"I can control the element of surprise."
The lanky figure across the table looked up with a twisted smile. "You're hired."
"What?" I recoiled, feeling something very unfamiliar wash over me as if I was pressed back into my chair.
"That's your superpower right? You're hired." He leaned forward, his smile growing as much as my discomfort. “It’s a rare skill, a talent worth having anywhere.”
I straightened myself upright. I must have done something wrong setting this up, this is not at all how it must supposed to go. I began molding some of the stray fate lines that were fraying moment by moment. I can do this, I’ve done this so many times. Now where’s a thread of weakness I can exploit?
I scanned around his aura, and his eyes followed mine, clearly expectant. I’ve just got to find the right thing to pull him off balance. Like…. There! I grabbed the loose etheric thread and heaved. “Clearly even someone who went through the Siege of Providence would see the usefulness of my skills. And of course that will be quite expensive.”
I almost smiled as the energies in the thread began shifting back towards me as they unraveled. That’s more like it, the other side off balance, the advantage back. I’ll have to figure out what I did wrong at the beginning.
I was nearly thrown out of my chair as the thread abruptly pulled back on me. What had appeared to be a loose weakened piece of energy to use ended with a hard knot right at the edge of the man’s aura. What?
“Do you know much about the Astonishmancer that was in command at Providence?” His eyes no longer followed mine, but bored laser focused through every layer of my aura.
I had fallen right where he wanted me, and he knew it too. I collected myself, and already knowing where this line went I offered, “He is quite a legend, one of the most powerful Astonishmancers in the Republic. They said his control over fate was so strong he could control the advantage months in advance.”
He rose from his chair and sauntered around his desk. “They do say that, don’t they? That he could maneuver every line so every choice led to his advantage. That he could get anything he wanted because anything one tried could be caught off guard and put back where he wanted.” He glanced down at me. “Quite a story wouldn’t you say?”
“Quite a story, almost a legend.” The lines were closing together, possibilities and surprises being lost. I have to find something.
A hint of pride crossed his eyes, and I saw it. A small opening. Something he didn’t account for. Or did he, is this another trap he’s laid? I don’t think I have another choice.
I jumped to my feet and pulled him into a deep kiss, wrenching that crack in the armor open. And for a moment, just a moment. I saw his eyes widen.
As I pulled back to break contact, he pulled me right back in. His eyes, fierce and fiery left my legs to melt as I sank down in his arms. As he let me go I fell to my knees.
“Impressive, you’ve got skills, kid, but you need training. Astonologics are not at all easy to wield, and you’ve got talent.” He knelt down to put his forefinger below my chin and tilted me up to meet his eyes. “You’ll be my apprentice. We’ll begin tomorrow at dawn.”
I slackened, being held aloft only by his touch on my jaw. “Yes, Sir.” I tried to hold myself together, hold some control over what little was left of my fate.
He looked down with a smirk, tying up another line. “An apprentice should call their teacher, Master.”
Like a puppet with cut strings, I went slack. “Yes, Master.”
theartofmadeline
pixelskylines
kianamaiart
ellievsbear
amandla
