revivalproject | Starting fires wherever they go (forward dated)

WHO: Kaz Brekker and Jonathan Sims
WHERE: The Library
WHAT: Kaz has questions about The Eye
WHEN: Right after Billy's hero city, June
WARNINGS: TBD? Talk of fear and or/dead bodies likely

It was quiet here again today, which would still be reminiscent of any other library except that this particular library had no books on the shelves.

When Kaz had found Jonathan here before, Jon had used some sort of verbal compulsion on him. Since then Kaz saw Jonathan's abilities intensify quite a bit. He'd even seen whatever magic Billy created fighting against a reality-warping eldritch power that might not seem to belong to Jonathan, it was definitely something he was a large part of him.

This time there was less silent wandering as Kaz sought Jonathan out on purpose. When Kaz did find him he folded his gloved hands atop his cane and looked at Jon intensely.

"I think we can dispense with the evasions as we both know you are capable of much more than making people tell the truth. So I'll start with something basic; what is your power coming from?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Kaz would beg to differ on the possibility of Jon impersonating humanity but he did not say that. Instead, he just kept those same sharks eyes and spoke with the same icy neutrality;

"You asked me once what I was doing. Here in Temba I'm talking to different people and finding out what powers they have. Some are only useful to them, but some can be useful to others. My end goal is to find some way to escape this trap - but I suspect the same is true for many people here. The difference with me is I am doing all that I can to learn about every power I encounter."

Kaz pointedly looked Jonathan over.

"Yours is the first power I've seen that can change the reality around you. While you dislike me, and I dislike you, if you don't know what you would do with that power, then show me where it comes from. Even if it takes time to learn it, I'll find a way for it to be of use."

"You have no idea what you are talking about." The Archivist replies grimly, his voice remaining even. "I know my powers. I understand them. How to use them and what they are capable of. I also know the cost they came with. The misery and dread I caused. I know my guilt." He falls silent for a moment, glowing eyes on Kaz. When he speaks again, his voice is once again laced with that same distortion that had carried it while they were all stuck in that altered reality Billy had created.

"Î̧̞ ̧̘ͮẹ̆͝n̘̔͢ḋ͏͈e͕ͭ͢d̲͛͠ ̡͉ͣm͇̒͞y̖̏͝ ́͏̭w͈͋͝ọͯ́r̡̪̉l̗̍͝ḏ̛̓.̰͂͢" The distortion fades from Jon's voice again, slowly. "Not willingly, but- It remains my fault. I doomed every living being on my planet to an eternity stuck in their worst nightmares. Not even death was an escape." A long, hard look is placed upon Kaz. "If you believe to know better how to use these powers, then you are wrong. They will destroy your mind and leave you a torn wreck. Fortunately there is no way for you to acquire them in the first place."

Kaz had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. But it was a near thing. Honestly though, how dramatic could you get? It would be rather counterproductive to destroy his own world in trying to get home to it.

"It's not your powers I'm after, especially ones that leave anyone in an eternity of torment. I want to know what your powers come from. Where does it all start?"

It wasn't that Kaz thought he could do better, or even better than just Jon was doing, or that he would choose to have powers at all. The only thing he's determined to do is to find out where the power to shape reality starts?

It's Jon's turn to roll his eyes. "We all wish to only acquire the advantages with none of the repercussions. But that's not how these things work. There is always a price." For anything. And if Kaz believes that he is getting any more information through rudeness alone, he is, yet again, very wrong.

Jon turns his attention away from his visitor. "You have overstayed your welcome here, Mr Brekker. Good day."

"I'm willing to pay whatever price I have to if it means those that are trapped here can get out."

Now Kaz was getting honestly irritated. It's not as if he has anything he could use as leverage and it was hard enough to rein in his consistent disgust for Jonathan. If Jon wanted less rudeness Kaz wouldn't be able to muster it up. This is the best he could do under the circumstances.

"Since your throwing me out, I'll let you know now that I'll be back tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that. No matter where you go, I'll find a way to be there. Unless someone else can change reality, you're my only lead. So as long as we're trapped here I've got nothing better to do than be your personal shadow."

With time and patience Kaz would be able to find more; friends, loved ones, hobbies. Anything.

Starting fires wherever they go (forward dated)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject