Talrayne's writing

Fanfiction, reimaginings, and original stories

[talrayne]

Blood and Chrome

Forward: I felt like writing another vampire story and I stumbled on something called World of Future Darkness with stuff combining Cyberpunk and World of Darkness. While I don't expect to see a partnership that makes this real again, I figured I'd put together my own updated version.

Sipping a glass of blood from a lifelong whiskey addict, Daniels sat at the bar of the Totanez, the only place he could find these nights that both served such a concoction, and the only one that really felt comfortable. Sure, Tinnitus was playing at volumes befitting their name rather than some drunk banging out-of-tune piano keys, but the effect was the same. It was noise, piled onto shouting and screaming, that made everything blend together.

For a moment, he was back a few hundred years ago. Sipping the same thing, real whiskey infusing the red water of the prostitute who kindly bled into a dirty glass. The reflection on a bottle segued into the sudden, insistent prodding on his shoulder.

"Hey, you! I got somthin' to tell ya!"

Daniels knocked back the rest of his drink before turning around.

The volume spiked as he faced some punk who looked like a Christmas tree got shoved into a Thanksgiving turkey.

"I thought it was you," the light show growled. "You got a lotta nerve comin' here after what you did at the old car factory!"

Daniels put a finger to his chin, thinking for a moment. "Oh, I remember now. You mean when your chooms thought you were entitled to pay after you failed the job."

"Half of us flatlined when that nomad went cyberpsycho! Could've told us he was full borg!"

"I warned ya to use the bullets I gave ya for the job. Told ya you were hittin' a solo who needed special care. Not my fault you didn't listen. Fact is, you didn't finish the job, so I had to. Told ya my boss don't pay for failures."

The lite-brite glared at the old man before shouting at him to watch his back.

"How about instead we get this over with. I'll meet you tomorrow out back at high moon."

"Don't ya mean 'high noon'?"

"I said what I meant. Besides, I'm sure you're plannin' on bringing out a few of your chooms anyway. Settin' up some sorta trap. This way, you got a full day for it and you don't have ta guess where I'll be."

Bartender handed Daniels another glass.

"Bored I take it?"

Daniels just flashed her a fanged smile and sent a message to the Prince.

"I'll be a little late tomorrow. Start without me."

The next night, he was leaning against the old brick wall, watching the hand on his pocket watch tick towards midnight, slipping it into his pocket when he heard the crunch of footsteps approaching.

The Mealstromer and his little gang, five idiots looking like plastic coated circuit board rejects, came walking up carrying shotguns, assault rifles, and a couple of disposable "Slaught-o-matic" pistols.

They didn't say a word as they lifted their guns to aim at him.

Five shots blasted out. The ganger from the previous night dropped his shotgun in surprise as he was coated in the gore and debris of his chooms' cybernetics and skulls.

Daniels holstered his revolver, tossing a second one at the feet of his opponent.

"Ready..." He warned, smiling.

The ganger grabbed the gun at his feet, taking a quick check to make sure it was loaded.

"One.... Two.... Three..."

Lightshow composed himself as quickly as he could, thinking "No way was this gonk is turning this into a quick draw duel!"

"Draw!"

Only one shot was made, the other gun barely had a chance to move. Daniels reloaded his revolver as he slowly walked up to the wreck of a body to retrieve his weapon. The scent of blood stirred the Beast, but one look told him that what ran in the veins of these punks was about as real as the cocaine they were snorting half an hour ago.

A jingle sounded in his ear before he heard a familiar voice. Feminine and polite, but with the underlying anger of a saloon matron being offered credit.

"Done playing with your food? I need you back here about the Arasaka mole. Their domitor says they found something and I'm NOT losing another schematic to a Sabbat or Anarch ambush."

Back at Biotechnica, Daniels drew few looks, despite his preference for dusters and denim contrasting against the pressed suits and other formal wear. Solos were an accepted sight in his division, and he was a known regular, even if his title wasn't common knowledge.

Entering the boardroom, the Prince, a woman with a severe look highlighted by her almost imperceptible fangs, looked at his attire with disgust, as if she felt the vacuum and dust collectors in the scanning room should have removed her Sheriff as well. A nervous male sat at the table as well, a few pages of data before him, displaying minimal cyberware, except for an extra port near the inside of his elbow that was currently allowing blood to drip into the crystal bottle a servant with silver/chrome skin poured from, filling a fluted wineglass.

"You just missed our illustrious guest from Arasaka," the Prince stated disdainfully.

"Oh? This isn't him?" Daniels asked with a smirk, gesturing to the man at the table.

The Prince scoffed.

"In that suit? No. Their domitor at Arasaka though was just here. It seems that a deal is being brokered with Night Corp and Raven of all companies."

"Interesting, but I don't see how this would involve me. Wouldn't one of the Nosferatu be a better fit?"

"I'd agree, if it were that simple. No, the intel provided indicates that this deal is being done through intermediaries. Couple of gangs, Maelstrom and Scavs, are supposed to have a shootout. This is really a cover as one of the Scavs is supposed to retrieve an implant in the leader of a small Maelstrom cell, and a buyer from the Animals is going to come for it. The implant in question has the schematic written in it."

"This all seems quite convoluted for a business deal. What happened to the days of sending a simple correspondence?"

The nervous man spoke up, "it's convoluted because of how important it is. From what we've learned, we being Eliza, her contact in Night Corp, and an intern at Arasaka who thinks he's getting promoted, this isn't just a new cyberdeck, or normal implant. We've seen indications of... mind control tech... being worked on at Night Corp. Raven, in the last few years seems to be developing tech focused on efficiently distributing adaptive code. It may be something for mass mind control, but other... events... with other gangs, along with the more recent theft of the Relic, which may or may not be connected, and we think there might be something bigger going on."

Daniels gave the man a hard look for a tense moment before bursting out laughing.

"Hoo, boy. Seems like a whole lotta high-level stuff that'll be a bit beyond this ol' cowpoke to comprehend. I suppose I'll just go finish this little gang battle you mentioned and grab the big guy for you. We got addresses?"

The Prince rolled her eyes at Daniels' exaggerated drawl

"Yes we have addresses. Remember, Maelstrom leader needs to be knocked out. We don't know if his implants will lock after he dies, nor do we know exactly which implant we're looking for, so you're going to have to be careful. When you're done, you'll have to hurry over to a ripper. He isn't one of ours, so don't run your mouth. He'll be paid and instructed in advance."

"I take it you wanna make sure this doesn't come back to us? You trust this guy?"

"Absolutely, on both counts. Besides, I'm certain you'll be fine with our choice. He's worked on the one who took down..." here, she let out a disgusted sigh "Adam Smasher."

"Hol' on, in bringin' this punk to Vic?!"

"Of course. He has no gang or corporate affiliation, and he's one of the only ones with the space and seclusion to do this work quietly. Any objections?"

"Only one. Don't make me use the storefront entrance. That 'Misty' girl... I'm pretty sure she knows more than she let's on, and on the side of the Masquerade... well let's just say I get the feelin' she's dancing, but I don't know with who, if you catch my drift."

"That's fine. You have your orders, and that card on the table has the time and location. No witnesses. I'll let Mr. Vektor know to expect you. Whatever you do, do NOT call anyone unless something has occurred, and even then, only in emergency. We don't know who's watching, and you know as well as I do the Nosferatu gossip, so work with the expectation that you'll have to clean up after yourself. Are we clear?"

Daniels tipped his hat and walked out, purposfully dropping a dusty, plastic rose from his coat onto the carpet. He smiled, wishing he could see her clench her jaws at the sight of such a dirty, cheap, tacky emblem of her clan. It's the little rebellions, he felt, that were the most fun, and you don't need to be a Brujah to enjoy a little rebellion.

[talrayne]

A thought process I had that I wanted to post before it was forgotten in the fog of my mind.

ADHD is like being connected to an Eldritch pact.

ADHD-H you are provided with power and ability beyond reckoning, but it is never yours and when it's provided is purely at the whims of the unknowable being that provides said power. You may try to find the right combination of rituals and chemical sacrament to gain the power when needed, but the book containing the instructions are written in a cipher that, at it's core, may be nothing more informative than a blank page.

ADHD-I you are provided with knowledge and creativity that could shock ancient sages, but the price is life energy. Your own. This trade would be fair, if the knowledge you held could be harnessed. However, each portion of an idea is like the page of a book, one you are incapable of writing due to the speed of information and your own energy limitations. Oh, how you wish you could write it down though, for as you build the idea building it like a tower, you find yourself needing to reference a previous page and finding nothing there. Blank, as if it was nothing more than a reflection in the water, with the only evidence of it's existence the creations that rely on the foundation of that vanished page. The whole while you become maddened trying to tie these scraps together with neither the whole of knowledge needed to do so, or the energy required to finish.

ADHD-C holds the inscrutable energy and the unfathomable knowledge, while ensuring that neither approach each other enough to benefit, leaving one with the constant, tantalizing feeling that if they're only able to work a little harder they could rise above and hold the secrets of the universe, with the haunting realization in the back of their mind that this will never be.

[talrayne]

Dumb show idea I came up with

Devil you know

Synopsis:

Devil gets bored, decides to “self exile” for a bit to spend their leisure time on earth using the excuse of “using built up sick leave”. Sick leave in question was leave time earned for their participation in the 1920’s flu epidemic. On earth, has to pretend to be human and make money as a human. After signing up for cell phone service and reading the contract, decides the most fun way to make money is as a contract lawyer specializing in breaking contracts. After a few cases, they find that a new opposing attorney is in fact a former saint, sent to keep an eye on the devil and subvert them however they can using the human legal system.

Original name I had for the character was Lee Stuus (based on a Monster of the Week character I came up with whose name was stolen from DnD: Levistus)

[talrayne]

The autonomous illithid

I am an illithid, and I've been given a second chance. I remember the years experimenting for the elder brain, occasionally joining expeditions to aquire... raw materials. I didn't question during those days. Not that I could. The brain controlled my intentions then. Free will was a concept I didn't understand, though every time I got curious, a new instruction was pushed to the forefront of my mind, ensuring I never thought about it for long. This would have been my life had it not been for that cave-in.

It was another expedition when some deep gnomes interfered.

We were setting out, utilizing a small tunnel near a drow settlement that ran close to the surface when an umber hulk charged though, a contraption encasing it's head catching us by surprise. The tunnel caved in and spilled the other two illithids accompanying me into the settlement below. I held on and climbed up towards the light. I've seen the remains the drow leave behind and I have enough of a survival instinct to keep me away.

On the surface, it was dark. The light I saw was the moon and without it I wouldn't have felt such a need to get away. If it was daytime, I could be sure the drow wouldn't follow, but with the darkness I knew I had to keep moving.

I don't know how far I ran, but I didn't consider rest until I saw the first rays of the morning sun. I was safe from any drow that might have followed, but not from the creatures that called the surface home. I considered my options when I saw a building ahead. It was a human barn.

I was too tired to subjugate a human, but if a human was able to settle there and raise cattle, it must be safe enough for me to rest in a tree nearby, so I did. My dreams were unusual. While I normally would sleep without any memories of my dreams, I would wake with instructions and assignments already on my mind. This time, it was... disjointed. I got half formed thoughts interspersed with images of myself alone.

When I awoke, there were no instructions, no goals, though even there were I would have had more pressing matters as what disturbed my sleep was a loud "thunk" as the tree I was resting in was struck with an axe.

[talrayne]

"This is a lightsaber. Not as..."

"Not as clumsy or inelegant as a blaster, I know. You're the third Jedi to tell me as such. The last one found out that a blaster can be just as elegant and precise as your glow stick. A blaster and a lightsaber are both weapons, and have one thing in common. If the user doesn't master it, it's nothing more than a cudgel," the bounty hunter said to the condescending survivor before them.

The Jedi, shortly out of adolescence, prepared for the blaster fire, raising their weapon in the familiar stance trained into them from the time of the clone wars. The first two blasts were deflected, barely.

One aimed at the head, one the torso.

The third one was aimed at the hands. It did not miss.

The hunter shot the lightsaber away before the young Jedi could move to retrieve it.

"A blaster can parry and disarm like any other weapon. Now come with me."

The hunter retrieved the lightsaber from beneath the crate it was knocked under and handcuffed the Jedi, escorting them to the ship. Inside the barely functioning jalopy they were locked into a cell, keys carried with the hunter as they went above deck. The Jedi searched for a way out, even using the force to grab a small bar and were trying to use it to pick the lock on the cell door when the hunter came back.

With barely a word, the Jedi was handcuffed and led outside.

The Jedi was anticipating an imperial vessel or a prison. Not the deserted, grassy moon before them. The hunter then shot a flare, scattering the small mammals. A minute later, a boulder shifted and a cloaked figure stepped out from beneath it.

"I'll take it from here. It's been some time since this youngling and I spoke."

The hunter nodded, releasing the astonished captive.

[talrayne]

I've read the writings about the good doctor Frankenstein, saw his "monster" first hand and followed news of the subsequent rampage. I've survived to the modern days of skyscrapers while both the doctor and his "child" expired in the Arctic. I feel, after the numerous depictions of the three of us that it's my time to put the event into words from my own experience.

My name is Igor, and this is my story as the doctor's first "child".

Yes, you read that right. Adam, the "monster" was not the first artificial life created by the doctor. Before Victor could convince himself that it was possible to animate dead flesh, before he decided to raid graves for raw materials, he needed a proof of concept. From his notes that I read of my creation, he utilized donor flesh that he grew from various sources before grafting them to one another. It was the difficulty of the fine work and the slow gestation process that made him choose a more... accelerated approach later.

I was raised in the university by him. Not as a subject, though he did keep meticulous records and performed tests, but he raised me as one does a child. I advanced rapidly compared to humans, but my maturity still took years. My form also still had, has, evidence of poor attachment. My famous hump for example and mismatched legs. It was determined to be a failure to account for different development styles of disparate lineages, genetics, combined with the long term effects of poor grafting techniques. My mind, however, was more capable than expected. Years later, I'd recognize that it was largely connected to the combination of Victor's tutelage and the neuron ratio compared to the rest of my body.

When Victor was able to refine his techniques and formulas and felt he was ready to make another small attempt, he was approached by an interested party. One with deep pockets promising a full laboratory and financing in return for a soldier. Specifically, an army. War was on the horizon and this lord saw potential. This meant an accelerated approach though. Victor and I worked for months. It wasn't until later we learned of the actual source of materials.

After the creation of Adam, the "monster", we learned the bodies we used came from fresh graves without consent and criminals imprisoned on false charges. While the doctor worked for the next several years tracking down Adam and evading his patron, I was able to learn the what happened in the first place. Victor suffered from a specific artistic issue where he would find perfect specimens but didn't realize that connected they failed to please the eye due to a lack of cohesiveness. The other issue that was discovered was that he failed to account for the time it takes for a brain to develop. A child's mind in a behemoth's body is a recipe for disaster.

I have no idea if Adam survived, but if he did, I hope he reads this. I would like to meet my "younger brother". After all, no matter the distance and feelings, over a long time, one tends to miss family.

[talrayne]

Potential idea for a TTRPG: players play as specific archetypes of RPG players.

Murderhobo: player who kills and causes messes "for the lolz"

Willing idiot: player who does dumb stuff in the game to move the plot along.

Scribe: player who always takes notes to keep track of the story.

Dumb name for this game?

Meta-gaming: the game.

[writing-prompt-s]

“Really?” The Dark Lord asked in disbelief, “This is the best the Chosen One can do? Screw it. If we’re doing this, we’re going to do this properly. I’ll train you.” 10 years later, your training is complete, but your time spent with the Dark Lord has given you some conflicting feelings.

[talrayne]

When I walked up to the enormous castle, the Dark Lord's guards all stood aside. They prophecy describing me, a young adult barely out of my teens, apparently had marked me enough to allow a duel with the being who had conquered the nation. The throne room was huge, a place a dragon could comfortably rest in and in the elaborate seat at the end was the Dark Lord themselves.

I readied my sword, a pitted old steel blade with a half-rotted wooden handle held together with brittle twine.

"I've come in the name of the prophecy to liberate my home from your evils!" I shouted.

The being stood, lifting their weapon: an morningstar, and approached.

As they walked, they never lifted their weapon. Only holding it to the side. I couldn't see their face under the hood but I heard their voice.

"You are the one sent to defeat me?" They asked in a genuinely curious tone.

"Y-yes. I was born under-"

"Born under a red star by the sea, yes, yes. Why aren't you equipped? Prepared? Are you even trained?"

"N-no. They sent me on my way to fight you. They said they were certain the gods would defend me."

It felt like the being before me simply stared.

"I will give you a single strike against me. If you're truly protected, I will die, or I may land a strike against you."

I said nothing as I cried, swinging the blade.

It cracked against the armor, and the handle fell apart in splinters. The figure raised their fist and punched me in the chest, throwing me to the floor.

I looked up in a panic, expecting the morningstar to fall upon me. Instead, the Dark Lord was bent over me, hand outstretched, offering to help me up.

I accepted.

"You weren't sent to defeat me. You were sent as a sacrifice. The prophecy was a lie to convince you to fight me while those who... armed... you hoped I would leave them alone. What they didn't know was that there is a prophecy. A real one. However, in order for you to fulfill it, you do need to kill me. I will train you. You will become powerful, and you will kill me."

It has been five years hence and I have indeed become strong. The day I fight the Dark Lord is approaching, but I doubt I can bring myself to kill them. They've treated me with more respect and honor from the day I met them than anyone had treated me before. I toiled in fields and ate scraps. Now I command a legion and protect others like me. This Dark Lord is no monster, but they remind me that I am destined to kill them. A duel is set in a month, but I cannot fight.

I fear that even if I try to spare my opponent, an accident will end them.

[talrayne]

The Replacement part 2

Part 1

The Replacement The figure looked around the library. It was late, about an hour before closing, and the only people in the building were t

It was morning and Sarah was still asleep. She told the Replacement on the walk home. The Replacement was still unaccustomed to things like name and gender. Apparently they were supposed to be a male by the name Glenn, not that they... he, could use that name. He started his breakfast thinking. Last night he had slept on the couch, but Sarah had still given him a place to stay. A studio apartment within walking distance to the campus. Her Face had been a college student before the Switch.

Glenn (until a new name was chosen) was concerned for a few reasons. The one that would be the conversation once Sarah woke up would be the debt between them. It had to be resolved quickly and precisely. Unlike human debts, it couldn't just be waved off as good will, nor "do this small thing and we'll call it even". It had to be paid equitably. The consequences of failure were... well known to all fae.

The other issue on his mind was this: he lied to her last night. He never attempted the Switch. He couldn't bring himself to. He couldn't tell her that though. She was to keep the Court informed and while she might be able to hide a wrinkle in the process in her dream, outright refusal of a fae to Switch was something else.

Sarah woke up as Glenn was cleaning the dishes he used.

"You ate?" She asked, a slight look of concern on her face.

"Yes. I didn't touch the other dishes. No need to complicate things."

The concerned expression fell. "Complicate further you mean. I appreciate it," she replied as she started making herself a breakfast of eggs and toast.

Glenn hesitated, having trouble asking the question he knew needed to be asked before beginning to speak and having to finish the sentence once started.

"What did the Court say?"

Sarah didn't respond at first, mixing the gooey egg and toast into a sort of messy breakfast sandwich.

"They said that for the night, you can count under the Guest clause, but any longer and you have to handle it like the humans do and 'pitch in' for rent, food, utilities, etc."

That was a relief. He had forgotten about the Guest clause. It was an old rule to streamline issues where one fae would take over a place for a single night in an effort to gain several favors.

"And... about the..."

"I didn't tell them," she replied, spearing a chunk of her "sandwich" and shoving it in her mouth.

"What? What do you.. why not?"

"Until we understand more, it's not a good idea to involve them. Now, we need to decide how to get you financially set up. I can't just give you the money to leave because then the exchange isn't equitable. Not to mention, humans here rely on their identification information, so while you have all of the information Glenn has, guards, called police here, will notice and have one of you arrested. Therefore, you can't simply move across the continent like you could a couple hundred years ago."

"What do I do then?" Glenn asked, realizing how difficult this would actually be.

"Fortunately for you, there's an obnoxious guy in the computer science department who believes I have feelings for him. He's eager to impress me, so I think he can place you in the system enough to make someone. I'll give him another task to do as well. That way, when he gets caught, you won't."

"You won't owe him a favor?"

"I'll buy him coffee. Based on his value preferences, it should count as equitable." She said dismissively.

Glenn was surprised.

"A new identity for a cup of hot bean water? That doesn't sound equal."

"It is for him, if only because I'm drinking one with him. If it's not, convincing a history major I know to be his friend should suffice."

Glenn started mentally tallying his debt. It was obvious he was going to be staying for a bit longer than he thought.

"Don't worry," Sarah said, seemingly reading his mind. "I'll start a spreadsheet to keep track. Humans love receipts so I'll be able to write down the total debt and we'll have you start paying me once you start working."

[talrayne]

The Replacement

The figure looked around the library. It was late, about an hour before closing, and the only people in the building were test crammers and the two librarians making sure vandals weren't causing trouble or using the computers for less... appropriate sites. The figure in question knew being in such a public place was risky, especially when their face might be recognized, but they had no place to go.

That's not right.

They had a place to go. It just wasn't theirs.

As they signed into the computer, they struggled for a bit. There was an ID they could use to sign in, but like Home, it wasn't theirs. They decided to use it anyway. Their life was a lie, a big one. This, though, was a small lie. Harmless even, right? A "little white lie"?

Regardless.

They went to work, as quickly as possible. They needed a place to stay. A place far from there. That required money though. Money could be aquired the way they were supposed to, but that was too big a lie. Too steep a slope. They needed a way to get money. Honest money, but not "honest".

Ah. This could work. A call center. Work from home. Those jobs are always around and it might be possible to avoid using The Face. Need a home though. Internet too. Still, an option.

The figure was so focused on their task they didn't notice the librarian until they spoke up.

"We're closing in ten minutes. Wrap up what you're doing and log out please," they said before walking away.

Soon after, the figure was outside in the cold snow. They were trying to figure out where to go when they saw them. Not the Original. It was the Replacement's friend. From the other side.

"What do you think you're doing?" They asked, knowing exactly who, and what, the Replacement really was.

"I... I.... I can't go through with it. I can't do it."

"What do you mean you can't? We can't exist without Them. Without being them."

"I just can't. I can't explain it either. It's a lie. A perpetual lie, and I can't lie. You know that."

The friend looked at the ground and shuffled their feet. A mannerism from their Face.

"I know you couldn't lie. Can't lie. But that's not how this works. You aren't lying, you're just becoming on of Them. It's not a lie, just... a new truth."

"It's a lie for me. Besides, I can't just... send them."

"Why not? It's not like you're killing them you know."

"It's not that. It's... I tried. It didn't work."

The friend just stared.

"What!?! What do you mean it 'didn't work'?"

"I walked up to them, cast the spell, got eye contact and... nothing. It was like they didn't see me either."

"You have their Face though. The other humans see you still though, right?"

"Yes. The Original doesn't though. I can't go through with the backup method though. I can't kill them."

"Well, what're you going to do then?"

"I don't know. I'm trying to figure out how to get out of here but I don't have money. I don't have anything. I don't even have a place to sleep."

The friend thought a moment. Not because they didn't have a solution. They did. It was the implications of helping.

"Fine. You can stay the night with me. We'll figure things out in the morning."

"Are you sure? How will we...?"

The friend cut them off.

"I said we'll figure it out in the morning. I know the problems, but I can't very well let you freeze to death out here either."

The issue concerning both of them as they walked to the apartment was this. No fae ever wants to be indebted to, or hold the debt, of another of their kind.

[writing-prompt-s]

After bitting a Fae, the Vampire claims that she must serve him, for his bite converted her into his thrall. The Fae claims that the Vampire must serve her, for the vampire ate fae food without her permission. As none of them is willing to give up, they bring the case to you, a lawyer.

[talrayne]

As a devil (not a demon, there is a distinction there) I've been called in for a wide variety of odd disputes to arbitrate. I once even had to represent an imp who was "blessed" before their destruction. Fortunately, I was able to argue that as heaven would have effectively been hell for my client, it was only appropriate to send them back home.

This case however would definitely be... taxing.

Clarification first. This was arbitration, not court. The difference is that, while I refer to law to aid in a decision, ultimately this is a decision, not a prosecution and my clients aren't sueing one-another for damages.

On to the... conflict in question. One party is a vampire who, upon a case of mistaken identity, drank the blood of the other party: a fae who was at the time disguised as a human. The vampire cited the magical law of vampirism that any subject from whom they drank a sufficient volume of blood, would be entered into indentured servitude to the vampire in question.

The fae responded that Seelie/Unseelie courts mandated that any who ate food created by the fae become servents of the fae who made said meal.

They chose me for arbitration due to my relative neutrality as I serve the infernal courts rather than either of my clients courts. It took some time and research, especially into the specific wordings of each law and subsequent caveats between them but I eventually found a method to solve the dispute.

Some background though. While the wording of the fae rule was "prepared", and while preparation of blood in the system is questionable, the vampiric binding was similarly unclear. Instead, I found that the best method to provide the two with a solution was fairly simple.

They were to be married.

Simply put, they were to be servants to one-another and to oversee equitable "servitude" the vampire's sire and the fae's court representative would check in to ensure they followed the ruling.

That was several years ago and from last I heard, the two have become quite fond of each other. They even invited me to their bicentennial anniversary.

[talrayne]

Misadventures of the Chemist pt 6

Okay, so a few updates. First one is that I'm officially a Hero! With a capital "H"! I'm not a Superhero, that normally requires powers. Apparently The Owl only got a pass because he helped start the Super Society. Heros have a weird tier system though. I'm low level, which means I have a large enough grant for a shinier... pseudo-meth lab.

At least I have a stipend for materials... and replacement parts. My... sidekick has finally been relegated to coffee duty because they aren't exactly the best in labs. I have been trying to teach them how to make some of the stuff, they just seem to have this "Tim Taylor" mentality where they just automatically think "This needs more power!"

Speaking of which, my status as a Hero can be upgraded. The next tier (there's three) requires that I have both a sidekick, and I need to defeat at least a city-wide threat. Normally a supervillain but any organized crime lord counts. Then I get a larger grant (I saw how much and it's... definitely a BIG step up), a larger stipend, and access to The Tailor. Yes that was capitalized. I'm assuming it's either a very prestigious tailor or a Super who specializes in cloth.

I haven't told my sidekick yet. You see, they take the same mentality that have with chemistry and they apply it to crime fighting. Not in the "whole city blocks get destroyed" way, but they seem to forget that we're both... well, human.

They also forget that our costumes are just that. Costumes. They nearly got stabbed or shot a few times. I've even started carrying a first aid kit. Fortunately, my sidekick (former crush. Not sure how I feel about them now really,) did do well in sports. They were a bit of an oddity in college in fact. They were on a couple of teams, and the sports they didn't play they did cheerleading. They just really enjoyed sports, and they've carried that over into being a sidekick. When they aren't punching people they're cheering me on.

Great motivation, but we also tend to lose the element of surprise. Last time I was just glad I had that flashbang vial with me. My sidekick is still confusing my coffee mug with chemistry glassware though. My own fault for getting the novelty mug though.

Oh, also they've decided on a sidekick name and... I'm not sure how good The Bond sounds. Especially when they kept calling themselves bondage.

In the meantime, I've picked up a part-time job. Stocking shelves at the local supermarket isn't fancy, but you'd be surprised what people talk about when you're a faceless worker.

[talrayne]

I am a mage. In a world of monsters, god's, knights, and magic, this wasn't such an unusual thing. I mean, there are colleges that teach the basics though most have issues maintaining students and staff due to accidents and incidents. What made me unique is that, despite having a high magic potential from my fey heritage (not elf, I'm half human but unsure of the other half,) I can't cast spells. Not normally anyway.

I couldn't cast anything for a good reason though. While I knew the theory, and could cast spells using scrolls others wrote (a normally impressive feat because you need to channel through someone else's work) I can't write spells myself. I have a disorder called dysgraphia, meaning that anything I write or draw comes out wrong. My hands can't properly translate my mind. One can see how that is an issue with magic that involves drawing sigils.

The point being, learning magic, when you can't cast it because you can't draw or write it, becomes an incredibly difficult process. I faced much derision and was mocked endlessly, even by the mages who nearly exploded.

"At least I'm able to cast a fireball" I'd hear someone fresh out of the burn ward laugh as I would walk by. I almost gave up. A few instructors wanted me to. They felt I was a waste of resources.

In fact, they ended up sending me to help out elsewhere whenever it was time for the practical examinations. They couldn't get rid of me because I excelled at the theory. I even invented a few spells. I just couldn't cast them. The change was when I started helping the blacksmith.

I might have been made fun of for practicing swordplay and smithing because it was a mage college, but logically it made sense. I would need to know how to defend myself and if I couldn't throw an ice spike or summon an elemental, I needed to know how to swing a weapon. Smithing was equally practical. I grew stronger than the other students, and could move freely in armor the way they couldn't, but that did nothing to keep them from seeing me as a wannabe caster.

Then I learned about how to add filigrees to the armor and weapons I made.

The designs blacksmiths add isn't done the same way they're done on paper. My instructor (the college smith hadn't intended on taking on an apprentice but enjoyed teaching me) used tools that they made themselves that could be used to hammer straight edges and curves into the steel. It didn't take me long to apply my studies to this.

My next practical exam I was prepared. The other students laughed at first when I came in, holding a shield and a claymore. They expected a simple spell to heat metal would put me in my place.

The first one, a loud, arrogant elf who was a noble's child made that very mistake. When they cast their spell, I simply raised my shield and watched as their magic was reflected back at them. Since then they've stopped wearing the ostentatious jewelry they enjoyed showing off, though the scars are still there. The second mage I was to duel thought to change tactics and summoned a demon. I responded with my sword, pointing it at the monster and channeling a bolt of lightning through it.

After the other students failed to disable me, the instructor, an older mage who acted jovially to the other students and thought of me as a waste, gave me a score in the median. They assumed I was using enchanted equipment and refused to admit they were wrong about me.

It took the instructors a long time to recognize that my equipment wasn't enchanted. They tried to have me disqualified, and when they couldn't use my weapons and armor they claimed it was simply attuned to me. They tried to have me expelled for cheating.

It was only when the headmaster was called in that anyone realized that my equipment was never enchanted in the first place.

You see, for something to be enchanted, it has to be infused with magic. It feeds off of that and ambient energy in order to do anything. My equipment was never infused in such a way. Strictly speaking, nothing I made was magic at all. Instead, my weapons and armor were used as my spell book and casting focus. The motions I used and practiced while learning swordplay were the somatic motions used to cast my spells. Verbal component to spells were developed differently. Those were cast with a specific ringing tone my equipment produced when I tapped it.

Now, I'm an instructor at that very same college. My classes are small, and the other teachers don't like me much, but every student I teach excels beyond their peers, and it's because every one of them has something that makes casting magic difficult or impossible. Some cannot draw, several can't speak. There are some who cannot visualize the process in their minds. I've helped every one of them find a way around and they all excel for the same reason I did.

We refused to have others tell us we can't.

[talrayne]

A Code Vein story part 4

The lab Sophie had set up was built with paranoia in mind. It was formed in a building that was surrounded by the caved in sewers and subterranean tunnels from the Great Collapse with makeshift blades fitted with draining apparatuses surrounding the rim, effectively dispersing any Lost who attempted to climb. The rest of the building was built like a bunker despite the fact that it was inside a crumbling office building. The only way in was a tunnel with an electronically sealed grate connected to the storm drain.

Inside, the lab equipment was fairly minimal as much of the glassware was difficult to scavenge since the collapse, and most of the materials went to defense first. Sophie was focusing intently on the distillation apparatus in front of her, empty blood beads scattered around her feet.

"Ignoring sleep again are you?" Four asked, causing Sophie to jump, narrowly avoiding hitting the glassware as she spun around to face the voice. An empty blood bead shattered underfoot, causing her to jump a second time.

"Why do I have to tell everyone not to sneak up on me?! This equipment is delicate and I can't replace it!" She cried. Four could still see the relief in her eyes though, along with the added redness that comes from insomnia.

"I apologize. Any progress on the thorns of judgment yet?"

"Very little I'm afraid. Aurora, Miss Valentino, she's helped point me in the right direction, but these things... well, there's really nothing like them. Wait, I'm getting distracted. I'm sure you aren't here just to check on my progress."

"You're right. I'm also investigating something. I'm not sure if you've heard, but a number of shelters have been attacked. The reports were concerning as it didn't sound like the normal Lost. While I was hunting it I saw how different it really was. It wasn't a horror either."

"Really? That's... intriguing to say the least."

"Worrying is more accurate. It... it looked like a cross between an ogre type lost and... a Hunter in Black."

"WHAT!?"

"It was equipped in the same armor and weapon style, and while it was at least as large as an ogre, it was built more solid. It's also more intelligent. It warned me against attacking it by basically threatening a group of survivors."

"I've heard of Lost who could keep from killing indiscriminately, but that's only for a short time after they frenzy. What you're describing is something entirely different. Though, a hunter in black? They should have been destroyed after Mido... unless..."

"The general and I both suspect it was one of his assistants. I know your feelings so you aren't suspect, but I was hoping you had an idea."

"I do, actually. Though not one of his... assistants exactly. You know where he found his... subjects, right?"

"I heard rumors..."

"Well, he regularly kept in touch with adoption centers. Namely ones with more children than morals. One of the adoptees were... equatable with his level of morality. While they were never formally educated, they were sharp. Sharp enough to go to an orphanage rather than prison if you catch my meaning."

"Mido wouldn't have made them a hunter?"

"No. Mido did that to the ones that failed to match his Darwinian philosophy, or refused to be controlled by him. No, the person I'm talking about was one of the few more valuable to him sentient."

[talrayne]

A Code Vein story part 3

Four navigated the crumbled wreckage of the inner city, wary of the Lost and striking any potential "sleepers" with their blood veil before they could wake. It was a common tactic that could catch the unwary off guard. Four had seen fellow soldiers during Operation Queenslayer killed by packs that used the tactic. When the revenants came back from dispersion , (it was rare for their hearts to see damage before they died) they'd be on edge for a long time. Typically until a dispersion robbed them of the memories.

Memories. That was what scared revenants the most. The primal fear of death was always there, and becoming the Lost from bloodthirst was close, but losing the memories of everyone you cared about? Not even being aware that you had those memories in the first place? That is a true loss of self, and almost all revenants knew the feeling first hand, and, aside from a few special cases, there's no recovery.

Those special cases were the successors. When the Queen was finally slain after she frenzied, as with the rest of the Lost, she wouldn't stay dead. The successors were volunteers, those who would accept parts of the Queen into themselves and allow themselves to be imprisoned until death. The First Successor, the Queenslayer, and the successor of the blood, was thought killed during Operation Queenslayer. They had been, but not permanently. They, with the help of their allies and an "Attendant of the Relics", were able to recover memories and restore them. Rescued a few of the other successors in the process.

The whole thing with the successors wasn't well known though. Only the higher-ups knew about the project. The reason Four knew was because there were two successors tasked with euthanizing successors on the verge of frenzy and finding "replacements". The successors of the eye and throat. However, even Gregorio Silva recognized the risk of free roaming successors should they, themselves, frenzy. As such, Four was tasked with watching them, ready to put them down should something happen. It's also why Four was unsurprised when they heard the name of the scientist they were meant to find. Sophie.

Sophie not only worked under Mido, but escaped him before she was turned into a hunter like the others. She never did stop studying the successors though. Her own research led her to meet the Queenslayer on a few occasions. Her lab could be found near the city center, close to the Cathedral of Sacred Blood, but far enough away from Mido's lab. He was gone, but her memories of him weren't.

[talrayne]

A Code Vein story part 2

As the sniper exited the tent, they heard a voice calling to them

"Four? Four! There you are! You're the one who saved us, right?"

It was one of the members of the group that just came in. They looked young and wirey, likely just out of their teens when they became a revenant.

"I got your name from the soldier at the gate, and I wanted to thank you," the young revenant explained.

"Not a problem. I was watching for something and I saw your group. We all need to remember our humanity somehow, right?"

"I suppose so. I don't really remember much. I know I died, but I also woke up about a month ago. The last thing I remember were the giant spikes coming out of the ground and a building collapsing. That group took me in, gave me a mask and explained to me what happened. We were fine for a while, but then that... thing... it attacked our shelter. It was big, and it just ate... everything."

This caught Fours attention.

"You said it was big and ate everything? How big exactly, and what did it look like?"

"About as big as a horse or a bit bigger. It ran on all fours and looked like it had a giant beak or something. Last I saw it was swarmed by those things everyone's been calling the Lost. It didn't look like it was doing very well against the giant thing with a hammer and boar head though."

A horror. Four remembered them. When the Gaol dropped before, a few must have gotten in. At least it was a small one, but it's presence was still worrying. Especially after seeing the one hunter.

Still, something felt off, but Four couldn't tell why.

"Is everything ok?" The young revenant asked.

"It's fine. I need to get to work on something though. Thanks for the information."

"Wait! I want to help! I know I'm not really a good fighter or anything, but I want to help in some way, just give me a chance!"

"No. The work I'm doing is far too dangerous. I don't want you turning to ash following me."

Four walked away before the revenant could protest. Before they left the tent, the general gave Four the information needed to find a specific person. She was one of Mido's assistants, but she escaped after she felt he had gone too far. She was still researching, but maybe she would have an idea on where to start.

[talrayne]

A Code Vein story

The figure lay prone on the top of the crumbling parking garage. A few of the Lost patrolled the levels below, but they weren't the ones the figure was hunting. If they got too close however, the traps would deter them for a while. That was the indication the figure used to determine when it was time to give up the hunt. They didn't enjoy turning in, but they've done so for the last few days already. One more fruitless day would be fine.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon of wreckage the figure, almost napping at that point from staring at the empty city, saw movement. Their grip on their bayonet rifle tightened as they focused their sight.

A false alarm. It was a small group of revenants. Looked to be civilians maybe. Hard to tell after the third generation. First generations consisted of soldiers, anyone to fight the horrors. Eventually though, as revenants became Lost and families suffered, a lot of people were resurrected. Even then, the years it took some people to "wake up" had a tendency to cause a sort of... chronological dissonance.

As the figure watched the (assumed) family, they saw another kind of movement. Shuffling, just inside the buildings.

Then they saw the horns. The figure watched a moment, weighing the options. If they helped the group, the gunfire could compromise their perch, or make their quarry change patterns. However, unless the group had someone who could fight with them, and the lack of weapons made that unlikely, then they could be torn apart by the Lost. Sure, a revenant won't stay dead, but if their hearts were damaged...

No more time to think. The Lost found them.

There were five Lost. Three basic humanoids and two hounds. A small group, but vicious nonetheless. Five shots of ichor were fired from the parking garage. A second later, five Lost dispersed, followed by a muttered curse. The group, witnessing only the result, ran, confused but grateful. A few moments later, the figure heard the expected explosion as the Lost came to investigate the sounds above.

Time to turn in.

The figure stood up to gather their equipment. More Lost would follow, but there were a few more traps, so the figure took their time.

As they knelt to pick up their bag of blood beads, more movement caught their eye. Curious, they lifted their scope to check.

It was the target.

It was huge, fifteen to twenty feet tall, stocky, and clad in black and gold armor. Like the reports said, despite the size, it didn't resemble the ogres, or snout-nosed Lost, but it was far too large to be one of Mido's "knights" either. It also held an axe, seemingly of the same material as the armor.

It was looking straight back, making eye contact through the scope.

The figure almost considered firing a shot, but they knew it wouldn't land. The monster could avoid it easily. It also glanced in the direction of the survivors, giving a look, as if to say "If you want them to live, don't try it."

Another explosion caused the sniper to glance back, and as soon as the bayonet was lowered, the armored creature was gone, without a trace.

Back at base, the rescued group was filing in just as the sniper arrived. They were struggling because, while Silva was gone, the levy system was still in place and they couldn't afford it. Without a word, the sniper handed them a few blood beads and walked away, the shocked family staring after them.

Inside the main tent, the general in charge of the shelter was reading a letter beside the map table.

"How goes the hunt?" The general asked the sniper, not looking up.

"I caught sight of it, but it saw me and escaped."

"What was it then? A new ogre type?"

"No. This was... different. I'm not certain it's a Lost."

The general looked up from the letter, a look of fear across their face.

"Four! Don't tell me it's a horror! I thought they were all dealt with!"

"I don't think so. While this was intelligent, it was equipped like the hunters in black. The size of it though seems to indicate it wasn't one of Mido's. Not to mention, this one seems to have a will of it's own. The survivors that came in just now, it used them to warn me against fighting it."

"A hunter in black... are you certain that that's how it was equipped?"

"Yes, general. It was the same black material and gold trim. Even the weapon, an axe to match it's owner's size, was designed like the weapons held by the hunters."

"Four. You know why this doesn't make sense. Mido's puppets required the queen's vestiges to exist, and after the events with the successor of the blood, the hunters were destroyed. Mido was killed as well. This can't be a hunter."

"If I may," the sniper, Four, offered.

"Please."

"I hypothesize that while this thing isn't a hunter, it is most likely related to them in some way. Possibly either a prototype, or someone continuing his work. If we can track down one of Mido's... surviving assistants, we may be able to determine more. However, while this would improve my ability to end this new threat, it could mean other shelters could be destroyed as I have no way of knowing how long my investigation would take. What course of action do you feel would be best?"

The general thought a moment, staring through the table rather than at it.

"The Cerberus knights aren't at their full strength yet, but anyone connected to Mido might run if someone in uniform shows up..." the general muttered to themself.

"I want you to investigate. If this is something created by one of Mido's underlings, we could end up with more. In the meantime, I'm going to try and consolidate the other shelters nearby. This place will get cramped, but I'd prefer that to waiting for the next place to fall while doing nothing."