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Post by Kodaka on Jun 16, 2022 8:52:39 GMT -6
Part One
One year ago...
A spark of fleeting light brightened the night and bathed its immediate area like a snapshot, before the dark flooded back in and swallowed it back up again. It was a metaphor for Daniel Hawthorne’s state of mind. Though it was nothing short of a miracle he survived the inferno his family perished in only two years prior, the last Hawthorne knew didn’t deserve to be called such a thing. It wasn't a blessing from the powers above, at best it was sheer luck that his body was able to withstand the blaze compared to that of normal folk, being that he was a pyromancer. It was his natural affinity to manipulate fire that kept the flames mostly at bay from his flesh, though he was still only mortal and hardly fireproof . Oh how he resented his so-called ‘gift’. It was more of a curse, Daniel said time and time again. He told himself that he should have perished in that fire, he didn't deserve to continue--
“Focus, Daniel.”
The voice came as a low growl right across from him. Daniel looked up and could make out the vague outline of a large man. He then returned his gaze to the small metal object he clasped in his hand. With a flick of his thumb, he opened the tiny box and the same spark flashed and revealed the contours of his tired and weathered face. What would have been swallowed by the night only grew in intensity as a small string of flame belched from the open mechanism in Daniel’s hand and bent to his will. It seemed to follow his gaze as the stream snaked through the air, gravity be damned. He looked into the opening between himself and the man across from him, and the flame darted into the earth and a campfire suddenly roared to life.
“There ya go,” the voice chuckled this time, but now Daniel was able to see the man directing him. The fire crackled and snapped as it ate into the dry lumber that was arranged within a small circle of stones, a typical campfire.The light that it produced chased some of the night away and highlighted the man’s most prominent features. The Nephilim man he had come to know as Kodaka was strange company to keep indeed. Even with the limited light he could make out the man’s burnished horns that stuck out from his nest of messy hair. He sat atop a fallen log, his elbows resting on his knees as he leaned toward the fire. Orange light danced across his face as he scrutinized Daniel with deep ocean eyes, a small smile pulled at the ends of his lips. Daniel felt a pang of agitation as their eyes met across the fire and it crackled as cinders floated up only to dissolve away.
“Did you just use me as a fire-starter, Kodaka?” Daniel inquired with venom in his voice. He already didn’t fancy his pyromancies to start with and this man had the gaul to sit there and mock him.
“Gotta start somewhere,” Kodaka admitted with a shrug. “Contrary to your beliefs, your power over fire isn’t all bad, Daniel.” Daniel rolled his evergreen eyes at him, snapped shut the lighter he was still holding onto, and shoved it back into his pants pocket. After much coaxing and persuasion, this was the second day Kodaka had been giving him small, menial tasks to rekindle both his pyromancies and his will to revisit that part of himself. Until now, Daniel was long convinced that his powers caused only destruction and death and that he would never again use them. It had been a year since he made that vow, a year since he lost everything he knew, and a year spent healing on the inside and out.
While he healed better than even Kodaka expected, Daniel had a feeling he’d never fully recover. He was thankful he no longer needed his mask to help him breathe anymore, though he made sure to always wear it when he was out in public. It was easier to tell people he needed it for his past breathing problem, but he was reminded of the real reason why he hid behind it whenever he looked in a mirror. For now however, Mr. Hawthorne opted take a break from the grim gas mask as they were far from civilization. Kodaka wouldn’t dare say it, but Daniel looked much worse for wear only a short time ago compared to now.
What sat across from Kodaka was a bald, gaunt-faced man. Even in the lowlight of their campfire, he could tell his pigment was a dull grey against the dark blue of the night. The light highlighted the contours and shadows of his face and together they created a haunting looking shell of a man, dressed in his best slacks and suit. What was the most striking however were his brilliant green eyes that drew the eye away from the grim cadaver of a man. His gaze was normally sad but Kodaka had managed to get quite a glare out of him.
“Don’t push me, merc, or I might do something rash,” he said threateningly. The Nephilim seemed to realize how close he sat in front of the fire and shifted away as nonchalantly as he could. He frowned and stared hard at Daniel.
“Then you’ll have no one. You think you’re alone now? You ain’t seen nothing yet, kid.”
“You’re alone by choice. You’re a sellsword with an allegiance to no one but yourself!” Daniel hissed and pointed a finger. Kodaka crossed his arms.
“That makes me a free man, Daniel. Hells, you’re a free man yourself.”
Daniel’s anger seemed to fade and his demeanor diminished. “I… I’m a dead man.”
Kodaka shifted on his log and the wood groaned under his weight as he slid to sit on the ground and used it to lean on. “Only to the folks you *want* to think you’re dead. Honestly you’re in the best position if ya really want to go after you-know-who.”
Daniel looked away and shook his head slowly, “I don’t even know where to start…”
Kodaka raised a brow at the man and gestured toward the fire they huddled around. “We start by you mastering this.” The man raised his hand and made a throwing motion into the night away. “Soon you’ll be flinging fireballs and manipulating your element in ways sorcerers and mages can only dream of.”
Daniel watched as Kodaka got up to hurl imaginary fireballs into the night. “But how? Do you mean to teach me something you can’t do yourself?”
Kodaka stopped to stretch, no doubt feeling a little restless from sitting for so long. “I can teach you ways to discipline yourself and how to not overextend yourself. It’ll help, but the rest will be up to you.” Daniel looked unconvinced. He placed his elbows on his knees and rested his chin upon his open palms.
“There must be a way… Perhaps we could find another pyromancer somewhere?”
“Nah,” Kodaka shook his head. “Those are nearly as rare to find as dragons these days.”
“And I suppose asking around town… might be a bit suspicious?” Daniel tapped his chin thoughtfully.
“Aye. Sounds like ya need another Hawthorne or something,” grunted the Nephilim jokingly. The joke however was lost on Daniel when he had the sharpest of epiphanies.
“That’s… a brilliant idea actually, Koda."
“Huh?”
Daniel decided he was also tired of sitting as he stood up and began pacing around the fire, his mind racing as his hands clasped behind his back. “The Hawthorne name runs deep, and I remember my hometown had an archive of sorts, think... There’s got to be *something* mentioning pyromancy in there. Daniel spoke quickly, looking more excited than he’s been in awhile. Kodaka grinned.
“Worth a shot,” Kodaka acknowledged as he crossed his arms and gave Daniel a thoughtful glance. “But how do we get in? Pretty sure they wouldn’t let a seven-foot Nephilim and some guy in a gasmask access all that sensitive stuff,” Kodaka said with a shrug.
“You leave that to me, dear Nephilim,” Daniel said while adjusting his cuff and a wry smile. “I am a Hawthorne after all.”
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Post by Kodaka on Jun 23, 2022 17:47:08 GMT -6
Part Two
It took the better half of the next day but together Daniel and Kodaka concocted a rather simple plan to return to Arendale, Daniel’s old stomping grounds and nearest town to what remained of the Hawthornes’ residence. At first Daniel planned an elaborate disguise that hid his face while still making him appear human, but Kodaka shot that down and suggested a simple face mask and hood, of which the mercenary already had several spares of.
“Let’s not make this complicated,” the Nephilim chided, “You’re a mage from an esteemed family doing magical research and I’m your bodyguard.” Daniel looked him over incredulously and tried to read Kodaka’s exact motives. Was the plan really just that simple? A hundred scenarios ran through his head where things could go very wrong if they didn’t plan accordingly. Kodaka seemed to read his expression and he inclined his head at the shorter man. “Daniel, I’ve been doing this kind of shit for years. I’ve all but mastered the art of improvisation, as long as we’re on the same page about a couple things we’ll be as inconspicuous as possible. I promise.”
Daniel looked away and was silent for a number of seconds before he returned his gaze to Kodaka. “This… might sound ridiculous but…” His words trailed off and the man mumbled something. The Nephilim gestured at him with palms facing up to indicate he didn’t follow.
“Huh?”
“How.. recognizable am I? To people I might know in town I mean…”
They stared at each other for a small while. Daniel grew up while visiting Arendale with his mother on the daily. No doubt there were townsfolk he’d grown close to over the years and under normal circumstances, several of them would more than likely know he was a Hawthorne. Kodaka scrutinized the man cautiously and shook his head. “As long as you’re not in that suit or your father’s hat… I don’t think you’ll be recognized, Daniel.”
It was a hard pill to swallow, that was sure. Daniel knew the answer he was going to get but a part of him was relieved to hear an answer outside his inner thoughts. He nodded slowly and released a long sigh, like a small weight had just left him. “Very well. Let us get on with it then.”
* * *
Arendale was a bustling town, so full of life that it was considered a small city to most. Past the iron gates was the town’s busy marketplace, where vendors exchanged their ware for coin or bartered with other goods. Everyone walked the streets with a purpose, dressed down to the most humble servant and up to the most esteemed noble. Even the guards seemed friendly enough, often found conversing with the locals as often as their peers. Most hardly gave the newcomers a second glance, those that did gave Kodaka a wide enough berth as they strolled nonchalantly on, making sure to smile at them as they did.
While there were folks of all sorts going about their business throughout their day-to-day lives, one thing seemed certain to Kodaka: there weren’t a lot of people who looked like the strange duo. Kodaka glanced down at Daniel as the younger man led the way through the streets and felt at least a little better that he abided by Kodaka’s suggestion and borrowed one of his spare cloaks. After some last minute alterations the cloth fit comfortably enough around Daniel’s shoulders and most importantly, the hood shadowed a significant part of the man’s face.
It was midday by the time they arrived, having taken a route that specifically avoided the remnants of the Hawthorne estate. Neither of them wanted to find out if it had been cleared away or left as a memorial by the locals. On one hand it was probably painful for Daniel to be here again but on the other it felt as though they’d have to return eventually to uncover Daniel’s family secrets. Assuming of course that the secrets didn’t burn down with the rest of the Hawthorne household.
The two were mostly quiet as they trekked the cobblestone streets, Daniel informing him when they were about to turn onto the next street every few blocks. Kodaka was impressed by Daniel’s memory of the town and it would appear he’d underestimated how often the lad visited the town as a child. This made Daniel’s disguise all the more important. The town’s denizens recognizing Daniel should be avoided, but it wouldn’t mark the end of their advantage against Eidolon Company if the folks were agreeable enough. What worried Kodaka the most were agents of Eidolon being among the citizenry.
The notion was kind of ridiculous when Kodaka looked at it the surface of the possibility. William Hawthorne was dead, and as far as anyone besides himself and Daniel knew, the Hawthorne family had perished in the fire. As Kodaka’s mind continued down that rabbit hole, there were things that bothered him the more he considered them. These were things that he decided not to bring up with Daniel even when the opportunity presented itself. Once again he found himself thinking about the time they returned to Hawthorne Mansion.
He told Daniel his mother and fiancé’s remains must have perished in the extreme heat of the fire, but what if they were recovered before Kodaka and Daniel went to investigate? The two excavated only a fraction of the rubble, the bodies could have been anywhere in that mess. Had they not been worried about being caught by the town’s authorities or any onlookers, they would have had much more time. Eidolon would have had ample time to comb the wreckage, remove the remains, then realize they were missing a person: Daniel Hawthorne. Come to think of it Eidolon could have considered Kodaka himself a loose end in all of this as he was friends with William after all. Hells, a lot of the mercenaries and bounty hunters ended up sharing drinks with the old man at some point. When Eidolon disposed of William, things in that black market were even more secretive and silent, but did this mean he was the only one being cut-off? Maybe they were in more danger than Kodaka originally figured.
The hooded Nephilim almost bumped into Daniel as they rounded a corner and the man stopped in his tracks. Daniel turned to regard him in irritation as he whispered, “I said we’re here.”
Kodaka looked up at the tall building that stood opposite them across the street. The archive was unremarkable in most regards as it looked like most any other building in the town. Maybe it had a few less windows and was wider than it was tall, no doubt so it could host a wide range of light-sensitive materials in the form of tomes and scrolls. “Looks like we could be here awhile,” he observed.
“Not necessarily,” Daniel said, “unless you wanted to look at anything else?”
“Nope, we get what you’re looking for and we get out.”
“Very well. Just stay by me, please.”
Kodaka gave Daniel an affirmative nod and wondered if he could somehow read how the mercenary felt. He couldn’t help but shake it now, but a feeling of ill-at-ease seemed to hang over the both of them. The feeling of being watched, the feeling of going straight into a trap were all sensations Kodaka had felt during his career. This wasn’t going to be an easy task.
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Post by Kodaka on Jun 28, 2022 20:57:11 GMT -6
Part Three
The twin oak doors of the archive were heavier than Daniel gave them credit as he heaved them open. They creaked in protest but gave way, allowing him and Kodaka to step inside and onto the dusty stone floor. As his larger companion closed the doors shut, not before peering callously out onto the street, Daniel beheld the grandiose and mystery of the grand archives. They stood a stone’s throw away from a long wooden reception desk and their immediate area seemed to be more of a common area meant for study, rectangular tables stood neatly at their sides, spread apart in two neat rows and accompanied by comfortable-looking chairs. Though a short wood paneled wall no taller than Daniel was placed to separate the lobby, the high ceiling gave way to shelves that were stories tall and went on in multiple rows and aisles until they disappeared into darkness.
That was the other thing about the archives: The lobby was lit warmly by candles and lanterns alike but the surrounding labyrinth was purposefully kept darker to keep the ancient tomes and artifacts from being damaged by the sunlight. Kodaka joined him at his side and gave the archive before them a quick once-over and shook his head. “Yup, knew I wasn’t gonna like this.”
Daniel couldn’t blame the mercenary for being cautious, but Daniel wasn’t letting something like a little darkness deter them. Maybe the Nephilim had a reason to worry as he looked toward the darker corners but Daniel was confident they’d be out before sundown when it really got dark. “Hush. Once the archivists receive us, its as simple as finding the right section and and isle number.” He noted that their voices, though lowered so that no one nearby could hear them, actually carried on for further than he would’ve liked. They’d have to be careful what they say from here on.
Mr. Hawthorne stepped toward the reception desk where a little old woman sat with her face in a book that looked even older than she was. Daniel couldn’t tell how tall she was from behind the counter, but she appeared to be sitting rather comfortably. The wrinkles in her forehead multiplied when she looked up and raised her brow, her tome closed with a muffled snap.
“Good afternoon,” she said with a small smile scrounging up her chapped lips, “what can I help you gentlemen with?”
Daniel hesitated, a little put-off that the woman looked the least bit bothered by their appearances. She was either at the age where she didn’t care or her eyesight wasn’t what it used to be, even with her spectacles that magnified her eyes to a near-comical size. Then, “yes, good afternoon! I am Richard Dunehoff, and this is my bodyguard, Dez and we are here in the hopes of garnering research.” Behind him he could almost hear Dez sniggering under his breath and it took Richard every fiber of his being to not elbow the man in the ribs. What also annoyed him was he specifically remembered Kodaka was going to handle the talking since he was a so-called ‘master of improvisation.’ Was the mercenary still testing him?
“Well dear, you’ve come to the right place,” chimed the woman, “I’m Gretchen a curator here, and if you can’t find whatever you’re looking for here then I daresay you won’t find it anywhere.”
“Ah well then we’ve come to the right place,” Richard cleared his throat and leaned forward a little, careful not to reveal too much of his hooded face. “To be specific, I’m looking for tomes about pyromancy. More specifically, perhaps anything regarding the Hawthornes?”
Gretchen’s eyes widened even more than what her glasses could do and she let out a soft raspy gasp. “The Hawthornes,” she repeated and she looked past him and Kodaka for a second as she processed something. She returned her attention toward them again “Oh yes… did you know them?”
“Well no,” Daniel or rather, Richard, said, “but I heard they resided near here, so what better place for my research?”
Gretchen shook her said sadly, “Their’s is a tragic tale. They do have a collection donated by past Hawthornes, including the late William, but it’s under lock and key and isn’t available to the public I’m afraid.”
“Ah, I see…” Richard gave his best disappointed tone, even though he felt a pang of excitement in the back of his mind. He had an entire familial collection to look through! No doubt there had to be mentions of pyromancy within!
“Buuuut we do have some collections based around the Primal Arts. I would think Pyromancy would be a series somewhere in that row. One moment please!”
Gretchen turned around and scuffled over to a stack of old filing cabinets behind the desk which spanned the entire back wall of the lobby behind the desk. With a heave she pulled one open and rifled though its contents. She muttered something after coming up with nothing, then opened another drawer and fingered though the tiny cards before exclaiming, “aha!”
She scribbled onto a nearby piece of parchment, returned the ink pen to its perch on her ear and carefully scuttled to a cabinet under the desk. She returned to Richard and Dez and placed a hand-written note and an oil lantern. “Here’s the isle and section number for Primal Arts, and a lamp for your convenience. Please do be careful with it, we won’t be getting the glowstone lanterns until next week I’m afraid.” She let out a weary sigh, “its about time too! I’d been sending out requests for those for quite some time now.”
Richard thanked her and took the slip of paper while Dez lifted the lantern. They then followed her toward a small wooden gate built into the side of the lobby which she unlocked with her set of master keys. He glanced over at Dez who was eyeing Gretchen and her keys as if he wanted to try something. He seemed to catch Richard’s look however and remained where he was. They parted ways with the archivist as the gate clicked the shut behind them and began their descent into the archives.
Daniel peered down at the piece of parchment clutched in his hand and read out loud for Kodaka behind him to hear, “Primal Arts Fonds: Section 12, row 47.”
“This place is even bigger on the inside,” observed Kodaka.
Daniel looked up and stopped to admire their surroundings. The lobby was a ways behind them by now as they navigated through the wide open main room. At both their sides were the story-tall shelves whose rows ended in shadow. Many shelves had sealed boxes of all sorts and others were the homes of books as tall as a man’s torso. Were these different circumstances, Daniel would have loved to dive into the well of information housed all around him. About a hundred meters ahead of them was a grand staircase that led to the second floor, the bottom steps bathed in lantern light. Were it not for the waning daylight outside, the place would have been almost completely dark. Kodaka eyed the dark corners suspiciously and said, “so the familial archive, where is it?”
“Second floor most likely,” Daniel turned back toward the cozy-looking lobby. It looked even more inviting now that there were in the middle of the dark archive. “Think she’s watching us?”
“I ain’t worried about her watching us,” Kodaka said dismissively and motioned for them to continue on. “You got the thing, right?”
Daniel joined him at his side, their footsteps in synch. “Of course,” he said and produced an old brass key from his back pocket.
Kodaka and Daniel walked passed row after identical row of shelves and Daniel marveled at how quiet and empty the place felt. Kodaka grumbled something to himself and switched the lantern on, then he immediately turned and stared down one of the rows of books. Daniel paused next to him and looked from the Nephilim to the alleyway he was scrutinizing. The light did not provide them with much and it seemed to make the shadows beyond it darker still. Whatever Kodaka could have been trying to make out was still guised in shadow if indeed there was anything there at all.
“Koda?”
“Yeah,” he sniffed and continued onward, holding the lantern a little at his side, “lets keep going. We’ll find that pyromancy stuff Gretchen mentioned, then we’ll go do the other thing.” Daniel understood why he was being so cryptic now, because that was when he felt it. As Daniel returned to Kodaka’s side he had the distinct feeling of being observed. The feeling was faint at first but with each step and each casual glance down a dark aisle, Daniel knew they weren’t alone here.
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Post by Kodaka on Jul 11, 2022 8:57:53 GMT -6
Part Four The lantern had soon proved to be a pretty ineffectual light source for Kodaka and Daniel as they trekked through the archives, the dark seeming to grow thicker around them like a black fog with every step of the way. Kodaka cast a suspicious look toward one of their sides in search of a window only to realize they hadn’t walked past one for several moments. It all felt wrong to the Nephilim, his instincts were practically screaming at him that this was a set-up. He took a deep breath through his nostrils and a sigh escaped his barely-parted lips. For now, he’d remain calm and collected. No one around for miles had any reason to attack him or Daniel, so what could there be to worry over?
“Here we are,” Daniel’s quiet voice broke the nearly silent pathway where the only other sound was their echoing footsteps. Kodaka was both grateful and weary that as far as he could tell he only heard two pairs of footfalls, his own and Daniel’s. They stopped at the entrance to yet another aisle and Kodaka raised the lantern by the rickety handle. The words, barely illuminated, read ‘Primal Arts Fonds’. The mercenary opted to go first down the aisle, dully noting the cube-shaped shelves that housed countless boxes, no doubt each of them containing files and records pertaining to a primal art of some sort. He brightened their light source with a simple turn of its clockwork nozzle at the base of the lantern and was rewarded with a few extra inches of light.
“Pyromancy, pyromancy…” Kodaka heard Daniel whisper behind him and turned to watch the man skim past the shelves with a careful hand. “Ah here’s something.” He pointed at a filing box just above his head labeled “Origins of the Primal Arts: Pyromancy.” Kodaka cast it with a doubtful expression before handing Daniel the lantern so he could dislodge the box from its home. He placed the box gently on the floor and held the lantern over Daniel’s head so he could quickly browse through the files. “Many of these seem to be… journals of some sort,” Daniel said as he paged through them. “It’s like the people who discovered their powers… didn’t know what to make of it. Or what to call it.” He trailed off and read a passage from one of the old leather bound books. “Fascinating,” he muttered, “this one includes diagrams of different… pyromancy stances? It’s like… its like a dance form.”
“Anything useful?” Kodaka asked.
“Hmm, maybe…”
“Good,” he reached for his pack, flipped it open with a single hand and motioned for Daniel to toss the journal inside.
“Are you mad?” Daniel said, mouth agape as if the thought of stealing never crossed his mind. And here Kodaka thought they were at an understanding they were on the same page, until he locked eyes with the innocent young man seatedt
on the floor surrounded by files and books. Ancestors, this kid was still so naive.
“We’re burning light here, Daniel. Don’t have the time to look through everything.”
“But to do that?” He leaned toward Kodaka and lowered his voice to a hoarse whisper, “to steal?”
“We don’t the luxury to be moral,” Kodaka said with a stony face and a stern voice. “Besides, we can always return the stuff later.” He may have given Daniel the ghost of a smile, but he was totally serious.
Daniel looked absolutely incredulous. He sighed and wordlessly dropped the journal gently into the bag. Kodaka inched the opening closer and inclined his head as if waiting for more. Daniel shot him a look that he could see clear as day even under the lantern light, then the man carefully dropped a few extra field resources inside the bag. “I feel sick,” he whispered hoarsely.
“You get used to it.”
Daniel had a lot to learn, Kodaka mused. If the kid wanted his help, he’d have to listen. Daniel’s father was a hard man, shaped by the criminal underbelly he worked for and if Daniel really wanted to hunt down such shadowy organizations like Eidolon Company he would have to get strong and get the jump on them before they find out he’s still alive and after them. For all he knew it was already too late for that so time was of the essence.
The duo returned to the main walkway between the two rows of shelves and faced the mountainous grand staircase now only a stone’s throw away. Kodaka and Daniel peered at each other, nodded, and started the urgent ascent. The stone stairwell was tall and steep and Kodaka could tell right away it would be difficult to traverse them going down if they were in a hurry. As they walked further and further up, Kodaka could better make out the large heavy doors and the landing that closed off the second floor of the archives. The Nephilim’s eyes narrowed and he wondered if Daniel’s key would also work for this current predicament and when he brought the question to the young Hawthorne, the man fingered his pocket with uncertainty.
“I’m not sure,” he said. “But we came all this way-“
“-I got it,” Kodaka stormed up to the top of the staircase and just as Daniel made it to the landing, the mercenary was already knelt down in front of the doors and fiddling with the locking mechanism. In a flash Daniel was at his side but before he could make a fuss of things, Kodaka gestured behind them with a thumb without looking up from his work. “watch my back.”
Kodaka was mediocre at worst and exceptional at best with a lot of trades that had to do with his line of work. He could patch himself up if he got nicked bad enough, he could fight well with an arsenal of weapons, and he even knew a few martial arts. What he’s rarely had to do was pick a lock and he wasn’t nearly as adept at such a delicate art. The lockpick itself was just a glorified hairpin and he had a fistful in one of his many pockets that ached to be used and broken-in, and he was certain he would wind up breaking more than a couple.
The snap of a broken pick was enough to set him more on edge than ever since it was the only sound in the whole damned archive. By the third snap he thought he felt Daniel turn and give him a look, but Kodaka was determined and pretended not to notice. He instead focused on the task at hand.
This would’ve been so much easier if it was just a padlock because then he could, with some effort, break the lock right off. Kodaka stopped, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and placed an ear on the door’s surface. He fiddled lockpick number four now between the inner workings and his one free hand grasped around the doorknob, ready to push it open as soon as he heard the telltale successful click. Finally as if his silent prayers to his ancestors had worked, he heard an audible click and without missing a beat Kodaka turned the door handle and pushed to open the way.
Daniel followed him inside and together they shut the doors to seal themselves inside. Kodaka wiped his brow and was surprised to find himself sweating. “Alright well, hope I don’t ever have to do that again,” he grunted. Daniel didn’t answer right away and Kodaka turned to see the man with his back pressed against the double doors as if bracing them shut. “You alright? Ya see anything down there?” It was the first time Kodaka looked visibly worried since the start of their venture..
“We… we should keep going,” Daniel finally said and slowly stood up, his back sliding up the door. “And Kodaka,” he approached the Nephilim slowly and deliberately as if too afraid to make too much noise. “We should find another way out of here.” Kodaka nodded and crossed his arms, looking past Daniel at the door. He sighed quietly and returned his icy eyes to the younger man in front of him. Kodaka didn’t want to have to do this but they had no choice now. The nephilim focused his mind and sent out a mental ping that traveled on the a personal connection with another party or in this case, another creature. It didn’t take long for a familiar presence to react and send an affirmation. There were no words needed here.
Kodaka spared Daniel a side glance before walking into the direction of another wide passage way with shelves on both sides. “Nightfire will come. Let’s grab this shit and be ready.”
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Post by Kodaka on Jul 25, 2022 21:27:53 GMT -6
Part Five Sundown was the perfect time for a flight. The bright yellow orb in the sky had begun its descent where the sky met the earth and had dulled to a burning orange as it sank lower and lower like a dying fire. The warm shadows chased it away slowly but surely as the darker shadows hung back and enveloped the faraway sky and the land below. It was that time of evening where all of Nightfire’s favorite colors were present, the lingering orange of the sun, the warm grays and the deep blue shadows of nightfall all observable at once. It was even more spectacular above the blanketed layer of clouds, which is where the young dragon had chosen to stay for the time being. Leagues below him and his nebulous cover, a city of two-legged folk was nestled into the landscape.
Nightfire had the best nighttime camouflage around. His scales were as black as the hour of midnight and each twinkled like thousands of perfectly-cut onyx stones when under certain light. To any onlookers from the ground below, he might look like a mass of falling stars or a meteor shower. His underbelly was plated in washed out grey that gleamed like iron armor. From the back of his crowned cranium of his spade-shaped head were a single pair of horns that matched the color of his underside. The dragon was an impressive sight as any of his kin, though he would be completely monochromatic in color had his eyes not been as red as wine.
Those ruby eyes cast the city leagues below him with a curious gaze as he lazily circled the perimeter. Somewhere in that town his two friends were out and about uncovering coveted secrets of a primal art as old as time itself. He hoped they would find what they were looking for without trouble, though Nightfire knew the Nephilim Kodaka well enough that was only possible in only a clawful of situations. Nightfire was a fair judge however and deemed that both Mister Hawthorne and Kodaka together was practically a sure fire way to stir up unwanted attention. Why couldn’t the two of them be more like Nightfire? The dragon knew when to make his presence known or not. Although, when he gave it more thought, that was probably easier to do since he could fly and his friends -sadly- could not.
As if right on cue, a familiar presence tugged at his consciousness. The dragon tensed when he could briefly feel it’s thoughts and emotions until a string of words entered Nightfire’s mind. ‘Archive rooftop. Be ready. We are being tailed.’ It was Kodaka. The Nephilim man allowed just enough mental contact for Nightfire to pinpoint where he was below, then he severed the link like a sword cutting thread. It was urgent, that much was for certain. The dragon was both excited and a little nervous for his companions as he banked toward the town in a silent descent.
* * *
Without much more dawdling, both Kodaka and Daniel silently agreed to find the Hawthorne section and make an exit as discreetly as possible. Since they were mostly sealed in the second floor of these dark archives they believed they were safe from whatever or whoever was following them. And there was something following them, Daniel had all but confirmed it with Kodaka when they sealed themselves in.
“While you were busy with the door,” Daniel explained in a hoarse whisper. “I saw it.” He recounted to Kodaka when his eyes had finally begun adjust to the lighting or the lack-there-of, he saw a tall figure of a man peeking out from behind one of the rows of shelves, half its form out in the main walkway they had just traversed.
It was tall and lanky, almost as tall as Kodaka and definitely taller than Daniel. The figure appeared malnourished to the point where it was skeletal in form. That was a disturbing enough thing to the likes of Daniel, there was something else about it that made his stomach drop as soon as he locked his eyes onto its ghastly face. The ghost of the most humorless grin began to creep up on its face as it noticed Daniel was staring.
Instinctively, Daniel jerked the lantern up in an attempt to cast the area at the bottom of the staircase in light. As the light hit the landing below, suddenly burning bright by command of Mr. Hawthorne, the figure disappeared. For an instant he wondered if he had only imagined it, but then he remembered that mocking smile. It was a smile that said something very specific to Daniel, like whoever or whatever the creature was it knew something he hoped it wouldn’t. After Daniel explained what transpired to Kodaka, the mercenary looked alarmed for a split-second before glaring down at Daniel.
“You used your power?” He hissed.
“I-I had to,” Daniel replied, “I needed to make sure I wasn’t going mad, Kodaka.”
Daniel could tell the mercenary wanted to argue further, but both of them knew this was not the time or place. Luckily their quarry was easy enough to find this time, thanks to the alphabetized shelving units. Daniel realized how much smaller this floor felt compared to the main archive below but he remembered the building was domelike in shape. He also noted that each section and individual collection was locked up safe and sound. This was of course true for the tinier -but very real to their collective relief- Hawthorne collection. Daniel quickly flashed his key and he released a small sigh as it clicked, successfully unlocking what lay inside. Hands trembling a little, he pulled out a box of books, documents, and to Daniel’s surprise, two small lockboxes with combination locks. He wanted nothing more than to crack open one of the books and gaze into the texts his father thought to archive so long ago now, but that would have to wait for obvious reasons. Daniel and Kodaka froze and exchanged alarmed glances when yet another reason presented itself.
It was so deathly silent within this level of the archives that they could hear the turning of a doorknob and the slow shifting of a door opening. Daniel dimmed the lantern so it was barely lit, using his pyromancy instead of risking making any noise. He could make out the outline of Kodaka drawing a dagger from the depths of his robe and turned his head to look out each end of the row. A hoarse voice whispered out from the direction of the open doorway.
“Knock. Knock… I know you’re up here.” It spoke slowly, each word annunciated with a rasp. “Mister… Hawthorne.”
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Post by Kodaka on Aug 8, 2022 4:02:32 GMT -6
Part Six
Daniel Hawthorne wanted to run away as fast as his legs could carry him. He wanted nothing more than to establish as much distance as possible between him and whoever was creeping up on them in the archive. Were they truly compromised that easily? Had they underestimated Eidolon’s presence in the city? He understood why Kodaka was mad that he’d used his power right there in the archive but it was something so minuscule that even anyone watching from the floor below shouldn’t have been able to tell what exactly he was really doing. Then there was the topic off his ‘disguise’ or lack-there-of. Sure, his face was disfigured and has probably only recognizable up close, but the hood thrown over his head should’ve been enough to deter anyone from being able to identify him. So many tiny factors could have hinted at who he was for anyone watching them long enough, he was sure. They both might have, once again, completely underestimated the Eidolon Company. Had they been one step ahead of them this whole time?
While Mr. Hawthorne had a silent panic attack, Kodaka listened for any trace of movement around them in the darkness of the archive around them. He nudged Daniel to get the man’s attention, slowly pointed at the box of family documents, then to his knapsack on the floor. There was just enough light for them to make out what he was doing so Daniel began carefully placing things in Kodaka’s bag, one tome or lockbox at a time. Somehow the bag didn’t appear to be growing any bigger even from the volume of things they’d stashed away so far. As strange as that was, Daniel would have to investigate that later. The same raspy voice reached their ears again, closer this time. Daniel felt his skin crawl at the sound of it.
“We kneeew you weren’t dead,” it wheezed. “But… what are you doing up…here?”
Daniel heard a sword unsheathe and his gaze shot up at Kodaka as he stepped toward the end of the row, blade in hand. “That’s close enough,” he heard the nephilim growl threateningly. While Daniel couldn’t see to far ahead of them, he could feel the eyes of someone staring right at him in the form of a faint pair of purple orbs floating several feet above the floor. Kodaka turned his head to look behind him at Daniel. “Light it, now!”
Confused for a split second, Daniel realized what the mercenary was getting at. Daniel raised the lantern and willed the light inside to burst into an open flame, barely contained by the glass cylinder around it. The flickering light it gave off was enough to illuminate himself, Kodaka and the entire row of the archive. It also revealed the tall skeletal man who stood just a stone’s throw away right in front of them, a grin pulling at his thin lips. “Ah, there you are,” he said.
The man -at least it looked like a man- stood almost a head taller than Kodaka. Loose wrappings were tied around his head and hung off his arms and legs, faded assumedly with age. He wore a long green coat that ended just past his knees and a pair of wooden sandals. In absence of eyes, a pair of glowing violet orbs took their place inside empty eye sockets, staring unblinkingly down at the pair across from him. He looked suspiciously unarmed, but both Kodaka and Daniel knew better than to relax.
“Why don’t you fuck off, yeah?” Kodaka said as he pointed his ebony blade at the strange man. A slow chuckle escaped the stranger’s barely parted lips.
“Youuu don’t recognize me anymore, do you…Kodaka?”
The Nephilim scowled but gave the tall, lanky man another look. The man shook his head slowly and held out his hand at his side like he was holding an invisible staff, then a ghostly harpoon materialized in his grasp. Kodaka’s eyes widened, clearly startled. “Jakob?”
“I go by Geist now,” Geist said with a humorless grin. “Made a deal with Eidolon, ya see.”
“But why?”
“For the opportunity of a lifetime!” In one swift motion, Geist threw his shoulder back and lunged forward, the harpoon flying from his grasp straight toward Kodaka and Daniel. Kodaka cursed, reached behind him to grasp a fistful of Daniel’s cloak, and together they ducked just in time as the weapon hurtled above them and bit into the wall somewhere behind them. Kodaka had to give Jakob credit, the burly nephilim barely had enough leg room in these cramped rows of shelves as it were, this was the perfect chance to get the jump on him. He was about to send Daniel off with their spoils but he couldn’t risk the lad getting picked off, they had to go together.
Kodaka quickly dug into his tunic and withdrew a handful shiny black marbles. With a glance toward Daniel, who sat on the floor with a horrified expression, the mercenary nodded and said, “kill the light,” before throwing the marbles on the floor at his feet. They exploded as soon as they hit the surface and a thick black wall of smoke erupted between them and Jakob. Mr. Hawthorne extinguished the lantern and bathed them in darkness once again, just before Kodaka scooped both him and the bag of documents up in his arms and thundered down the end of the row and well away from their pursuer.
Daniel was admittedly very taken aback but seemed to understand the mercenary’s intention. While the smaller man was very capable of running, he didn’t exactly have the night vision his nephilim companion had. Daniel snuck a glance behind them over Kodaka’s shoulder and saw the rows of metal shelving units behind them illuminate with a sinister violet light. Geist stepped from the smoke with a dozen or more ghostly harpoons arrayed in a half-circle, floating above his shoulders.
“Duck!” Daniel shouted in Kodaka’s ear. He did as commanded with a growl and another violet missile shot above and got embedded into the far off wall. Where were they going to go? After a few seconds of them ducking and weaving past tables and rows of shelving units, Daniel was getting the sinking feeling they’d been trapped like rats.
“Where are we going?!” Daniel Hawthorne hissed to his surprisingly athletic companion after they successfully avoided the fourth and fifth ghost-harpoon. Kodaka ignored him but his gallop turned into a headlong sprint when he seemed to finally notice something. Daniel tore his eyes away from the slowly encroaching Jakob Geist to follow the mercenary’s gaze. They were headed straight toward man-sized window.
The night sky outside was almost crystal clear, the moonlight illuminating the nearby archival furniture. It was certainly enticing, enticing enough for the large nephilim crash straight into it rather than continuing a game of cat and mouse. Kodaka jumped forward, tucked his chin into his chest and gripped Daniel tight. The glass was no match for his as the window exploded outward into the night, and spitting Kodaka out into the evening air. While he was certainly not spared from several cuts and slashes, the nephilim felt a white hot pain sear into his spine but what he paid the most attention to was the familiar rush of leathery wings meet them from below.
Kodaka saw a mass of twinkling twilight rise up to meet them and he maneuvered himself as he landed on something hard that wasn’t the ground. He let go of Daniel, who tumbled out of his arms and found himself a perch in front of the mercenary. Like a shooting arrow, they were off and ascended toward the sky. The clouds above shifted away just enough for the moonlight to illuminate their escape, revealing that it was indeed a jet black dragon who had swiftly come to their rescue. The dragon’s swanlike neck arched as he turned to examine his cargo.
‘My friends! What happened in there? Who-'
“Fly, Nighfire! We’ll talk later!” Daniel said loudly, having to shout over the wind buffeting them. Nightfire grunted and looked behind the man to briefly examine Kodaka. The Nephilim grimaced in pain and shifted in the saddle enough for the dragon to spy a glowing violet harpoon jammed into his back.
‘Kodaka?!’
“Jus’… fly, Nighty. I’m fine.”
Nightfire’s ruby red eyes shimmered with concern but he diverted his attention to their escape. He pumped his powerful wings and left Arendale behind only a moment after, disappearing into the cloud cover above.
* * *
The night air was cool and refreshing on Jacob Geist’s skin as the tall man stepped toward the broken window. His sandals crunched as they tread shards of glass until he paused to gaze upon the land outside. The array of magicked harpoons audibly fizzled out as he willed them away, his mission was already complete. He didn’t need to kill them. Jakob smiled to himself as he brushed away stray shards of glass from the windowsill, gnarled hands finding a resting place as he leaned forward to watch the spectacle unfold before him. The dragon, a creature of absoloute legend had, like a shooting star, disappear into the clouds. How fascinating. Not only were Eidolon’s suspicions correct, but the nephilim had a dragon as well? Kodaka had powerful friends, that much was certain. It was a shame Eidolon was going to want them dead.
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Post by Kodaka on Aug 24, 2022 21:26:36 GMT -6
Epilogue
The sharp wind that bit at Kodaka’s and Daniel’s faces had slowly died down and faded into a calm breeze as the dragon Nightfire slowed their flight. Almost a league above the cloud line and undoubtedly one hundred away from the scene they left in Arendale, their airborne journey back could continue with a breath of relief. This was the safest the three of them had felt that entire evening, up there in the clouds far above the troubles of the lands below. For a while, they were silent. They exchanged no words, no thoughts or concerns, instead simply content in each other’s presence knowing that -for now- they could rest easy.
They had found their query deep within the archives and more, now Daniel had the means to study his pyromancy as well as the entire collection of mysterious Hawthorne heirlooms in the form of documents, tomes and peculiar lockboxes. While their presence did not go unnoticed by the very organization they were planning to put down, both Kodaka and Daniel reluctantly acknowledged in their own ways that it was only a matter of time they’d be discovered. What only mattered now was that they had the time and now the resources they needed to proceed with the next stage of their plan.
As they glided in comfortable silence, Nightfire took the time to cast his attention on the companions on his back. His crimson eyes scrutinized them for a time, noting how Daniel had fallen asleep clinging to the base of his neck while Kodaka’s gaze remained fixed on the clouds below. Finally the nephilim felt the dragon’s stare and looked up with a weary expression. The harpoon stuck in his back had since dissipated when they were far enough away from their mysterious assailant. Kodaka had since tightly bandaged himself with his long azure scarf during the flight.
‘Yes?’ The air this high up was just thin enough that it made it hard to speak, so Kodaka opted instead to use telepathy as the dragon had. In a sense it felt safer holding a telepathic conversation over a vocal one, even this isolated from the rest of the world.
‘Are you alright?’ Nightfire asked. He let out a low-pitched growling hum that reverberated from the base of his chest all the way up his throat. It was sort of dragon-like purr, as Kodaka would describe it.
‘Aye, I’m better now,’ Kodaka’s stony face cracked as he smiled at the dragon, his first content expression the entire evening. ‘Thanks, Nightfire. For everything.’ Kodaka could feel the warmth Nightfire shared through their mental link, radiating with mutual appreciation. Whoever said the mercenary didn’t have a soft side didn’t know him like the young dragon had. The two held each other’s gazes before Nightfire released a satisfied snort and returned his attention to the flight ahead. The horizon gave way to the tiniest sliver of deep orange that cut across where sky met earth, indicating that it was early in the morning.
‘What happens now?’ Nightfire said. Kodaka let a deep sigh escape through his nostrils and he closed his eyes briefly.
‘That’s up to Daniel. I reckon he’ll want to study what we’ve found and take time to get a better grasp on it.’ Kodaka’s ocean blue eyes slowly opened and he stared into the distance toward the first stages of the sunrise. ‘Then we plan how to to take those bastards in Eidolon down.’
‘Will that be as simple as you make it sound?’
Kodaka chuckled and patted a patch of scales along Nightfire’s side. ‘Ancestors, no. Especially with what just happened back there,’ he shook his head. ‘They’re going to know Daniel’s alive and that…. Well, that we’re planning something.’
‘But they won’t know what or when,’ Nightfire observed. The dragon was following along Kodaka’s train of thought partly thanks to their linked minds. ‘For now, we still have time. Especially since we do not know where exactly to find them.’
Kodaka nodded. ‘And that’s what I intend to find out, gotta find their main place of operations or at least narrow our search down enough to make some educated guesses.’
Nightfire growled an affirmative. ‘Aye. And judging by how fast they were upon you, I would dare to think they could have some presence in Arendale, Kodaka.’ Kodaka grew silent as he considered the possibility. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. If Eidolon set up a base in Arendale they’d be able to keep a lookout for Daniel, especially since Jakob all but confirmed they were waiting for the last remaining Hawthorne to return one day. They knew he wasn’t dead. On the other hand, it could also be possible that he was just a lone agent stationed in Arendale, lying in wait for them to come back.
Kodaka could feel Nightfire’s presence listen in on the Nephilim’s thoughts. ‘Yeah, don’t like that one bit,’ Kodaka admitted, ‘but it could be true. We’ll have to do some more digging around to find out.’ The mercenary’s eyes flicked to the bag of holding tied to the side of Nightfire’s saddle. Perhaps whatever they borrowed from the archives could prove useful in that regard as well. It could be that there was information on the organization somewhere in those tomes. Even if that wasn't the case, Kodaka’s mind was already thinking ahead to who in his inner ring of mercenary acquaintances could help him run some intelligence. He did wonder however just how many of them gave in to whatever temptations Eidolon offered. Just like the old days, there was a solid chance he couldn’t trust anyone else anymore.
Daniel shifted in the saddle. It didn’t come as that much of a surprise to Kodaka that the young man had fallen asleep. It was a long trip with very little rest during what little downtime they had. They didn’t get much say in where they could safely sleep, though most places on or near the great black dragon they traveled with were plenty safe enough. As it turned out, dragons were a great deterrent against petty criminals and prying eyes. Kodaka leaned forward to make sure the lad was strapped in, then when he was satisfied Daniel wouldn’t roll overboard anytime soon, the nephilim man leaned back to absently stare up into the sky.
‘You can sleep too, you know,” came Nightfire’s voice again. Kodaka stirred and faced forward just in time to catch the black dragon gazing at him from the corner of his eye.
‘No, I’m much too wired to sleep now,’ Kodaka chuckled, ‘when we get home, I will sleep good n’ proper. Probably for a full day or two.’
‘That long?’
‘Yes, that long. That way, Daniel can get a head start on whatever studying he’s gotta do before I’m rested enough to test him.’
Nightfire snorted. ‘When you say test him, you mean…’
‘Aye, a good old field testing,’ grinned Kodaka. ‘Haven’t dodged a good fireball in a long time.’
‘Well now, Kodaka,’ Nightfire harrumphed, feigning offense. ‘You could have just asked me. It is not as if I can breathe fire or anything.’
‘You know what…’ Kodaka absently tapped a finger against one of the sharp spikes along the dragon’s spine. ‘That’s not a bad idea, Nighty.’
‘What?’
Curious, Nightfire tried to pry further into what Kodaka was planning, but the nephilim kept that to himself, mentally walling that part off to keep it under wraps for the time being. All the dragon could gather from the mercenary’s demeanor was that Kodaka was reluctant to share his plan for potentially nefarious reasons. Worried, Nightfire glanced behind him and cast him with a cautious look. ‘Kodaka, what are you planning?’
‘If I tell you now, you’d never agree to it. Let’s wait until our pyromancing friend here is better at his gift.’
Nightfire snorted and a puff of black smoke briefly buffeted Kodaka. 'Were you a stranger to me that has naught an ounce of my trust in your intentions, I would have probed into your mind out of principle alone.'
Kodaka's grin only widened as he released a half-hearted snicker. 'I know. Love ya too, Nightfire.'
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