no one has ever thwarted my Sight in quite the way that she does." The fairy says nothing immediately, so the Ancient One continues, "Have you sensed recent movements into the material realms? Something caused a large disturbance, and I cannot see why, but it has the signature of her power."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The wind grows more rapid, more forceful, and dead trees begin to buckle and bend, entire branches snapping off at the trunk and becoming frozen detritus on the forest floor. Something moves toward them, and the Ancient One readies herself. Puck slips away without answering, disappearing into the ethereal in the way that only the Fae can./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The tree line explodes as a charging behemoth raises a shimmering blade high above its head, splintered pines and oaks falling from its very weight. She has barely any time to study the creature's armored form before she raises a construct shield to defend herself. Their clash sends shock-waves of energy so forcefully that the snow melts into a frozen slurry from the impact./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The long way home - back to a temporary HQ for S.H.I.E.L.D. to use that is off the public record, like most of the now public organization's bases - could have been shorter with a simple twist of a mirror, but I decide to take the scenic route, to clear my head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Much of central midtown lies in shambles. Cranes still work to lift from buildings what S.H.I.E.L.D. now calls Chitauri Leviathans, the massive whale-like organisms that do part-time hours as spaceships. Alien blaster rifles, blaster spears, blast grenades, armored exoskeletons - I don't doubt that there are folks trying their damndest to get inside who don't need to be there, and I don't even want to know how many have been arrested. The mayor and the government are tyring to cut down on scalpers, for the entire section of the city around Stark Tower is under a demanding curfew, and in some places mandatory quarantine. Alien bodies are lifted from the streets and carried into custody for who knows what kind of dissections by the government. Their bodies were horrid-smelling things, all flesh and metal, and some of the Chitauri were so covered in cybernetics that they felt more robot than alien. Any of that tech could be useful, if we can interface with it safely./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I pass by a section of brownstones that might have to be condemned, even if they didn't face a large brunt of the chaos. It's just on the edge of the police line, with shattered windows and part of the roof caved in. There must have been dozens of people living in this block, but now where could they go? What does… what does the city do for people? They - I consult my memory - they were planning shelters! Yeah, that's it. There should be one down the street, and I don't even want to think about how crowded it must be./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Actually… it might be better to think about how crowded it is. The alternative is that I think about how goddamn pissed I am about being outed. It hurts enough when people out you - out you, but at any time, Michael or even Beth could ruin any sense of safety and freedom from expectations that I might want in the future. And all that after the experience in the Void?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck, I'm doing it again./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I change directions and head toward the shelter, thinking of potential diagrams for my newer abilities to craft magic items. I'd need materials for any of it, but one particular plan in mind is a wrist guard that helps agents in the field to hide in shadows and maybe to add a level of protection. Nothing Wonder Woman, but I figure I could present it to Fury for the okay. Any bit I can do helps, and I can make anything like that happen faster from other people's perspectives. Should help with production time over all./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"How soon do I even have before the next big conflict? I've been getting better and better with Azyr each day I've had a chance to study, but I'm still a ways away from its truly prophetic spells. What I have been able to sense in advance has been vague, simple, and ultimately inconclusive so far, but it'll get better. At the very least, if I predict the next big alien invasion even just an hour before it happens, then I'll be satisfied./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Who knows? Perhaps the Grimoire will provide a more accurate prophecy ritual in the future. It could happen tomorrow for how pattern-less things seem to be sometimes. About the only thing I can think of is that there were far more new sections of the book available after the invasion, so maybe… maybe it's conflict? Do I need to punch bad guys for it to grow faster?/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"… Do I want it to?/span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The damn thing just gave me an hours-long-journey into parts unknown, a horrifying experience that I can't forget because a spell doesn't let me. All I can do is redirect, redirect, redirect away from the Void and its tendrils, its presence, its fears. The abilities sure seem useful though, and are more intuitive than learning Azyr or the books about magicka in the library./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The line outside the shelter extends halfway down the block, filled with regulars and newly homeless folks alike. At least this event happened in the summer, because this would be dreadful for them in the wintertime. I push past the line, not wanting to be served but wanting /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"to/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" serve. I could probably… I could do a lot for them right now, powers or no powers./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A man in blue near the front serves as light security, the dark skin of his forehead shining in the summertime sun. He directs someone inside as I step up, and he clears his throat. "Back of the line, kid-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, Officer, uh… Davis, I want to help. You got a place for someone with idle hands?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He studies me for a long second and then gestures within. "That way." He points to a collection of people near the back, dressed in yellow shirts. "I bet they can help you get set up."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I give him my thanks and lightly push through the opening, glad that the Stranger will wipe away any real description of who I am from those who see me. It's harder to connect the dots on even something distinctive like facial tattoos if they don't know to think of it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The yellow-clad volunteers split off for their jobs quickly, leaving only a couple behind, sitting behind a table littered with sign-up sheets and job descriptions. Middle aged with dark hair, the man and woman look excited and proud to be here, and I clear my throat. "I'm Logan, and I'd like to volunteer."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The brunette man without hesitation stands to shake my hand firmly. He looks familiar… Timothy Olyphant? Here? I don't recognize the woman, but she's similarly pretty. "It's nice to have another. Just sign your name there. Can you wash dishes?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Uh, sure," I mutter, thinking nothing of it as I sign my day away. "You got any more of those shirts?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""'Fraid not," the woman says with a brilliant smile. "It'll be fine. Honestly, my nephew could use the help. The kitchen crew are right in there."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You know how to use a proper kitchen sink to wash dishes?" the man with Timothy Olyphant's face asks. Or maybe… this is him and his wife? When I nod, he continues, "Would you show the little guy the ropes?."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod, glad for the distraction from everything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They show me through the door, and after washing my hands and putting on gloves, I make my way to the industrial sinks, where several people are trying to keep up with the load of dishes that the shelter uses during a time like this. Included among them is a young boy no more than twelve, maybe, wearing dish gloves that reach all the way up past his elbows as he furiously scrubs to keep up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I introduce myself to the adults with a quick nod and then lean over to the kid. "Hey, I'm Logan. Your aunt and uncle asked me to look after you in here."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He makes a face that is unrecognizable, brown hair covered slightly in suds. "I don't need any help."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I smile. "Maybe not, but I'm here anyway, so I figure it doesn't hurt."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I unfurl the magic of Whittling Away the Time, a section of the book that is incredibly useful for something like this. There are no flashy lights or sound effects, just a magic over perception and time that lightly bends things to my will to speed things up for the outside world. I can't keep it up for long and it won't change anything for those of us in here, but for everyone out there? The kitchen crew would look to be much faster at their jobs, better able to handle the throngs of people who are forced to stay in shelters like this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I know a trick that will make your life easier," I offer to the kid. "Make circular motions and add pressure - just not too much pressure - and you'll get all that right off."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He initially refuses to change his mind, but after a second or two of watching me with the scrub brush, he tries to mimic what I'm doing. Slowly, a smile builds on his lips. "It's working!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah! You don't want to have to work too hard at this kind of thing," I answer. "If you work too hard at the start, then you're too tired to help more people near the end."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He beams again and goes back to work, satisfied. A quiet couple of minutes pass before he finally says, "It's nice to meet you, Logan. My name's Peter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The plate sinks suddenly into the dish water. He stares in alarm, and I pull away for a moment. "What's wrong?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh? Nothing."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I don't need to consult the Winds of Magic to know what /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"his/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" future holds, and the great conflicts that /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"he/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" may face. I wanted something simple to think about, something to avoid remembering the Void, to avoid the argument with Beth, to push away the negative emotions. Somehow, I found a thing almost more complex than any of that, and I fight the urge to just leave. I get back to work, trying not to step on a landmine that will send a boy about ten so far off course that he never becomes Marvel's greatest hero./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 16/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: The Wizard/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. With it, he can absorb nearby heat into his body to cool the area around him and to create constructs of ice on his skin like armor. Additionally, he can "equalize" the life force of others nearby him, allowing him to heal the wounds on himself or another target, in exchange for exhausting the targets that are not healed. Chapter 1 = Benevolence /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 1 - Benevolence/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"= Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of multipurpose clothing that was created by imbuing it with a salamander and undine's magic power. It protects the wearer against fire and the cold along with being resistant to water and heat based attacks. It also enables the user to swim better in water and reduces water resistance and water pressure. It is also resistant to wear and tear along with it automatically cleans any dirt and filth from it. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some strange magic enshrouds your form. If you so wish it, your features shall become… distorted. Nothing truly changes, but onlookers will only be able to recall you as an extremely generic version of your race or species. They would be able to recognize you on sight, but attempting to describe you to someone else would only result in their frustration./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 21. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's plenty of dangers in the Mansus. It wouldn't do you any good trying to tackle them at anything less than your full capabilities. With this perk, you now possess the uncanny ability to lucid dream, allowing you to remain in control of your actions whether you are asleep or forced in a dreamlike state. More importantly, in this lucid state it becomes easier for you to manifest your own perks and powers inside dreams or illusions, granting you the same tools you'd have available as if you were physically there./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7: Making/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With all these mystical artifacts going around, someone had to be making them. You're a drab hand with decent skill in multiple forms of craftsmanship, from blacksmithing to weaving, but where this perk really shines is a special property you can imbue your creations with. Just about everything you make can enhance people in some way shape or form, be it increasing strength, increasing their endurance, and if you're skilled with magic you could also find a way to imbue elemental properties into equipment. There are even ways for you to boost your own mana capacity or elemental affinities, though that will take some time./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200. Obtained during Chapter 18./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This simple leather strap is meant to be worn around the chest to allow for easy access of high explosives during intense situations. It has hooks and loops to hold a dozen grenades at once and is always extremely comfortable to wear. The Bandoleer always starts each morning filled with twelve simple, but effective, fragmentation grenades made out of a canister, a lot of nails, and as much gunpowder as possible. However, it is possible to "tune" each grenade to an element by exposing the explosive to a bit of magic. Shock the device with a small amount of electricity magic and when you pull the pin it will explode with the force of a lightning storm instead of nails. You can even get creative, exposing it to the power of love will give the grenade a charming effect instead of a violent one. Experiment at your own peril, as you might not always get the effect you are expecting when you dip into more exotic elements./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 18. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the most useful tools in a Witcher's arsenal is the bastardized form of magic known as Signs. These simple spells can be used with one hand and require little knowledge about magical theory to use. There are a variety of Signs with various powers and you know all of them, though you start out with only a basic level of skill with them. With practise you may be able to improve their power and duration. If you also understand how to utilize magical spells you may become able to alter these spells into new signs, though they retain their relative simplicity and cost./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 20. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The foul empty magic granted to those that gaze upon the Void and are consumed. This hideous power works by creating portals to the void and unleashing what lies within. Pull out raw negative energy to poison your foes, or small void monsters to devour them. With practice you will even be able to bring forth nightmares to infect your enemy's minds./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 22. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Time seems to fly whenever you're having fun doesn't it? One moment it seems like you just started, and the next it's already over. To be honest, it seems that the older you get - or rather, the more experienced you get - the quicker everything seems to move along. For a brief period of time, you can accelerate any actions you are performing, whether it is casting a spell, or just reading a book. This extends to even group activities as well, affecting all of your allies involved./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the perks I just rolled upon completing this chapter is wonderful. The other is ridiculous fun. You'll be introduced to them in the next chapter./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Also, I wrote that first scene twice, one of which took a very different direction that somehow ended in a reasonable discussion after a bit of anger. I did not like how that went at all, because it didn't feel true to recent experiences for any of the characters involved, so I wrote it to have a new direction. Let me know what you think./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_27_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 26/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The analyst, a handsome ginger agent named Cameron, closes the application and tucks the tablet under his arm with a pleasant smile. "These are the names you requested?" Two other analysts watch intently from a nearby cubicle, the overhead lights of the underground bathing them in light that reminds me far too much of a school. I… well, that's more appropriate now than before./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yeah. If you c-could… -" I cringe at my own nervousness, something Agent Cameron definitely notices but has the decency to say nothing. "These people - look out for them. They matter."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The man's smile shifts to a smirk, no doubt wondering why a kid is on the list. "These Parkers… are they relatives?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I start to say more, but stop myself and just declare it as classified. The three analysts nod and head back to work, leaving me alone amidst the hidden facility's deepest sector./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It feels strange to avoid answering, but, well, S.H.I.E.L.D. operates on a need-to-know basis, and thus, not everyone needs to know. The idea of 'leveled' operatives within an organization has several strengths, and I'm officially higher than someone like Agent Cameron, even if it feels like a teenager shouldn't have a clearance at all. Otherworldly powers tend to involve breaking the rules of reality as much as they do espionage. Something like this… it's probably only a courtesy anyway, but I'll take advantage to keep people safe./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Beth, Michael, the Parkers…. they deserve it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You're learning."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nearly jump out of my own skin at the sound of his deep voice, but Fury loves a dramatic entrance./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Oh? Uh, yeah, I'm trying."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury strides from the hallway into the small conference room, the steel walls reflecting the light from above in odd ways, almost catching a reflection. He produces a manilla folder from his leather coat pocket. "Thank you for coming. I hope your rest was effective?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod, taking a moment to follow what he means. "Yes, I think so. I'm ready for wherever you need me, sir. I'm a little surprised to see you and not Coulson on my first day."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Coulson has been re-assigned."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I blink, uncertain how to feel about that. With Coulson, things are easy. Comfortable. He seems to get me, in a way that someone like Fury might not. I don't even think the director /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"can/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" get someone, stuck behind that many walls./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If I were in his shoes, I'd do the same thing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Permanently?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fury takes a seat at the head of the glass table and gestures to sit next to him, manila folder still in hand. I follow suit, the familiar feeling of a swivel chair taking me back to childhood, playing with my brother on my mother's teacher chair in the hallway outside her classroom./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Temporarily, if all goes well. I'm certain that you'll be seeing each other soon." Fury calmly nods once. "It is good to know that you've made connections here. This is a big change for you, Logan, but one that I think will bear fruit in the future."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The future./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The nebulous future - I worry about it from time to time, especially now that I've seen how truly 'early' things seem to be in the Marvel stories. Spider-Man hasn't even got teenage acne yet, and I'm already meddling in his life by asking S.H.I.E.L.D. to keep tabs. Aunt May, Uncle Ben, 'With Great Power-?' I could topple some butterfly somewhere, intentionally or no, that leaves New York without its friendly neighborhood hero. For all I know, I've already done it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I just… can't imagine letting Uncle Ben die, if I knew it would happen and did nothing to stop it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The super-spy slides the manila folder across the table's surface, gloved fingers lingering for a moment before he releases them. I open the folder to reveal several profiles of agents, none of which I recognized personally or from memories of the comics. I only really remember Fury, Hill, and Quartermain, so that's not really a surprise. The profiles include an estimation of their intelligence and a pre-assessment of aptitude for new skills, talents, or knowledge, based on several tests that S.H.I.E.L.D. must have used at some point in the Academy. Demographic information, level of security clearance, and several other factors I can't guess are censored, but I'm not surprised by that either./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Agent Hill mentioned that you may have the skills to teach others to do some of the things that you do," Fury explains, his face shifting to one of mirth. "You think you got what it takes to use that Hogwarts of yours?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I feel nerves shake me to my core, my fingers dancing across the pages as I stare anew, wanting to avoid making eye contact for long enough to give me time to think./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This is much bigger than being an individual hero on the streets of New York or as a consultant for Fury. This is an opportunity to give superpowers to others, to trust others enough to gain the knowledge of magic from across the multiverse. Give it to the right person, and they could save lives. Give it to the wrong person, and they… they might not./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The call to Maria Hill might have been a mistake, but I want to be helpful. This could help, could give purpose to my working with S.H.I.E.L.D. as more than just some research subject. If I could train even a handful of agents to have one spell, that's another option in the field that they don't have. They already have access to several of the scrolls from the scroll case to decipher and utilize in the field, should they choose to do so, so is giving actual knowledge of the stuff really all that different?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I want to try, but it has to be done the right way," I explain calmly, meeting his face. "I don't want to rush into anything. Let me have some time, Director."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A long moment passes before Fury nods. "Take all the time you need. Before anyone starts experimenting on my agents, I want this new research team to take a look at you and at any other factors. I don't want my team to start growing warts and turning people into toads."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint enters the hospital with practiced ease, slipping past their front desk and any security concerns with little more than old-fashioned disguise work and a bit of charm. How he managed to do that while the entire world was gushing over his handsome mug on the news is anyone's guess, but a hat and glasses are apparently enough. Charisma really is a wonderful tool in his line of work./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The papers he swiped from the visitors' desk are clear: his intended guest is three floors up, six doors down from the lefthand side. Waiting in the elevator is an agonizing forty-five seconds, so long that he has time to think over his next steps within that liminal space. /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"This is my right, given the circumstances,/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" he thinks. Anyone would do this, in his shoes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The elevator breaks his train of thought when the door opens to another bland hospital floor, the smell of chemicals thick in the air. Nurses and custodians shift from door to door within their respective duties, and it surprises him little that this particular hospital would be /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"this/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" busy. S.H.I.E.L.D. likely has their eyes, ears, and physical bodies already in this place, and he's surprised that they haven't moved to extraction. It's been weeks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint waits nonchalantly until a nurse exits his targeted room, and then he waltzes inside with every bit of charisma he could muster. It wasn't the smoothest affair, but if he truly wanted no one to see him, he'd approach the patient differently./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The window in the room has the shades pulled, leaving very little natural light to combat the overhead fluorescence. A days-old bouquet of flowers rests at the end of the bed, slightly wilting under a lack of care. Life support machines whir with activity, provided breath and monitoring what activity exists within the man lying prone on the bed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dark hair pokes from beneath bandages covering most of the head, the gauze trailing to the left part of his chest. His right arm rests in a cast that lies across his torso, and his breathing is regular, if assisted. More gauze peeks around his shoulders, belying the bandages across his back. Clint can't help but imagine how badly the injuries must be, even after weeks of recovery, to be unconscious and still covered almost head-to-toe in fresh bandages./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He paces back and forth, eyes never leaving the patient./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Sam Douglas. Gave up the life after he developed severe anxiety attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder. Had a falling out with his wife and children, recently finalized his divorce. Parents are alive but estranged, no siblings. Clint knows their files are not so perfect as to list every possible friend that the man may have had, but there were no notable associates worthy of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar. Online activities suggest that the man is close to radicalization, if not quite there, and with the secrets the man must possess? The medical charts - well, they don't look any more positive than the man's personal life. He's not expected to awaken, and they're doing little more than trying to make the man comfortable for his final days./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint never worked with Douglas, who was little more than a Level Four agent before leaving the organization. He knows that there are others in the same boat as Douglas, agents who are underserved upon exiting or even before. Agents whose lives fell apart, whose lives don't recieve the support they need. As loyal as Clint is to the mission S.H.I.E.L.D. stands for, he is not blind to its faults./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It surprises Clint little that he gave the man's name up to Loki./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A man whom Loki branded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A man whom Loki turned into a monster./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A monster who led directly to the death of his wife's sister./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint grips his knuckles tight, clenches his jaw so firmly that he nearly draws blood./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flashes of memory race across his mind. The Scepter. The brainwashing. The highway. The agent-turned-frost giant. The arrow through his sister-in-law's heart. The guilt, guilt, guilt buried under the haze of Loki./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Clint has relived those moments every day for weeks. Every traded blow atop the truck, every arrow fired into the S.H.I.E.L.D. team, every bullet fired from brainwashed soldiers. He has come to several conclusions: without Clint, Sam Douglas would have never been Loki's brainwashed ally. Without Clint, Sam Douglas would have never turned into a monster. Without Clint, Bobbi would have gotten the Tesseract. Without Clint, Bobbi would be alive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If not for the frost giant's surprise appearance, Bobbi would be alive. Maybe she could have bested Clint, maybe she couldn't, but she'd have gotten away relatively unscathed. It was that single moment of shock, of surprise, that gave Clint a window of opportunity to put an arrow through… through her…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A spike of rage forces Clint to leave./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Forces Clint to walk away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He does not want to be a monster. Does not want to misplace his rage. Vengeance… no, justice, he reminds himself. They already delivered justice to the person truly responsible./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Why does he feel this guilt?/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson clutches in his hands a single sheet of paper filled with data that he cannot parse himself single-handedly, but thankfully he is not short on friends to do so for him. Their recommendations in the margins are clear enough to see and parse, revealing /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"another/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" failure./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The GH-325 fluid provides revitalization to dead tissue but at the cost of potentially life-changing consequences to the neurological system. A tweaking of its formula, an assessment of a new variable, proves similar results and yet increases chance of fatality even after recovery. This new test, the fourteenth of its kind since his re-assignment, is the first test that successfully revived each lab mouse, and yet similar patterns of neurological decay are clear and rampant./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson idly steps into the facility's laboratory, filled with plastic enclosures for their various test subjects. Dozens of mice skitter silently within their homes, rabbits lounge lazily on beds of straw, and blue jays chirp audibly enough that Coulson can hear them from across the room. The lead scientist steps forward, a promising young mind with enough untapped potential that she may actually change the world one day. Offering a hand to hers, she smiles as she shakes it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Hello, sir. We're just getting started for the day. We have two more tests scheduled before lunch," Simmons explains, her accent pleasing on the ear. "This has been a rewarding experience so far. Groundbreaking, really! With it, we could revitalize natural ecosystems lost to disease or natural disasters, or perhaps eliminate illnesses in livestock. If we widen its applications, it may be on the shelves of veterinarians everywhere."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson admires her exuberance and her innocence. "Yes, Agent Simmons. Have you any additional data that shows promise?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She takes a moment to think and then shakes her head lightly. "I'm afraid not yet. We're working hard to isolate the factors of GH-325 that lead to neurological dysfunction, but it has been slow going. This chemical is unlike anything I've seen before, with unique trace elements that are incredibly rare."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson considers her and the rest of her team, a collection of scientists with varying pedigrees among S.H.I.E.L.D.'s history. Thier best and brightest, in many ways, are here, working hard to make changes to the formula and improve its technology. During the initial phase of Project T.A.H.I.T.I., the scope of scientists were kept to a minimum, and many of those same men and women were still part of this research team. Jenna Simmons is the perfect lead for the project as she holds uniquely impressive skills in biology and has a fresh pair of eyes to lead the team toward new horizons./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson considers next steps and remembers that they are, in fact, on a time crunch. "You have one week."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She sputters. "Sir, one week is not enough time to-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""One week," he stresses. "You have one week. Orders from Director Fury himself."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This was the concession Fury gave him to return to T.A.H.I.T.I. If there is not improvement with the process after two weeks, then they move forward /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"without/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" that improvement to revive Agent Morse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir, with all due respect, can you ask Director Fury why he intends to accelerate this research? Good science is not done in a day, sir, or even two weeks, no matter how skilled someone may be. The variables alone are a complex web of-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson shakes his head, cutting her off. "I do not disagree, Agent Simmons. This is your timeframe."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For a long moment, she says nothing, her mind whirring with activity. She seems to realize something a few seconds later, her eyes widening with shock./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Yes, sir."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson does not envy her position, nor the position of anyone else on this team./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"They're being asked to make magic happen./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""You sure this is a good idea?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The question hangs in the air as Agent Fitz carefully straps my arms into the chamber, while another researcher does the same to my legs. The machine-lined metallic chamber is an ominous beast from the inside and the outside, and even though I know it is merely an adaptation of an MRI machine, it still fills me with dread to be strapped into something that I don't understand. It helps, a little, to know that I can escape at any time with little more than a thought and a flicker of lyrium./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Positive," he says with his damn dreamy accent. "We're going to study your vitals while you empower yourself with your magic. This device will hopefully catch the changes to your body's major systems in real time, so that we may see its overall impact."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It made sense, in a way, for Fitz to be the lead of the research team. He was far and away one of the smartest of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s scientists that I've met, and one that showed more than a passing interest in how the magic I wield ticks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Honestly, I'm interested in that as well. How could I not be? Something must unify these disparate pieces of magic together in my body. I have a connection to the celestial winds of Azyr, the dream-realm of demons known as the Fade, and the terrifying Void between realities leaks power and creatures at my whims into this one. I can harness elemental magic through my Vision and can channel elemental magic into crafted creations. And there's more than that besides. Is it all just filtered through the Grimoire, or is there more to it than that?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A few moments pass before he announces the beginning of the test. Through the viewing window, I can see others among the research team watching with undeniable interest, their fingers tapping away at monitors to measure my results and their own findings. Part of me is skeptical that they'll truly find anything at all, but I thought that the last time that Fitz examined me with his modified spectrometer. Surely they'll learn something./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""When you're ready, Logan," Fitz began, "activate your connection to Azyr."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pure magic of the Heavens filters into my grasp and soothes any nervous turmoil in my head, forcing a pleasant calm into the forefront of my emotions. Lightning crackles at my fingertips and wind lightly blows within the closed chamber itself, just strong enough to blow the ends of my hair from side to side. In my mind's eye, patterns orient from the chaos of the stars, patterns my mind can understand, patterns that ultimately mean /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"something/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I hold the connection for as long as Fitz needs, and his next direction almost does not breach my thoughts. I cut the connection to the Winds of Magic with an abrupt thought, emotions other than serenity returning a moment later. With them, an uncomfortable reminder of the man who died in my arms comes roaring to the surface of my thoughts./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"almost/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" tap into Azyr again just to make it go away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Almost./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I know that Dr. Selvig would be a wonderful addition to this team./span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"If he were alive./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 17/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: The Wizard/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. With it, he can absorb nearby heat into his body to cool the area around him and to create constructs of ice on his skin like armor. Additionally, he can "equalize" the life force of others nearby him, allowing him to heal the wounds on himself or another target, in exchange for exhausting the targets that are not healed. Chapter 1 = Benevolence /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 1 - Benevolence/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"= Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of multipurpose clothing that was created by imbuing it with a salamander and undine's magic power. It protects the wearer against fire and the cold along with being resistant to water and heat based attacks. It also enables the user to swim better in water and reduces water resistance and water pressure. It is also resistant to wear and tear along with it automatically cleans any dirt and filth from it. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some strange magic enshrouds your form. If you so wish it, your features shall become… distorted. Nothing truly changes, but onlookers will only be able to recall you as an extremely generic version of your race or species. They would be able to recognize you on sight, but attempting to describe you to someone else would only result in their frustration./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 21. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's plenty of dangers in the Mansus. It wouldn't do you any good trying to tackle them at anything less than your full capabilities. With this perk, you now possess the uncanny ability to lucid dream, allowing you to remain in control of your actions whether you are asleep or forced in a dreamlike state. More importantly, in this lucid state it becomes easier for you to manifest your own perks and powers inside dreams or illusions, granting you the same tools you'd have available as if you were physically there./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7: Making/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With all these mystical artifacts going around, someone had to be making them. You're a drab hand with decent skill in multiple forms of craftsmanship, from blacksmithing to weaving, but where this perk really shines is a special property you can imbue your creations with. Just about everything you make can enhance people in some way shape or form, be it increasing strength, increasing their endurance, and if you're skilled with magic you could also find a way to imbue elemental properties into equipment. There are even ways for you to boost your own mana capacity or elemental affinities, though that will take some time./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200. Obtained during Chapter 18./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This simple leather strap is meant to be worn around the chest to allow for easy access of high explosives during intense situations. It has hooks and loops to hold a dozen grenades at once and is always extremely comfortable to wear. The Bandoleer always starts each morning filled with twelve simple, but effective, fragmentation grenades made out of a canister, a lot of nails, and as much gunpowder as possible. However, it is possible to "tune" each grenade to an element by exposing the explosive to a bit of magic. Shock the device with a small amount of electricity magic and when you pull the pin it will explode with the force of a lightning storm instead of nails. You can even get creative, exposing it to the power of love will give the grenade a charming effect instead of a violent one. Experiment at your own peril, as you might not always get the effect you are expecting when you dip into more exotic elements./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 18. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the most useful tools in a Witcher's arsenal is the bastardized form of magic known as Signs. These simple spells can be used with one hand and require little knowledge about magical theory to use. There are a variety of Signs with various powers and you know all of them, though you start out with only a basic level of skill with them. With practise you may be able to improve their power and duration. If you also understand how to utilize magical spells you may become able to alter these spells into new signs, though they retain their relative simplicity and cost./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 20. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The foul empty magic granted to those that gaze upon the Void and are consumed. This hideous power works by creating portals to the void and unleashing what lies within. Pull out raw negative energy to poison your foes, or small void monsters to devour them. With practice you will even be able to bring forth nightmares to infect your enemy's minds./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 22. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Time seems to fly whenever you're having fun doesn't it? One moment it seems like you just started, and the next it's already over. To be honest, it seems that the older you get - or rather, the more experienced you get - the quicker everything seems to move along. For a brief period of time, you can accelerate any actions you are performing, whether it is casting a spell, or just reading a book. This extends to even group activities as well, affecting all of your allies involved./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The following are new perks from last chapter and this one. They are currently unlisted above but will be added./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magister Professor (Warhammer Fantasy: Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 500 CP. Obtained during Chapter 25/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You were an apprentice once, taken in by the Magisters of your Order. While they taught you much of magic, it is through your own observations that you learned the art of teaching. You now have a grasp of everything a teacher in an academic setting needs - the construction of lesson plans, the ability to command respect and attention from your students, and the use of visual aids in the classroom. If you have an Apprentice of your own, they will be more than grateful to study under your wing. For another 200 Aethyric Humors in addition to the base price, you may notice a strange thing happening. Should you take someone under your wing who is neither of this world nor in possession of native aptitude for magic, your Wind might blow upon them so that they can learn more properly from you. Use this provision for the continued advancement of the magical arts wisely. Should you fail to impart upon your student the importance of controlling that power, you will have only yourself to blame./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bibliovore (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore: Cost 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 26/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's so much knowledge out there, and so little time. With this perk you have the innate ability to instantly memorize the contents from text and other visual media with just a touch. This ability can be used on any kind of visual medium, from engravings on ancient pottery, to diagrams in crumbling parchments, to blurry text in waterlogged codices, or even books written in a language you don't speak. The actual understanding of these contents is an entirely different matter, but you'll figure it out with time. This ability can be toggled on and off at will, so that you are not burdened with unwanted knowledge./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Author's Note /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Apologies for the lateness of this chapter. I am a teacher, and my last update to this story was right before the school year was going to start. This has kicked me in the teeth, as I'm sure you can imagine, and what writing I have done has been for other things. This story is not dead, however, and I do plan to update again soon (promise)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I consider this chapter to be the last of this initial arc, though I use that term loosely. We're going to jump ahead a few months next chapter, to pick up the pace and begin a new focal point. Much of these last few chapters has been focused on the aftermath of the invasion and the settling in to the new role at S.H.I.E.L.D., so we're moving past that and onto new frontiers./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
h2 style="page-break-before: always;"a name="Top_of_chap_28_xhtml"/astrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 17pt;"Chapter 27/span/strong/h2
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Leopold Fitz scans his eyes across disparate medical readings and technological readouts. A full-body scan of something called a "voidling," as well as diagrams of its eyes, its claws, and torso. A blood sample that actively radiates enough light and electricity that it had to be placed into a rubber-lined lead container just to be sure that it was not going to irradiate everyone in contact with it. The inner molecular structure of the uniform that the Wizard's minions wear when created, something that utterly confuses him as much as the tissue sample from one them that they managed to salvage before it vanished./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"These are but a few of the avenues of research with Logan that they've accomplished in a short time, but accomplished is too strong a word. Every conclusion leads to a new round of questions, and even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s brightest minds are having difficulty./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Can't we just send this to Thor?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The question interrupts Fitz from spiraling down another rabbit hole. The researcher - Dr. Flores, a promising woman with a background in microbiology - holds a stack of papers in hand while she asks the question. The papers detail notes about the effects of the dream substance lyrium on blood cells and gut bacteria./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fitz shakes his head, though he's starting to wonder if the question is worth asking. Research always takes time, and leaping ahead into a new field? That will, of course, take precedent. From everything they've gathered, Thor and his people have advanced knowledge on magic. Asking them to help navigate their research into the Wizard's capabilities seems a fair question in theory./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""'Fraid not," he answers simply. "Anything we learn, /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"we/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" learn."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Orders are orders. Thor - and by extension, Jane Foster - are off-limits to anyone from the organization. He and the rest of the Avengers were exploring their own lives, and Fitz couldn't blame the god-alien-guy any more than he could blame Stark or Rogers or Banner. As much as it would be helpful to borrow from Asgardian expertise, he was not sure how much difference it could make./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No rhyme or reason./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It is still early in their research. But initial conclusions? The energies that Logan commands have no interconnectivity - each ability he demonstrates is distinct, requires different resources, different methods, different outputs. There was no pattern, no connected tissue, nothing. Nothing except Logan himself, who seemed nearly as clueless as to how it all worked together as they did. He merely had the abilities./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A timer in the distance begins to beep, and Fitz re-asserts himself into his surroundings, focusing on the two members of the team who've not yet gone home for the night. Dr. Flores turns away from writing in the margins of her notes to watch the end of Dr. Morrow's latest test, the man clearly frustrated already as data begins to populate nearby monitors./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fitz leans over a screen, rubbing at his face, feeling more than a little dehydrated. The blue light of the screen is more than starting to bother his eyes, and he /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"needs/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to tuck in. "This is data from the test on gutamine and acetylcholine?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dr. Flores taps him on the shoulder, a concerned look on her kind eyes. "You mean glutamate?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fitz blinks. "Yes, yes, right. Sorry."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The engineer has never missed Jemma more than he does right now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Dr. Morrow cycles through data reports and frowns more deeply, the older man looking more and more disgruntled as their window of research expands. "Extracted neurotransmitters show… ugh, no abnormal reactivity to so-called magical stimulus. Within expected values."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fitz sighs and signals an end for the night. "Wrap it up. We'll start fresh on Monday."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Morrow settles into a nearby chair, face slightly red and sweat running down his scalp. "I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"know/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" that we'll get somewhere. We just need the right tools, the right tests, the right machines. What we have is not working so far, to tell us anything more than bread crumbs."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It's not everyday that a modern scientist is asked to delve into fantastical thinking," Fitz replies, mind spinning with energy readings, potential output, and material science from the Wizard's uniform. "We'll crack it."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro feels, for the first time, that his life has /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"meaning/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;". Among the throngs of people who have awoken to the truth, he has a place to belong. A place to matter. A voice to force the very world to tremble beneath his desires. Not all are sycophants to the West, to the so-called heroes on the news. People are afraid of handing the reins of protection to gods, monsters, and madmen./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No - he would find a place here. He would shout, he would scream, he would trample, if it meant that more people would join their cause against Stark and the Avengers. Many in his home country and in other communities across Eastern Europe know of the tragedies that the so-called genius and his family have wrought for decades. It is only a matter of rallying the right people, the right groups, the right organizations to assist them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wanda interlaces her fingers in his as she shouts in protest, her voice joining the rest. He can't help but smile - how wonderful it is that he does not have to do this alone? Even among a crowd as large as this, shouting outside the Berlin headquarters of Stark Industries, he is glad to have her by his side./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Throughout the morning, the protest has grown more intense. The company continues to ignore them, so those closest to the front lines of the growing crowd have become more restless. He eventually becomes one of those near the front, pulling Wanda alongside him, and the shouting continues to accelerate in fervor. Picket signs with Anti-Avenger slogans, posters decrying Thor as a threat from the stars, and more are all that they can see from those fancy windows./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck that./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Fuck /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"him./span/em/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He feels a tap on his shoulders, and a balding middle-aged man with a hoodie obscuring most of his features leans close and hands him a brick. "Make him pay!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro grins./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With a Herculean effort, the brick tumbles through the air and shatters one of the second floor windows. The crowd goes wild, some tumbling to make their own next moves. Stark's security detail are bound to engage now, but he doesn't want to stop./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"He grips Wanda's hand in tight excitement, her own eyes filled with wonder and hope for change. "We're making a difference!" he shouts. "You'll see!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Wanda nods and reaches for anything on the ground to throw, to join him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro turns to see if the man is still behind him, to ask for another brick, but he doesn't see the man among the crowd. His single throw does its job - others begin tossing whatever they can find, defacing the property of a billionaire so filled with pride that the man will /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"hate/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Pietro grins and prepares to continue the onslaught./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Jemma Simmons has never worked this hard. She stubbornly aches for her partner in crime, her shadow, the other half to her dynamic research duo. With every conclusion she makes, she cannot share it with Fitz, and it hurts. No, her work with Project: T.A.H.I.T.I. cannot be shared with anyone without Level Nine or above clearance. Something only the top brass possess, which means that, well, she jumped the clearance ladder overnight./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"When she began her work, she thought the project was merely a chance to uplift society, to combat the rising needs of a changing environment that would devastate animal populations. After all, GH-325 could be used on many types of organic compounds to revitalize tissues that have long since died. She has no true idea where the compound originated, but she suspects that it cannot be from Earth. Until the Incident, she would never have expected extra-terrestrials to be real, even after working at S.H.I.E.L.D. for years. Perhaps this is the co-opted work of an alien civilization./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Test after test, she continues her work long-past the initial week promised to her. Had she not made a potential breakthrough on that sixth day, she might have failed to secure more time. Her breakthrough? Jemma speculates that Erskin's Vita-Radiation may act as a stabilizing force for the GH-325's properties. It was potentially nothing more than a shot in the dark, but considering what they were going to do with the compound in short order if she had been unsuccessful in that week time limit? She thinks it was worth it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Sparing Bobbi Morse from the potential insanity of GH-325's side effects is worth it./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Every medical law, every ethical code, screams for her to put it all away. To walk away from S.H.I.E.L.D. and never look back. Successfully integrating the properties of nitramene to create Vita-Rays into the GH-325 formula was nearly as dangerous as creating a compound that could revive the dead, at great cost. Much of the organization's work on nitramene ended after an almost explosive incident in the late forties. One wrong move, and this base could implode./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Sir," she asks as she steps away from the shielded container full of the yellow radioactive compound to look toward her superior, "I am not certain that we have the expertise here to integrate nitramene correctly into the compound. We need-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is the team," Coulson says without letting her finish. "As much as I might agree with your assessment, Agent Simmons, we must make strides with the resources that we possess. Bringing more individuals on board threatens to neutralize the security of this secret program."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She can understand the reasoning, but there has to be a different way. A different approach. "Can we afford to invite someone to the team without telling them everything? Compartmentalize what they need to know. As it is, I'm running out of ideas on how to build a device that can successfully integrate these two compounds together."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Coulson rubs at his chin. "The most I can do is forward your concerns to Director Fury."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Thank you, sir."/span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"An uppercut threatens to slam into my midsection, and I slip away to the right, only to meet a well-placed kick to the shin. Disorienting pain shoots up my side, and I have no defense against the shoulder-check that forces me to double over. A knee to my shoulder knocks me to the mat several feet away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I lay there for a second, panting from breath, sweat sticking to my clothes. I reach toward my belt and point to the gem. "May I?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The combat instructor - one Agent Melinda May - shakes her head curtly, eyes flashing across the Cryo Vision. "You think any field agent got to where they are without enduring a few bruises?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm not exactly your average field agent, am I?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"She pulls me to my feet and gives a good-natured smirk. "No, but leave 'em. You're young - you'll heal."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I relent to her request. With a burst of magic from my Vision, I could equalize our health. Given how many hits I managed against her during that bout and others throughout the last hour and a half? May's undoubtedly better off, and healing a few bruises would be nothing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"My eyes locking on the onlookers watching the latest bout. I've attracted an audience during these sessions, though it thankfully shrinks over time. It's not every day that S.H.I.E.L.D. takes on a seventeen year old for training, but one with mysterious magic powers? I couldn't blame them for their interest, even if it makes me incredibly nervous. They've seen me knocked on my ass more times than I care to count./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""This is all about your fundamentals," May explains not for the first time, wiping at her face with a fresh towel before throwing me one from the rack. "Get your baseline where you want it to be. Let your tricks be-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Like a force multiplier?" I finish./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I didn't disagree with her assessment. My magic slots nicely into the S.H.I.E.L.D. playbook about the use of weapons, which can also be force-multipliers in the right circumstances. There were situations where I might be forced into a melee fight, where I might not be able to rely solely on my magic. Training in hand-to-hand, like any field agent, made sense./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Nothing in my previous life could have prepared me for how physically strenuous this would be. In third grade, I took karate for a few months, but my mother was a teacher and couldn't afford to keep it going. I don't remember anything about it, honestly, besides thinking at nine years old that a "lunch punch" was a thing. Had I stuck with it, perhaps I'd have a stronger foundation for these training sessions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Incremental improvement is still improvement, but there is a /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"long/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" way to go. I might have improved more today, but there's more on my mind than simply all this./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Melinda May is delightfully good at this, even though I'm fairly sure that she's uncomfortable about anything magical. A good teacher regardless./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Have you considered the rest of your day?" May asks when we finally come to a stopping point./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm probably going to hole up and take a long nap," I answer, not speaking exactly honestly. I expect to be unconscious./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Using your, uh, time thing?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I nod. "There's something so wonderful about sneaking a three hour nap to decompress while the rest of the world only experiences a few minutes."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"May shakes her head. "Your life is too weird for me."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Me too, but the perks are nice."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The crowd dissipates as May heads toward the exit, but not before turning around a final time. "Check your inbox later for some notes on this week's sessions. You're - well, dreadful. But I can see signs of promise."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I sheepishly grin, a bead of sweat rolling down my cheek./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Following the usual paths through the innards of the base, I depart for rest at the Sanctuary. Agents, analysts, contractors and who knows who else maneuver throughout this HQ with purpose, and only occasionally do some of them pay attention to me. Each of them has an assignment, a mission, a goal - something they are planning to do soon, something they are working on now, or something they recently finished. A lot of work, form what I gather in slightly overheard conversations, involves managing the fallout and clean-up after New York, a process that may take /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"years/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" to fully finalize./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I have a free afternoon, with the added benefit that I could make that afternoon last much longer for me than for others. Perhaps the most useful of all the magic that I have, I can spend additional time each day resting, studying, practicing, and training than others could in the same twenty-four hours. It has its limits, though - if I leave it on too long, a lethargy grows that can only be removed when it's inactive./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This would be the perfect day to do it, I've decided./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I slip into the room on the base and lock the door behind me. A simple room that is only slightly more extravagant than the one that I once held aboard the Helicarrier. What personal details I've added here, like the photographs on the corkboard above the desk or the false flowerpot on the bedside table, are only for show, so that no one catches on that I don't sleep here, but rather one unusual door further./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Key twists eagerly into my hand and affixes itself to the padlock on the wardrobe in the corner, almost pouring into it like a slimy liquid. It snaps back into a solid form as I pull the door open and slide inside the Entrance Hall once more, admiring the four great flags that represent the houses of a school that… likely exists somewhere in the multiverse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Celestial Grimoire rests in its usual place, on the desk of the Headmaster's Office. Portrait frames line the walls, while the shelves that once held baubles of great and whimsical power for one of the greatest wizards who ever lived lay empty. Outside the frosted windows rests the Cosmic Beyond, a swirling mass of colors, stars, and distant nebulas that may very well be fragmented worlds and dimensions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scattered notes lie in disarray around the open book, alongside a few other tomes that have been procured from the library downstairs. Zip-lock bags of alchemical reagents, like the tail of a horned lizard and the poison from weeping oleander, rest on one edge of the table behind the desk, readying themselves for future use. A single, simplistic silver locket I bought from a thrift store on Twenty-Ninth Avenue is the focus of my attention./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Someone clears their throat, and the Great Fairy saunters into the room from the spiral staircase, vines crawling behind him. "Logan. I expected to find you in the classrooms or in the Great Hall, not here." Matero glances toward the collected ingredients and rubs at his immaculate chin, too angular to look human. "Does that mean what I think it means?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""I'm considering it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero's eyes widen. "Why?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I do not mind the question. The Great Fairy is the only conversationalist who knows the ins and outs of my powers, my /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"true/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" powers, and what they all may entail. Telling S.H.I.E.L.D. about the Grimoire would open up too many questions, too many concerns, and ultimately trusting them with knowledge of its existence would lead to so many bad outcomes. Keeping all of that bottled up is difficult, but considering that Matero can't leave the Sanctuary and is more or less inclined to listen to me as long as I feed him gold on occasion to improve equipment? Well, I may as well tell him what I know./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""The Battle of New York was almost an unmitigated disaster," I answer truthfully. "I may have done some good, but I could do more, and there were far too many close calls for comfort."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lives lost. Property destroyed. Alien weapons left unchecked in the world./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And… I held myself back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For what? Discomfort? Moral panic?/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Power is power./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I am /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"already/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" tapping into questionable sources of power. Lyrium has connections to the Fade, something I fully expect will try to rear its ugly head at some point. Untempered Azyr could bring all flavors of Chaos into the world. I can expose someone's mind to whispers from the Void and potentially drive them insane, or throw the Voidborn onto them to rip them apart./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Why am I looking at this one any differently? I won't lose myself in those abilities. I refuse./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero places a gentle hand on the shoulder, perhaps the most caring he'd ever been. He knows of this ritual and what it entails./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Will you stay here until it's done?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The Fairy pulls away for a moment. "You intend to do it now?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Now is as good a time as any," I grumble. "The next alien invasion might happen tomorrow. Or a magical cataclysm. A robotic army. A multiversal war."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero scoffs. "Reality is not that ill-defended. Or chaotic. If it were, it would be more /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"fun./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""No, but if I do this, it can be even better defended."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Matero's inhuman eyes watch me for a long moment, studying my movements as I prepare the reagents. A snap of the fingers and thoughts of emptiness later, and three minions appear to begin helping as well - now with two additional pairs of purple insectoid arms and a swirling mass of an eye where their foreheads used to be. I could summon them normally, but this let's them stick around for longer and go much further than the base range limitation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Please tell me that you plan to keep your face. I would hate to see it go."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Why would you care?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""It would be terribly difficult to find the right patterns to match bone-white. A shame, really, that's all."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I roll my eyes and steel myself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A moment later, my phone is in my hand, a familiar number still saved. I… I almost text her, writing out the message in case this goes wrong, but it /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"shouldn't./span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" The Celestial Grimoire has yet to lead me astray. Instead, I send a quick update to Fury through our special channel, letting him know where to find me if I don't report back soon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the minions scoops the Grimoire into its arms and takes it toward its usual hiding place among the locked, protected shelves of the library. Only need that if I'm expecting visitors. I don't particularly know how long this ritual will take - the spell indicates it may take hours, or days, or minutes to recover./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;""Have I told you that your little you's are terrifying?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I shrug at Matero's attempt at conversation, waiting for the right moment to start channeling magicka into willpower, to brew the elixir, to forge the connection with the locket, to drink the elixir as per the spell's components and timeline. It is not difficult to remember each step - I've stared at the pages long enough that I'd remember it if my memory /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"wasn't/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" nearly perfect./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magicka fills the room as it exudes from my hands, a black ichor-like pattern bathing the walls and obscuring Matero slightly from sight. Of the sources of magic I can channel, this has potential to be some of the most potent in its raw power and utility, though I have limited means to use it beyond a few simplistic tricks I learned from the library. This is by far the most powerful thing I will do with it, and the feeling of each second that passes drains me./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The magicka takes shape and hangs in the chamber like an oppressive curtain, twisting and undulating of its own rotten accord. I gather the materials to brew the elixir, following each step in perfect sync to the expected outcome. I had enough for one attempt at this, so this would not be a ritual I could repeat, unless the Grimoire starts giving out more materials. Not that I'd need it personally - once I've finished this, there /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"is/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" no going back./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I crush the burning eyes of a salamander. I grind the frozen horn of a narwhal. I dip the finger-bone of an ape into a jar of charged ozone. I chop the horned tail of a forked lizard using three different poison-dipped knives. Each piece, one by one, falls into a desktop cauldron made of iron, filled to the brim with rarified water. A dusting of silver, flecks that catch in the light of the Cosmic Sanctuary beyond and in the light of the magicka flowing around the room, binds the ingredients together as they melt into the hot pot. Every few seconds, magicka bubbles into the flames beneath and warms the mixture, suffusing into each piece as it carries itself to completion./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The controlled magicka sweeps away any boiling gas, capturing the elements of the elixir before they can escape the bounds of the ritual site. Each time the magicka from the spell pours back into the cauldron's heat, the escaping vapors return to the elixir to begin the process again. If I had the energy to continue this forever, it could be a perpetual cycle of spellcraft. This is, of course, part of the design from the King of Worms, a powerful necromancer whom history in another world would remember as first and most powerful of liches./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"After six cycles that correspond to schools of magic, I reach for the locket and hold it in hand, dropping it into the elixir. The instant it touches the churning liquid, the jewelry siphons the black magicka in the air nearly as quickly, absorbing its power into its metal. I pull the locket from the suddenly still liquid, its churning motion ceasing as the elixir's elements charge the object./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Glancing toward Matero, the Great Fairy watches with interest as I place the amulet around my neck, keeping the small little lock closed. Part of me wonders if this is at all what it was like for Tom Riddle to create his first horcrux, the diary. Certainly this is a dark spell, but Rowling was explicit that it required murder./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"did/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" murder aliens./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It was me or them. It was /spanemspan class="17" style="font-family: Verdana;"New York/span/emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" or them. Under the control of a Chitauri mothership or not, they were people just the same. The other Avengers were not pulling their punches either - these are not the kind of heroes who are afraid to kill when necessary. An alien army? Can't take any chances./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magicka surges within the amulet, itching across its metallic surface, its chain. It matches the quick drumming of my own heart./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chanting, the last of my magicka leaves my fingertips and draws the liquid out of the cauldron. It floats in the air for a precious second before my will draws the elixir into my waiting mouth./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For only a moment, I hesitate./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A moment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The liquid meets my lips and enters my throat, forcing itself into my gullet with a burning sensation I have never felt. The pain wracks every nerve, every cell that lines my esophagus, the interior of my stomach. Without even conscious thought, lyrium tattoos burn to life and my body becomes intangible to avoid the pain. It does not help - the liquid does not fall through and hit the floor. No, it too enters the Fade momentarily, the process already having come too far to end now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"I force the lyrium to become inert, barely able to stay conscious enough to avoid collapsing to the ground. The locket vibrates with intensity, rattling soundlessly, as the elixir tears through my very being./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"And then…/span/p
p class="30"emspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Death./span/em/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="23"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Name: Logan Masters/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Age: 17/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Codename: The Wizard/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cosmic Sanctuary Basic Facilities Comes with 20,000 Square Feet of space and 150CP to use for customization. Free shelves and fluorescent lights! You have a key that can magically fit into any door. While it's in a door, that door opens onto the Sanctuary. You are the only person who can remove the key from a door and if you ever lose the key it'll magically appear in your pocket a few minutes later. You can't shut living people in here. The door shuts but doesn't lock, and it opens inward so you can't block it from the outside./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Free Space: You have double the amount of space, up to 40,000 square feet./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"20CP: Heating and AC/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Plumbing/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"10CP: Electricity/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"30CP: Local Network Access (Wi-Fi)/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"50CP: The Sanctuary: A fully-furnished replica of some key locations from Hogwarts. Includes the Medical Wing (20CP), a mirror-shaped terminal that can monitor the contents of your Sanctuary and connect to the Internet (10CP), a food supply in the Great Hall (10CP), a group of golems that can monitor your storage space and free shelving (20 CP), and living quarters that look like the House Common Rooms (0CP)./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Non-Perk Powers /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cryo Vision (Genshin Impact)./span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" Logan has the capability to control the element of ice through the use of his Vision, a crystal whose origins are mysterious. With it, he can absorb nearby heat into his body to cool the area around him and to create constructs of ice on his skin like armor. Additionally, he can "equalize" the life force of others nearby him, allowing him to heal the wounds on himself or another target, in exchange for exhausting the targets that are not healed. Chapter 1 = Benevolence /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Adventure Clothing (Danmachi)/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 1 - Benevolence/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"= Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A set of multipurpose clothing that was created by imbuing it with a salamander and undine's magic power. It protects the wearer against fire and the cold along with being resistant to water and heat based attacks. It also enables the user to swim better in water and reduces water resistance and water pressure. It is also resistant to wear and tear along with it automatically cleans any dirt and filth from it. Chapter 3 = Illusion /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Worn Trench Coat (DC Comics) /span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 3 - Illusion/span/strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" = /spanstrongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 10./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A worn trench coat with pockets that seem to be able to store an impossible amount of things. An iconic item for some of the more modern magical types, whether working as a magical detective or an arcane conman, this coat will help you do it in style. May or may not come with an invitation to join the Trenchcoat Brigade./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Stranger (DC Comics) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Some strange magic enshrouds your form. If you so wish it, your features shall become… distorted. Nothing truly changes, but onlookers will only be able to recall you as an extremely generic version of your race or species. They would be able to recognize you on sight, but attempting to describe you to someone else would only result in their frustration./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lucidity (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 3 - Illusion = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 21. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's plenty of dangers in the Mansus. It wouldn't do you any good trying to tackle them at anything less than your full capabilities. With this perk, you now possess the uncanny ability to lucid dream, allowing you to remain in control of your actions whether you are asleep or forced in a dreamlike state. More importantly, in this lucid state it becomes easier for you to manifest your own perks and powers inside dreams or illusions, granting you the same tools you'd have available as if you were physically there./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 4 = Control /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Minion Magic (Undertale) = Chapter 4 - Control = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Prologue./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Your strength? Relying on people that aren't garbage! You can create small, magical versions of yourself that fire magical attacks on their own, or can kamikaze-dive your opponent to deal damage. These copies are semi-autonomous and follow your orders without question, but that's not to say they're infallible. They're capable of operating remotely and on their own without much input, but they have a maximum range of around 10 meters./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 5 = Domain /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magic Mirror (Terraria) = Chapter 5 - Domain = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 6./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A simple fancy mirror that can be designated with a 'spawn point', and which, when you gaze within, will teleport you to that exact point, shifting you to the next clear area if that spot is occupied. Must be within several hundred miles of the 'spawn point' for this to function./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Flow Motion (Kingdom Hearts) = Chapter 5: Domain = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained During Chapter 13./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Parkour is a quick and fancy way to what, isn't parkour good enough for you? Alright then, try you hand a Flow Motion, magical parkour that let's you jump your way up walls, bounce along alleyways, and even glide short distances. Flow Motion also excels at using the environment to get around and even attack, sliding along rails, spiralling rapidly along poles, and even swiftly circling enemies. When you activate Flow Motion, you glow in the color of your choice, leave a brief trail of light behind you, and release a flash of light every time you kick off a surface. Once you get the hang of this, you'll be moving even faster than you can run, even with the flashy tricks you're doing along the way./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 7 = Making /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Scroll Case (Divinity: Original Sin) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 9/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This rather ordinary looking scroll case is a useful device for any magician on the go. It can store an infinite number of magical scrolls and if you tell it which one you are looking for the enchantment will find you exactly which scroll you are looking for at a moment's notice. Even more amazing is that it will slowly generate a random assortment of scrolls over time at a rate of two scrolls per three days. These scrolls will contain a random spell found in the Aerotheurge, Geomancer, Hydrosophist, Pyrokinetic, or Witchcraft schools of magic, though it will tend to generate far fewer Witchcraft scrolls. These scrolls are all a single-use but they require no magical talent on the part of the wielder to activate them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Great Fairy Fountain (Zelda) = Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 600 CP. Obtained during Chapter 11./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"A familiar sound may be heard… this fountain houses within it a "Great Fairy", a being of great magic who will provide a specific service if you give her some rupees (or currency, it's a tithe anyhow.) By providing some materials to 'use' and a piece of equipment, the Great Fairy will empower it, giving a strong enchantment that makes it much better at what it was meant to do - though you can do this indefinitely, the costs in both materials and currency become more and more expensive with each subsequent upgrade. You may end up having to pay a king's ransom just for a slight boost, but… if you're willing to lay all you have before the Fairy, you'll get what you desire. The Fountain can be deployed in any jump you arrive at, or be attached to the warehouse for convenience./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lantern Maker (Sonny)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Chapter 7: Making/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" = /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 16./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"With all these mystical artifacts going around, someone had to be making them. You're a drab hand with decent skill in multiple forms of craftsmanship, from blacksmithing to weaving, but where this perk really shines is a special property you can imbue your creations with. Just about everything you make can enhance people in some way shape or form, be it increasing strength, increasing their endurance, and if you're skilled with magic you could also find a way to imbue elemental properties into equipment. There are even ways for you to boost your own mana capacity or elemental affinities, though that will take some time./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Grenade Bandoleer (Divinity: Original Sin)/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"= Chapter 7: Making = Cost: 200. Obtained during Chapter 18./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"This simple leather strap is meant to be worn around the chest to allow for easy access of high explosives during intense situations. It has hooks and loops to hold a dozen grenades at once and is always extremely comfortable to wear. The Bandoleer always starts each morning filled with twelve simple, but effective, fragmentation grenades made out of a canister, a lot of nails, and as much gunpowder as possible. However, it is possible to "tune" each grenade to an element by exposing the explosive to a bit of magic. Shock the device with a small amount of electricity magic and when you pull the pin it will explode with the force of a lightning storm instead of nails. You can even get creative, exposing it to the power of love will give the grenade a charming effect instead of a violent one. Experiment at your own peril, as you might not always get the effect you are expecting when you dip into more exotic elements./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Enhancement Ore (Genshin Impact) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 27. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Legend has it that this refined ingot contains the memories of battles past. It is not known how or why, but weapons are able to absorb this special ore and become stronger for it. It is even said that the weapons that benefit from these memories naturally become sentient. Whether that is true is yet to be seen, but one fact that has been proven time and again is that it does make the weapons better. You have received a dozen chunks of fine enhancement ore, as well as a steady supply of a dozen more each month./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 9 = Transformation /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Undead Lich (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 1./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You have followed in the footsteps of the King of Worms, and performed a necromantic ritual that transformed you into a lich. In addition to being able to 'live' indefinitely, you are immune to any damage not magical in nature, or dealt from silver or Daedric weaponry. Whether you appear as you did before the ritual, or took on a more skeletal form is up to you./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Lyrium-Marked Warrior/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;" /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"(Dragon Age) = Chapter 9 - Transformation = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 4./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Few are brave enough to mark their bodies with lyrium-infused tattoos, for the application ritual is one of constant agony. However, those who do mark their bodies in this manner gain the ability to phase through solid objects, and even through people. Many a lyrium-marked combatant has killed someone by phasing partway through them and then solidifying. Because of the nature of lyrium, these tattoos also grant the warrior a partial resistance to any and all harmful magical effects, though they're not as resistant as Templars or Dwarves. Normally these tattoos would be painful to the touch and the ritual would cause total memory loss, but since you're paying CP for them, these side effects have been waived./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 10 = Lore /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Rarefied Mind (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 7/span/strongspan class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"It would be a shame that in your quest for enlightenment you suffered a lapse of memory. It's not like some of these secret teachings can be found in the local library. This simple perk makes your memory perfect, limitless, and retroactive, while also allowing for instant recall and perfect indexing. You'll never forget any moment of your life, no matter how small, and you'll be able to recall those moments as if you were currently standing there again. As a retroactive effect, your past memories will also be affected, even if you've somehow managed to forget them./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Vast Library (Elder Scrolls) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 8. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"For those of a more academic persuasion, this large library is a great addition to your home. Large shelves that contain a large number of books, ranging from children's fiction to history. It also contains a fair amount of spell books that make learning the spells within much easier than they otherwise would be. There are also instructions on how to make more of them, some with your own custom spells./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Magister Professor (Warhammer Fantasy: Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 10 - Lore = Cost: 500 CP. Obtained during Chapter 25/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"You were an apprentice once, taken in by the Magisters of your Order. While they taught you much of magic, it is through your own observations that you learned the art of teaching. You now have a grasp of everything a teacher in an academic setting needs - the construction of lesson plans, the ability to command respect and attention from your students, and the use of visual aids in the classroom. If you have an Apprentice of your own, they will be more than grateful to study under your wing. For another 200 Aethyric Humors in addition to the base price, you may notice a strange thing happening. Should you take someone under your wing who is neither of this world nor in possession of native aptitude for magic, your Wind might blow upon them so that they can learn more properly from you. Use this provision for the continued advancement of the magical arts wisely. Should you fail to impart upon your student the importance of controlling that power, you will have only yourself to blame./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Bibliovore (Cultist Simulator) = Chapter 10 - Lore: Cost 200 CP. Obtained during Chapter 26/span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"There's so much knowledge out there, and so little time. With this perk you have the innate ability to instantly memorize the contents from text and other visual media with just a touch. This ability can be used on any kind of visual medium, from engravings on ancient pottery, to diagrams in crumbling parchments, to blurry text in waterlogged codices, or even books written in a language you don't speak. The actual understanding of these contents is an entirely different matter, but you'll figure it out with time. This ability can be toggled on and off at will, so that you are not burdened with unwanted knowledge./span/p
p class="22"span class="18" style="font-family: Verdana;"Chapter 12 = Modus /spanstrongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Imperial Lores of Magic - Azyr (Warhammer Fantasy: Imperial Colleges of Magic) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 0 CP. Obtained during Chapter 2./span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"No human wizard, without divine aid, can safely wield more than one Wind of Magic with any great mastery. Those who try to wield multiple well are far too easily lured by Dark Magic, assuming they do not destroy themselves before they can be tempted. It was this discovery in part that made Teclis realize just how much mankind required his guidance. Therefore, while founding the Orders, Teclis taught his human apprentices to focus on the one Wind of the eight which suited them best. The result is the system of Lores which persists to this day under the prescriptions of the Articles of Imperial Magic. You are sensitive to and capable of manipulating the Wind of Magic appropriate to your Order - Ghur for Amber Magisters, Hysh for Light Magisters, and so on - and know many of the spells devised by said Order./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Witcher Signs (The Witcher) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 18. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"One of the most useful tools in a Witcher's arsenal is the bastardized form of magic known as Signs. These simple spells can be used with one hand and require little knowledge about magical theory to use. There are a variety of Signs with various powers and you know all of them, though you start out with only a basic level of skill with them. With practise you may be able to improve their power and duration. If you also understand how to utilize magical spells you may become able to alter these spells into new signs, though they retain their relative simplicity and cost./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Visions of the Void (League of Legends) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 20. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The foul empty magic granted to those that gaze upon the Void and are consumed. This hideous power works by creating portals to the void and unleashing what lies within. Pull out raw negative energy to poison your foes, or small void monsters to devour them. With practice you will even be able to bring forth nightmares to infect your enemy's minds./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Whittling Away the Time (Golden Sky Stories) = Chapter 12 - Modus = Cost: 400 CP. Obtained during Chapter 22. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Time seems to fly whenever you're having fun doesn't it? One moment it seems like you just started, and the next it's already over. To be honest, it seems that the older you get - or rather, the more experienced you get - the quicker everything seems to move along. For a brief period of time, you can accelerate any actions you are performing, whether it is casting a spell, or just reading a book. This extends to even group activities as well, affecting all of your allies involved./span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"New Perks /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"The following are new perks from this one./span/p
p class="22"strongspan style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Enhancement Ore (Genshin Impact) = Chapter 7 - Making = Cost: 100 CP. Obtained during Chapter 27. /span/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Legend has it that this refined ingot contains the memories of battles past. It is not known how or why, but weapons are able to absorb this special ore and become stronger for it. It is even said that the weapons that benefit from these memories naturally become sentient. Whether that is true is yet to be seen, but one fact that has been proven time and again is that it does make the weapons better. You have received a dozen chunks of fine enhancement ore, as well as a steady supply of a dozen more each month./span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;" /span/p
p class="20"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="27"span style="font-family: Verdana; letter-spacing: 0pt; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-size: 12pt;"Last edited: Jan 23, 2023 /span/p