The Creatures Hidden
Victoria’s company means we have time to get to know each other more than our avatars. Realspace meetups are usually a disaster. The disillusionment and difference between appearance is sometimes good enough to ruin years of relationship. Others do change themselves to look better and fulfill the fantasy they had of each other.
I met Ci at one of the strangest times of my life. It was when the Shanghai Risk Event was making life miserable for everyone and the 12 Demis were creating cults.
It’s hard not to reconnect after that trouble. Besides, I have no debts to pay and I think I can finally talk to her with less hesitation.
Though I do admit I wished she’d told me she’s actually a Corpo-Mage.
“Are you really still bothered by that?”
Victoria said as she shifted her weight and leaned on the glass. It was just the two of us here in this facility where they are keeping the Wisps. I was writing up what I’m seeing and after getting approval from the Mage-in-charge. I had been sending reports related only to the red wisp anomaly.
Other than that quick write-up. It’s mostly what we expect. Though as of the moment the Redmond Mages are in-contact with Kei on when to release the article about it.
Kei’s been working with Sato. From the website to the ads that will be run and the optimizing of the site for search engines. With the 7S backing us up and the Redmond Mages guidance. The site will become popular.
Anyway the wisp itself is interesting enough. Victoria’s happy to report that not only do they create an addictive drug. They also produce an energy that they have started calling magic batteries.
Magic batteries aren’t new to the circles. Someone or something will always try to make renewable energy and the existence of magic itself is a reminder of what can be done with it.
The battery is made by infusing the wisp with a spell that creates a surge of electricity within an interval. The conditions placed makes it possible for them to use the power of the wisp-battery for their equipment.
My observations also led me to believe they are using them as this source of siphoning. But the way they do it is practiced and adjusted. Like it’s a method of refinement known to them.
“Surprised?”
“Kinda.”
“Well, it’s been an ancient method we used today.” She pointed out and then twisted her hand to cast. “Before the Sundering, it’s a method we’ve used.”
The Sundering. The Church believes that the Apostolic Age ended the Miracles while the Old Mages believe the Sundering, the sinking of Atlantis and the burning of the library of Alexandra. How the two are connected is usually not something I have any knowledge about. I think Ci told me a long time ago, but a lot can happen and sometimes you forget lessons.
“That reminds me, Akun.”
She seems to have taken a liking to the name too.
“You are still wielding Castor and Pollux.”
“Why not?”
She reaches out for Castor. The blade is familiar with her so it allowed her to touch the hilt. Which means she’s really Cindy. I doubt anyone unauthorized can even try to poke the Castor without it growling.
Paul can because I allowed him. But if anyone tries to… well it won’t be good for them.
“So are you done?”
I finished writing what I could and followed Ci to the corridors. I was a fish out of water and she’s exactly not the kind who cares about the eyes of others. Not to mention I didn’t have the demeanor fitting for a Mage.
While most of the organizations tend to have sanitized environments. It’s probably the Mage Buildings that have decorations that are made to be in there. Just like how CHANGYE is formed in the shape of a Bagua. The formation of the mage’s buildings is made to facilitate the ebb and flow of magic to accommodate the leyline. Which means that the building itself allows the flow of energy to pass through the building, gently cleansing the passages, like a vein that allows the energy to flow even more gently to nourish the Mages incubating within this building.
“It’s a wonderful design, no?” Victoria remarked. “Made by a Geomancer of high regard. Fortune is practically flowing in the building.”
I freeze up. She notices me standing still and hurriedly explains.
“Not what you think. We’re simply using what we can learn from the demis to full use. Every organization and corporation is using this method now.”
“You can give birth to a monster if something else flows inside of this place and rots all the clean energy, Ci.”
She shrugs confidently. I gazed long enough at her eyes to know she’s confident about the arrangements. Besides, if Cindy’s in this building then I doubt she wouldn’t see it.
“Well, I hope you don’t make a mistake.”
“We hired mages who are always looking at the flow. Not only does it enlighten them, they are practically obsessed with the ebb and flow of the energy.”
“So you’re going to let me see other anomalies?”
“Maybe. Which is surprising since Miss Kei seems more interested in business at the moment than finding anomalies.”
“You’re quite wrong.”
Kei’s focused on making sure the business remains afloat. We’re in a process which allows us to solidify ourselves as a source of reliable news for anomalies while the rest are preparing for the announcements and making ourselves publicly available as the number one source for any anomaly-related office. I do suspect she’s doing this to avoid field work for now, but so far Sato’s been fine with her current choices. Kei knows what’s best for her office and if anything I think Eta’s death was a reminder for her. She seems to have been fired up and is now doing her best to make sure the office can stand solidly with minimal operation from us.
***
The thing about anomalies is their presence. They have this certain effect on people who see them. First it’s the uncanny feeling, then to the ‘this isn’t natural’ kind of thought.
It’s safe to assume that a creature of such dominant presence would take on a form to express said dominance. But what I see right now is a creature smaller than anything.
The size of a rabbit. Fur that seems like it was boiled and then elongated limbs. The creature seems to hide its eyes on the back of its spine.
What is this creature? I turned towards Cindy with a questioning look.
“That is an anomaly. That is a spinal beast. It was able to dig into the back of this rabbit and control it. There were three of these creatures. One of them had caught a domestic dog and turned into this spinal beast.”
The rabbit was drooling and yet the eyes were active. Like it was trying hard to act and move like a rabbit.
“Are you sure this isn’t some alien parasite?”
Cindy smiles and changes the controls of this encasing. The spinal rabbit was unable to move as this enchanted eye glared at its eyes.
“Don’t look at the enchanted eye.”
I snort and approach the spinal rabbit. I can feel the enchanted eye’s gaze, but eyeballing it would freeze me up. I started inspecting the rabbit up close. The spinal creature seems to have dug itself on the spine of the rabbit and took control of it.
“Have there been any experiments?”
“The one that got the parasite is now confined.”
“A human?”
I couldn’t get much of a look at the rabbit. Ci handed me the diagnosis and other than the new readings they found. The creature is trying to imitate the creature fully.
We move away from the encasing. I took a good look at the enchanted eye and then shrugged. I followed Cindy out and then to the inner sanctums of the mages where she took me to the place they usually do their experiments. Apprentices sitting on pentacles and circles. A classroom full of students practicing the basic spells and then a training ground full of Spellblades.
The sight of a spellblade reminded me of Marv. I slowed my steps to take a look at their movements. Ci stops as well and then puts her hands behind her back and leaned forward.
“Lots of Spellblades lately.”
“Easy to learn and less time to study.”
Spellblades know spells, but they aren’t usually rounded. Now that I think about it. Marv knew a lot of spells more than usual and was able to produce them with a calm mastery. Hard to find someone who can defend against an artillery fire. He would have come far if we hadn’t met that Elder and that manmade God below Vultan. Life’s a coin toss. You really don’t know much you can lose to one toss.
I shut my thoughts away and followed Cindy into the laboratory where they are keeping the other spinal creature.
The smell of incense and the alchemical smoke made me blink. The smoke seems to stick to your clothes. I can hear rituals being performed on these pre-recorded audios set to time.
“Do you also use these audibles?”
“Sometimes.”
She activates a spell recording from her wrist. It plays a 2x fast recording of an illumination spell being chanted. Ci pours her arcane energy while the magic is sung.
A ball of light appears.
“Handy.”
Mages usually tend to record their chants. Unless it isn’t their voice, then the magic itself does not recognize them as the owner and it can’t be activated. Combat Mages usually do this to shorten their chants. Big rituals that can’t be done alone can be bypassed through using audio recordings. There is power in words. It’s the same reason why there are seal designations to certain tapes produced now.
But the problem with these is that it can also be used against them. Not to mention they can’t measure the arcane energy they are pouring out properly which sometimes leads to the spell failing.
The spinal creature that Ci brought me to is currently inside this mage. Judging by the markings on this Mage. From the archaic rune tattoos engraved on his body. To the arcane energy he was carrying. He was a mage with considerable power.
A mage with an iron rod stabbed on his glabella. Bounded with silver chains and sealed to this chamber.
“Lot of trouble for one mage.”
“He was a good mage. One of our Enforcers whose luck ran out after a certain encounter.”
I circled the Mage and saw the spinal creature replacing most of his spine. Because of the size of the mage, it was able to hide its features, but seems to have underestimated the perception of the mages.
People these days will know if you’re using a prosthesis or if you had a face surgery. And Mages tend to have so much more senses than those that aren't attune.
“This is bad.”
“Isn’t it? The creature is able to steal most of the Mage’s identity. We believe that if we had not discovered him. The spinal creature would have taken over the creature’s self.”
“Does it assist its own?”
Ci shows me footage of the Mages throwing spells at this cavern somewhere. Most of the footage has been redacted, but at the middle of the footage is where they found the nests of the spinal creatures.
“Do you want me to write this up?”
“I wouldn’t have shown you this otherwise.”
“But are these anomalies?”
“They are. It doesn’t match the usual monster frame of reference. Old mythos and records don’t tell of these creatures.”
“Must be a lot of these things in containment.”
“Of course. You can spell ill of the Bureau’s methods and the fanaticism of the Church. But they wouldn’t be at the top of the food chain if they haven’t been doing their jobs properly.”
I wasn’t delusional about the idea of us being the first to know. If we haven’t known it yet, then that means the Bureau isn’t willing to let us know. So this can only mean they are now willing to let the world know about these things.
The Creatures Hidden
Victoria’s company means we have time to get to know each other more than our avatars. Realspace meetups are usually a disaster. The disillusionment and difference between appearance is sometimes good enough to ruin years of relationship. Others do change themselves to look better and fulfill the fantasy they had of each other.
I met Ci at one of the strangest times of my life. It was when the Shanghai Risk Event was making life miserable for everyone and the 12 Demis were creating cults.
It’s hard not to reconnect after that trouble. Besides, I have no debts to pay and I think I can finally talk to her with less hesitation.
Though I do admit I wished she’d told me she’s actually a Corpo-Mage.
“Are you really still bothered by that?”
Victoria said as she shifted her weight and leaned on the glass. It was just the two of us here in this facility where they are keeping the Wisps. I was writing up what I’m seeing and after getting approval from the Mage-in-charge. I had been sending reports related only to the red wisp anomaly.
Other than that quick write-up. It’s mostly what we expect. Though as of the moment the Redmond Mages are in-contact with Kei on when to release the article about it.
Kei’s been working with Sato. From the website to the ads that will be run and the optimizing of the site for search engines. With the 7S backing us up and the Redmond Mages guidance. The site will become popular.
Anyway the wisp itself is interesting enough. Victoria’s happy to report that not only do they create an addictive drug. They also produce an energy that they have started calling magic batteries.
Magic batteries aren’t new to the circles. Someone or something will always try to make renewable energy and the existence of magic itself is a reminder of what can be done with it.
The battery is made by infusing the wisp with a spell that creates a surge of electricity within an interval. The conditions placed makes it possible for them to use the power of the wisp-battery for their equipment.
My observations also led me to believe they are using them as this source of siphoning. But the way they do it is practiced and adjusted. Like it’s a method of refinement known to them.
“Surprised?”
“Kinda.”
“Well, it’s been an ancient method we used today.” She pointed out and then twisted her hand to cast. “Before the Sundering, it’s a method we’ve used.”
The Sundering. The Church believes that the Apostolic Age ended the Miracles while the Old Mages believe the Sundering, the sinking of Atlantis and the burning of the library of Alexandra. How the two are connected is usually not something I have any knowledge about. I think Ci told me a long time ago, but a lot can happen and sometimes you forget lessons.
“That reminds me, Akun.”
She seems to have taken a liking to the name too.
“You are still wielding Castor and Pollux.”
“Why not?”
She reaches out for Castor. The blade is familiar with her so it allowed her to touch the hilt. Which means she’s really Cindy. I doubt anyone unauthorized can even try to poke the Castor without it growling.
Paul can because I allowed him. But if anyone tries to… well it won’t be good for them.
“So are you done?”
I finished writing what I could and followed Ci to the corridors. I was a fish out of water and she’s exactly not the kind who cares about the eyes of others. Not to mention I didn’t have the demeanor fitting for a Mage.
While most of the organizations tend to have sanitized environments. It’s probably the Mage Buildings that have decorations that are made to be in there. Just like how CHANGYE is formed in the shape of a Bagua. The formation of the mage’s buildings is made to facilitate the ebb and flow of magic to accommodate the leyline. Which means that the building itself allows the flow of energy to pass through the building, gently cleansing the passages, like a vein that allows the energy to flow even more gently to nourish the Mages incubating within this building.
“It’s a wonderful design, no?” Victoria remarked. “Made by a Geomancer of high regard. Fortune is practically flowing in the building.”
I freeze up. She notices me standing still and hurriedly explains.
“Not what you think. We’re simply using what we can learn from the demis to full use. Every organization and corporation is using this method now.”
“You can give birth to a monster if something else flows inside of this place and rots all the clean energy, Ci.”
She shrugs confidently. I gazed long enough at her eyes to know she’s confident about the arrangements. Besides, if Cindy’s in this building then I doubt she wouldn’t see it.
“Well, I hope you don’t make a mistake.”
“We hired mages who are always looking at the flow. Not only does it enlighten them, they are practically obsessed with the ebb and flow of the energy.”
“So you’re going to let me see other anomalies?”
“Maybe. Which is surprising since Miss Kei seems more interested in business at the moment than finding anomalies.”
“You’re quite wrong.”
Kei’s focused on making sure the business remains afloat. We’re in a process which allows us to solidify ourselves as a source of reliable news for anomalies while the rest are preparing for the announcements and making ourselves publicly available as the number one source for any anomaly-related office. I do suspect she’s doing this to avoid field work for now, but so far Sato’s been fine with her current choices. Kei knows what’s best for her office and if anything I think Eta’s death was a reminder for her. She seems to have been fired up and is now doing her best to make sure the office can stand solidly with minimal operation from us.
***
The thing about anomalies is their presence. They have this certain effect on people who see them. First it’s the uncanny feeling, then to the ‘this isn’t natural’ kind of thought.
It’s safe to assume that a creature of such dominant presence would take on a form to express said dominance. But what I see right now is a creature smaller than anything.
The size of a rabbit. Fur that seems like it was boiled and then elongated limbs. The creature seems to hide its eyes on the back of its spine.
What is this creature? I turned towards Cindy with a questioning look.
“That is an anomaly. That is a spinal beast. It was able to dig into the back of this rabbit and control it. There were three of these creatures. One of them had caught a domestic dog and turned into this spinal beast.”
The rabbit was drooling and yet the eyes were active. Like it was trying hard to act and move like a rabbit.
“Are you sure this isn’t some alien parasite?”
Cindy smiles and changes the controls of this encasing. The spinal rabbit was unable to move as this enchanted eye glared at its eyes.
“Don’t look at the enchanted eye.”
I snort and approach the spinal rabbit. I can feel the enchanted eye’s gaze, but eyeballing it would freeze me up. I started inspecting the rabbit up close. The spinal creature seems to have dug itself on the spine of the rabbit and took control of it.
“Have there been any experiments?”
“The one that got the parasite is now confined.”
“A human?”
I couldn’t get much of a look at the rabbit. Ci handed me the diagnosis and other than the new readings they found. The creature is trying to imitate the creature fully.
We move away from the encasing. I took a good look at the enchanted eye and then shrugged. I followed Cindy out and then to the inner sanctums of the mages where she took me to the place they usually do their experiments. Apprentices sitting on pentacles and circles. A classroom full of students practicing the basic spells and then a training ground full of Spellblades.
The sight of a spellblade reminded me of Marv. I slowed my steps to take a look at their movements. Ci stops as well and then puts her hands behind her back and leaned forward.
“Lots of Spellblades lately.”
“Easy to learn and less time to study.”
Spellblades know spells, but they aren’t usually rounded. Now that I think about it. Marv knew a lot of spells more than usual and was able to produce them with a calm mastery. Hard to find someone who can defend against an artillery fire. He would have come far if we hadn’t met that Elder and that manmade God below Vultan. Life’s a coin toss. You really don’t know much you can lose to one toss.
I shut my thoughts away and followed Cindy into the laboratory where they are keeping the other spinal creature.
The smell of incense and the alchemical smoke made me blink. The smoke seems to stick to your clothes. I can hear rituals being performed on these pre-recorded audios set to time.
“Do you also use these audibles?”
“Sometimes.”
She activates a spell recording from her wrist. It plays a 2x fast recording of an illumination spell being chanted. Ci pours her arcane energy while the magic is sung.
A ball of light appears.
“Handy.”
Mages usually tend to record their chants. Unless it isn’t their voice, then the magic itself does not recognize them as the owner and it can’t be activated. Combat Mages usually do this to shorten their chants. Big rituals that can’t be done alone can be bypassed through using audio recordings. There is power in words. It’s the same reason why there are seal designations to certain tapes produced now.
But the problem with these is that it can also be used against them. Not to mention they can’t measure the arcane energy they are pouring out properly which sometimes leads to the spell failing.
The spinal creature that Ci brought me to is currently inside this mage. Judging by the markings on this Mage. From the archaic rune tattoos engraved on his body. To the arcane energy he was carrying. He was a mage with considerable power.
A mage with an iron rod stabbed on his glabella. Bounded with silver chains and sealed to this chamber.
“Lot of trouble for one mage.”
“He was a good mage. One of our Enforcers whose luck ran out after a certain encounter.”
I circled the Mage and saw the spinal creature replacing most of his spine. Because of the size of the mage, it was able to hide its features, but seems to have underestimated the perception of the mages.
People these days will know if you’re using a prosthesis or if you had a face surgery. And Mages tend to have so much more senses than those that aren't attune.
“This is bad.”
“Isn’t it? The creature is able to steal most of the Mage’s identity. We believe that if we had not discovered him. The spinal creature would have taken over the creature’s self.”
“Does it assist its own?”
Ci shows me footage of the Mages throwing spells at this cavern somewhere. Most of the footage has been redacted, but at the middle of the footage is where they found the nests of the spinal creatures.
“Do you want me to write this up?”
“I wouldn’t have shown you this otherwise.”
“But are these anomalies?”
“They are. It doesn’t match the usual monster frame of reference. Old mythos and records don’t tell of these creatures.”
“Must be a lot of these things in containment.”
“Of course. You can spell ill of the Bureau’s methods and the fanaticism of the Church. But they wouldn’t be at the top of the food chain if they haven’t been doing their jobs properly.”
I wasn’t delusional about the idea of us being the first to know. If we haven’t known it yet, then that means the Bureau isn’t willing to let us know. So this can only mean they are now willing to let the world know about these things.
