Dripping water beads.
Thick musk.
Humid air.
In an unknown location at an unknown time, Father Hoffman sat alone, utterly helpless to change his situation. Perhaps it is more appropriate to call the man by his official name, Gregory Hoffman, as he had already lost his position in the priesthood. He writhed and stretched in a desperate attempt to escape his shackles, but the sealing talismans adorning his body were far too strong. Or rather…he was too weak.
My arms, legs, eyes, nose, and mouth are sealed. Nearly all of my sensory data is gone. My ears, however, are perfectly fine. The only sense I can rely on is sound.
Amid the darkness, he heard the grating creak of an old, rusted door. Wherever he was, Hoffman assumed that his current holding facility was likely old and dilapidated.
“So you’ve woken up. That’s good.”
“...”
“Oh right…I forgot your mouth and eyes were sealed. Let me take care of that for you.”
The mysterious figure recited a Wraith-tribe incantation and peeled away the seals. Hoffman’s sight and speech returned. The man in front of him was rather young; young enough to be his son. He had shoulder-length, jet-black hair with a vacant expression. Was he remorseful? No…perhaps he was angry, or even uncaring. Hoffman couldn't tell what emotions the young man felt.
“Who…are you?”
“Ah, it seems you’ve forgotten. I don’t blame you though. We never really interacted face to face like this did we?”
“Stop being cryptic.”
“Man, you really suck at small-talk. You can’t make friends like that.”
“...”
“Anyways, we have a few tenuous relationships between each other. You could say I’m your enemy, but you could also say your savior. Me and a few colleagues were responsible for infiltrating the Alchemic Order. We were pursuing Reed Rowley, but he escaped with that special artifact of yours.”
“You…you were the intruders? You were the ones who destroyed the church?”
“I’m also the one who saved your life when nobody else would.”
“Pah! The arrogance! Did you think that saving my life would make me bark for you like a dog? I would rather die.”
“I’m not at all interested in convincing you to like me. In fact, it’s probably for the best that you hate me. What I brought you here for is something far more important. I want you to join me.”
Gregory Hoffman spat upon Derrick’s face upon uttering such a ridiculous demand. “Curse you.”
Derrick, unbothered by the disgusting act of disrespect, wiped off the spit from his face. “You should know as well as I do that Reed Rowley is dangerous. During your week-long nap, I, no, we have been gathering intel about him. You aren’t the only victim of his scheme. He’s been spreading counterfeit copies of the Karma archives to various gangs, religious groups, and even legal organizations. We need to prepare for the Devil’s Parade.”
Gregory Hoffman was overwhelmed by the amount of information Derrick spewed.
The Karma was fake?
Other organizations?
Devil’s Parade?
It was all too much for him, and thus, he chose to remain silent.
“Sorry, I came off a little strong didn’t I? Let me rephrase that. This city is cracking at the seams. With every passing day, those cracks are getting bigger. I alone am powerless to stop this evil from taking root and destroying this city, and so, I’m gathering allies. I want you to be one of my allies.”
“I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again. Die.”
With a blank expression, Derrick got up from his knee and promptly walked out of the room.
“Oh, and I forgot to tell you, I’m not letting you out of here until we reach an agreement.”
“You villain.”
“I’m not a villain, nor am I a hero. I’m just a mockery of a Demi-Human.”
____
Over the next 28 days, Derrick would periodically provide Hoffman with a steady amount of Spirituality. It was just enough to sustain his bodily functions, but not enough to grant him any significant amounts of power.
Sometimes, Derrick would enter the dilapidated shack and read a couple of books aloud to Hoffman. The particular topics of said books ranged drastically with historical fiction, science, fantasy, autobiographies, and psychology all being included.
“Did you know that a Demi-Human can only take a maximum of 7 days of total isolation before they go insane? It’s quite interesting. The fluctuation of madness is highly influenced by one’s mental state, and the accompaniment of others actively soothes that madness. Connections literally keep us alive.”
“Is there any point to these pointless diatribes?”
“Does there need to be? I find it fun to simply talk and explore these things. Life is filled with mysteries after all, and people love prying their noses where they don’t belong.”
“Hmph. I suppose that is true.”
Hoffman’s defensive disposition was being whittled down, slowly but surely. It was not a direct attempt at manipulation on Derrick’s part, but rather, it was simply the result of his openness. No one had ever spoken to Hoffman with such sincerity before. It was a strange, but not entirely unwelcome change.
“How long do you plan on imprisoning me here?”
“As long as it takes for you to join me. That’s all.”
“And if I don’t join?”
“Then I will take care of you until I die.”
“You would really go to such extremes for a stranger?”
“Yes, I would.”
Unbeknownst to Hoffman, a small smirk appeared on his face upon hearing the young man’s words. “You are truly the strangest person I’ve ever known.”
Derrick couldn’t help but smile in response. “You aren’t the first person to say that about me, and I doubt you’ll be the last either.”
The two continued their idle banter until they reached a satisfying conclusion to their conversation. However, Derrick did not leave the room this time. Instead, he made a proposal to Hoffman.
“It’s become clear that you’ll never become my ally, even if I begged you until I died. That’s why, I’m going with a different approach.”
“Ho…? What exactly do you have planned?”
“I’ll sell you my life.”
“...What?!”
“Call this a temporary truce. In exchange for your loyalty, I will allow you to kill me.”
“Where is the catch?”
“I’m getting to it. I will give you full authorization to take my life. However, the condition to meet this demand must be the subjugation of Reed Rowley. If you can do just that, then I’ll fully accept my death.”
Hoffman thought carefully about the situation. Surely, this proposal was a trap, no? How could someone make such an unreasonably unbalanced offer? There must be a catch involved, and he knew it.
“Very well…I accept those conditions.”
Derrick carefully unsealed the binding talismans one by one. With each talisman broken, Hoffman could feel his strength returning.
“There, it’s all done. You can move, right?”
Hoffman flexed and stretched his muscles as he felt the numbing sensation pass. He could feel every single muscle in his body moving in unison. Most people would never experience such a phenomena in their lives, but for Hoffman, a man who was completely immobile for over a month, the feeling was liberating.
With a confident turn, Derrick walked towards the door.
In a sudden flash of speed, Hoffman lunged at Derrick and thrusted his spear-hand directly at his neck. His hand was merely a few centimeters away, yet Derrick didn’t flinch.
“You truly are a fool. Did you not think of making a contract before releasing me? This will be your grave.”
“You won’t kill me.”
Derrick’s unfounded confident set Hoffman on edge. Just who did he think he was? What could possibly give him such confident? “Do you think I’m not strong enough? Even with those measly servings of spirit energy, my body is plenty strong. One swing will be enough to kill you.”
“Yes, that is quite true. I’m only a Rank 6 Novice after all. However, I’m fully confident that I’ll walk out of this room without a scratch.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I trust you. That’s all. It’s just a feeling I have.”
“A…feeling?” Hoffman couldn’t help but laugh at such an absurd statement. “Wow, you really are strange! You truly intend on giving up your life based on a petty notion like trust? Incredible!”
It was all just a bluff from the beginning. Although Hoffman had almost taken a liking to the young Derrick, that didn’t mean he could trust him just yet. He needed to test his conviction. Did he really mean the words he said? Was he truly such an open, trusting person? It all seemed too good to be true for Hoffman, and so, he decided that the best course of action was a test, and Derrick passed with flying colors.
“Very well. I will aid you in your hunt, Derrick…? I apologize, I’m not familiar with your last name.”
“Ah, if we’re going to work together, I think it’s best you know my full name. I am Derrick Foster, a Rank 6 Novice of the Wraith tribe.”
Dripping water beads.
Thick musk.
Humid air.
In an unknown location at an unknown time, Father Hoffman sat alone, utterly helpless to change his situation. Perhaps it is more appropriate to call the man by his official name, Gregory Hoffman, as he had already lost his position in the priesthood. He writhed and stretched in a desperate attempt to escape his shackles, but the sealing talismans adorning his body were far too strong. Or rather…he was too weak.
My arms, legs, eyes, nose, and mouth are sealed. Nearly all of my sensory data is gone. My ears, however, are perfectly fine. The only sense I can rely on is sound.
Amid the darkness, he heard the grating creak of an old, rusted door. Wherever he was, Hoffman assumed that his current holding facility was likely old and dilapidated.
“So you’ve woken up. That’s good.”
“...”
“Oh right…I forgot your mouth and eyes were sealed. Let me take care of that for you.”
The mysterious figure recited a Wraith-tribe incantation and peeled away the seals. Hoffman’s sight and speech returned. The man in front of him was rather young; young enough to be his son. He had shoulder-length, jet-black hair with a vacant expression. Was he remorseful? No…perhaps he was angry, or even uncaring. Hoffman couldn't tell what emotions the young man felt.
“Who…are you?”
“Ah, it seems you’ve forgotten. I don’t blame you though. We never really interacted face to face like this did we?”
“Stop being cryptic.”
“Man, you really suck at small-talk. You can’t make friends like that.”
“...”
“Anyways, we have a few tenuous relationships between each other. You could say I’m your enemy, but you could also say your savior. Me and a few colleagues were responsible for infiltrating the Alchemic Order. We were pursuing Reed Rowley, but he escaped with that special artifact of yours.”
“You…you were the intruders? You were the ones who destroyed the church?”
“I’m also the one who saved your life when nobody else would.”
“Pah! The arrogance! Did you think that saving my life would make me bark for you like a dog? I would rather die.”
“I’m not at all interested in convincing you to like me. In fact, it’s probably for the best that you hate me. What I brought you here for is something far more important. I want you to join me.”
Gregory Hoffman spat upon Derrick’s face upon uttering such a ridiculous demand. “Curse you.”
Derrick, unbothered by the disgusting act of disrespect, wiped off the spit from his face. “You should know as well as I do that Reed Rowley is dangerous. During your week-long nap, I, no, we have been gathering intel about him. You aren’t the only victim of his scheme. He’s been spreading counterfeit copies of the Karma archives to various gangs, religious groups, and even legal organizations. We need to prepare for the Devil’s Parade.”
Gregory Hoffman was overwhelmed by the amount of information Derrick spewed.
The Karma was fake?
Other organizations?
Devil’s Parade?
It was all too much for him, and thus, he chose to remain silent.
“Sorry, I came off a little strong didn’t I? Let me rephrase that. This city is cracking at the seams. With every passing day, those cracks are getting bigger. I alone am powerless to stop this evil from taking root and destroying this city, and so, I’m gathering allies. I want you to be one of my allies.”
“I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again. Die.”
With a blank expression, Derrick got up from his knee and promptly walked out of the room.
“Oh, and I forgot to tell you, I’m not letting you out of here until we reach an agreement.”
“You villain.”
“I’m not a villain, nor am I a hero. I’m just a mockery of a Demi-Human.”
____
Over the next 28 days, Derrick would periodically provide Hoffman with a steady amount of Spirituality. It was just enough to sustain his bodily functions, but not enough to grant him any significant amounts of power.
Sometimes, Derrick would enter the dilapidated shack and read a couple of books aloud to Hoffman. The particular topics of said books ranged drastically with historical fiction, science, fantasy, autobiographies, and psychology all being included.
“Did you know that a Demi-Human can only take a maximum of 7 days of total isolation before they go insane? It’s quite interesting. The fluctuation of madness is highly influenced by one’s mental state, and the accompaniment of others actively soothes that madness. Connections literally keep us alive.”
“Is there any point to these pointless diatribes?”
“Does there need to be? I find it fun to simply talk and explore these things. Life is filled with mysteries after all, and people love prying their noses where they don’t belong.”
“Hmph. I suppose that is true.”
Hoffman’s defensive disposition was being whittled down, slowly but surely. It was not a direct attempt at manipulation on Derrick’s part, but rather, it was simply the result of his openness. No one had ever spoken to Hoffman with such sincerity before. It was a strange, but not entirely unwelcome change.
“How long do you plan on imprisoning me here?”
“As long as it takes for you to join me. That’s all.”
“And if I don’t join?”
“Then I will take care of you until I die.”
“You would really go to such extremes for a stranger?”
“Yes, I would.”
Unbeknownst to Hoffman, a small smirk appeared on his face upon hearing the young man’s words. “You are truly the strangest person I’ve ever known.”
Derrick couldn’t help but smile in response. “You aren’t the first person to say that about me, and I doubt you’ll be the last either.”
The two continued their idle banter until they reached a satisfying conclusion to their conversation. However, Derrick did not leave the room this time. Instead, he made a proposal to Hoffman.
“It’s become clear that you’ll never become my ally, even if I begged you until I died. That’s why, I’m going with a different approach.”
“Ho…? What exactly do you have planned?”
“I’ll sell you my life.”
“...What?!”
“Call this a temporary truce. In exchange for your loyalty, I will allow you to kill me.”
“Where is the catch?”
“I’m getting to it. I will give you full authorization to take my life. However, the condition to meet this demand must be the subjugation of Reed Rowley. If you can do just that, then I’ll fully accept my death.”
Hoffman thought carefully about the situation. Surely, this proposal was a trap, no? How could someone make such an unreasonably unbalanced offer? There must be a catch involved, and he knew it.
“Very well…I accept those conditions.”
Derrick carefully unsealed the binding talismans one by one. With each talisman broken, Hoffman could feel his strength returning.
“There, it’s all done. You can move, right?”
Hoffman flexed and stretched his muscles as he felt the numbing sensation pass. He could feel every single muscle in his body moving in unison. Most people would never experience such a phenomena in their lives, but for Hoffman, a man who was completely immobile for over a month, the feeling was liberating.
With a confident turn, Derrick walked towards the door.
In a sudden flash of speed, Hoffman lunged at Derrick and thrusted his spear-hand directly at his neck. His hand was merely a few centimeters away, yet Derrick didn’t flinch.
“You truly are a fool. Did you not think of making a contract before releasing me? This will be your grave.”
“You won’t kill me.”
Derrick’s unfounded confident set Hoffman on edge. Just who did he think he was? What could possibly give him such confident? “Do you think I’m not strong enough? Even with those measly servings of spirit energy, my body is plenty strong. One swing will be enough to kill you.”
“Yes, that is quite true. I’m only a Rank 6 Novice after all. However, I’m fully confident that I’ll walk out of this room without a scratch.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I trust you. That’s all. It’s just a feeling I have.”
“A…feeling?” Hoffman couldn’t help but laugh at such an absurd statement. “Wow, you really are strange! You truly intend on giving up your life based on a petty notion like trust? Incredible!”
It was all just a bluff from the beginning. Although Hoffman had almost taken a liking to the young Derrick, that didn’t mean he could trust him just yet. He needed to test his conviction. Did he really mean the words he said? Was he truly such an open, trusting person? It all seemed too good to be true for Hoffman, and so, he decided that the best course of action was a test, and Derrick passed with flying colors.
“Very well. I will aid you in your hunt, Derrick…? I apologize, I’m not familiar with your last name.”
“Ah, if we’re going to work together, I think it’s best you know my full name. I am Derrick Foster, a Rank 6 Novice of the Wraith tribe.”
