Sparkindarkness 80 - tickets - going home
Mar. 31st, 2006 07:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sparkindarknessI am churning this out. I want to drag them all by their collars and scream at them to do something other than talk *shakes Camaalis*
“Plane tickets? Plane tickets now? Why the hell do we need plane tickets?” Mia stomped back and forth. I felt like stomping myself, but Darren and Liam were in full ignoring mode. No matter how much you shout and scream at them like that they can easily ignore you. “Tickets to where? Why? Hellllloooo!?” She roared at the two Camaalis, her voice knocking the strange little amulet out of Liam’s hand and scattering the papers in Darren’s fist. Both turned identical sapphire glares on her. It’s THAT look. The one that says they’re curious about what your kidneys look like and whether they can be bothered to investigate. It’s a REALLY good look. Even Mia took a step back.
“You don’t have to come.” Liam growled, picking up his weird amulet. “If you do you’ll be picking sides - telling the Concord that you’re siding with Camaalis. The Concord is very paranoid these days, at the minute you are an innocent bystander, a nominal member of the Concord.” Liam shrugged and began examining the amulet again. “Come with us and you’re declaring that you side with us. The Concord may have questions for you. May even take you into custody. I don’t know what they would do if actual hostilities broke out rather than mere bickering. The same applies to all of you, this could be far messier than Kyernath.”
Darren gathered up his papers and picked his way to me, an odd look in his eyes. He took my arm and gently pulled me through to the bedroom while behind us everyone seemed to begin talking at once.
“I’m always horny and all, but is this the best time?” I tapped his nose, usually guaranteed to get a smile or a glare. His eyes never shifted.
“No, this isn’t the best time, Rick.” His voice was horribly uncertain. “Liam and I are going to England, Rick.”
My jaw dropped and I’m sure my eyes shot a mile out of my head. “England?! I thought you ran from there because they’d kill you?! Now you’re putting your head in the fucking lion’s mouth?!”
“They won’t kill me.” Darren grabbed my hand in both of his. “Liam has extended a Seer’s protection over me. They won’t break it, it’s an ancient law. Besides with Kyernath and the war I think I‘ve been moved down the priority list - I‘m too useful.”
“How sure are you they won’t kill you? These laws written in fucking stone?! The lion’s promised he won’t eat you and that’s it, it’s head in the mouth time?! Wha- hey, war? What war?” I gasped.
“Camaalis won’t break that law. Our work, the whole duty, rests far too often on the words of Seers for us to start violating their words. Besides, I’m too useful to kill now. That’s impractical and we‘re very practical.” His eyes never left mine and his grip was too tight.
“No, backup, backup, backup. War? Back to the war thing. War waaay more important than family issues. Even your family issues. Though there‘s usually not much difference with your family.” He tried to avoid my gaze but I grabbed him by the chin and forced his face back. Anger - no, fucking rage crossed his face for a moment and his eyes flashed pure black for a second. Just a second... something was really getting him. “Talk to me. War?”
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. To avoid my gaze or hide the blackness? Not best either way. “Liam has brought me up to date. Tensions between Camaalis and Concord - especially the Concord in Europe - are at an all time high. Concord and Camaalis have never got on, not since the Concord was formed, but they’ve rarely gone this far. Ten years ago the Concord would have demanded we send agents to America to destroy Kyernath, sniping at us the whole time for being inept and complaining every minute we took. Thirty years ago they would have entered into careful negotiations for cooperating and bringing him down - to try and steal our knowledge if nothing else. Now they try to bar us from the whole continent? They always complain about us being in their territory but never try and evict us, they know that will push us too far.” I frowned. His eyes were still closed but he tightened his grip harder. “No, we dislike each other, hate each other, even loathe each other. But we always dance on the edge of what the other will tolerate. Now Concord is trying to evict us and shelter a warmongering Sorcerer fugitive. And sheltering someone who will build an army to destroy all Camaalis and probably half of the planet at the same time. Three huge things Camaalis cannot tolerate.”
I wondered if anyone else heard the leaden sounds of doom? Because they were echoing in my head. “So... war? Shit, Misha says the Concord is everyone - all magicians in the world. How can you guys survive that?”
He opened his eyes then, black from edge to edge and shining with fury. If he hadn’t have been holding my hands? I would have been out of there so fast you would have seen me blur. His voice echoed as well, way better than any sound effects man could do. “Concord makes huge claims. Always has. They cannot call upon their full strength, and even at full strength Camaalis magic is more powerful than Concord numbers.” He seemed to deflate and sink back onto the bed, all strength spent. “Camaalis will call the power of three. It will probably destroy both us and the Concord, throw magic into the open for the world to see and maybe destroy a goodly portion of it. Saddle up the horsemen, the apocalypse is nigh.” He laughed bitterly. All ideas of running away fled, in the face of all that pain and fear. Shit, I should be as scared.
“You don’t have to come with me.” Darren muttered, avoiding my eyes. “You’re Concord in name only, they won’t make you fight. What Liam said is true, you come with me to England and you’ve chosen a side. You could stay here or go back to California or go anywhere - Kyernath won’t bother you, Camaalis won’t bother you and Concord won’t bother you. You can be left alone.”
I hugged him, hard enough to make him wince. “What about you? You owe Concord nothing. You owe Camaalis nothing. We could both go, neither of us have to go to England or fight a war or fight Sorcerers or do anything else.”
“No,” his head was down, still not looking at me. “I am Camaalis. No matter what else, I am Camaalis.” I opened my mouth but he rode right over me. “No, even if I denied it - and I don’t. I don’t,” his head came up and his jaw firmed. “I don’t, and don’t want to. And even if I did deny it, Concord won’t ignore it - my eyes and hair label me as much as my magic. And Kyernath isn’t going to let a challenge to his power go on breathing.”
“You don’t have to challenge his power.” I began squeezing him tight enough to make a small pain sound.
He laughed, so bitterly it felt like knives. “He’s a Sorcerer, one who hasn’t spent much time trying not to be. His powers are very close to mine. I’m a threat just by existing. It’s one of the reasons he continues to attack me - and why I have to leave.” He met my eyes at last, his gaze was raw. “He’s better than me, Rick. Stronger, more knowledgeable, more skilled - he’s better than me.”
Oh... I don’t know whether to run screaming, hug him closer or kiss him for admitting that. I am really not good at these emotional rollercoasters. You’d think I’d be used to them by now.
“So.” I gently pry away from him - I didn’t even realise he was gripping back that hard until then. “When’s our flight?”
“Plane tickets? Plane tickets now? Why the hell do we need plane tickets?” Mia stomped back and forth. I felt like stomping myself, but Darren and Liam were in full ignoring mode. No matter how much you shout and scream at them like that they can easily ignore you. “Tickets to where? Why? Hellllloooo!?” She roared at the two Camaalis, her voice knocking the strange little amulet out of Liam’s hand and scattering the papers in Darren’s fist. Both turned identical sapphire glares on her. It’s THAT look. The one that says they’re curious about what your kidneys look like and whether they can be bothered to investigate. It’s a REALLY good look. Even Mia took a step back.
“You don’t have to come.” Liam growled, picking up his weird amulet. “If you do you’ll be picking sides - telling the Concord that you’re siding with Camaalis. The Concord is very paranoid these days, at the minute you are an innocent bystander, a nominal member of the Concord.” Liam shrugged and began examining the amulet again. “Come with us and you’re declaring that you side with us. The Concord may have questions for you. May even take you into custody. I don’t know what they would do if actual hostilities broke out rather than mere bickering. The same applies to all of you, this could be far messier than Kyernath.”
Darren gathered up his papers and picked his way to me, an odd look in his eyes. He took my arm and gently pulled me through to the bedroom while behind us everyone seemed to begin talking at once.
“I’m always horny and all, but is this the best time?” I tapped his nose, usually guaranteed to get a smile or a glare. His eyes never shifted.
“No, this isn’t the best time, Rick.” His voice was horribly uncertain. “Liam and I are going to England, Rick.”
My jaw dropped and I’m sure my eyes shot a mile out of my head. “England?! I thought you ran from there because they’d kill you?! Now you’re putting your head in the fucking lion’s mouth?!”
“They won’t kill me.” Darren grabbed my hand in both of his. “Liam has extended a Seer’s protection over me. They won’t break it, it’s an ancient law. Besides with Kyernath and the war I think I‘ve been moved down the priority list - I‘m too useful.”
“How sure are you they won’t kill you? These laws written in fucking stone?! The lion’s promised he won’t eat you and that’s it, it’s head in the mouth time?! Wha- hey, war? What war?” I gasped.
“Camaalis won’t break that law. Our work, the whole duty, rests far too often on the words of Seers for us to start violating their words. Besides, I’m too useful to kill now. That’s impractical and we‘re very practical.” His eyes never left mine and his grip was too tight.
“No, backup, backup, backup. War? Back to the war thing. War waaay more important than family issues. Even your family issues. Though there‘s usually not much difference with your family.” He tried to avoid my gaze but I grabbed him by the chin and forced his face back. Anger - no, fucking rage crossed his face for a moment and his eyes flashed pure black for a second. Just a second... something was really getting him. “Talk to me. War?”
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. To avoid my gaze or hide the blackness? Not best either way. “Liam has brought me up to date. Tensions between Camaalis and Concord - especially the Concord in Europe - are at an all time high. Concord and Camaalis have never got on, not since the Concord was formed, but they’ve rarely gone this far. Ten years ago the Concord would have demanded we send agents to America to destroy Kyernath, sniping at us the whole time for being inept and complaining every minute we took. Thirty years ago they would have entered into careful negotiations for cooperating and bringing him down - to try and steal our knowledge if nothing else. Now they try to bar us from the whole continent? They always complain about us being in their territory but never try and evict us, they know that will push us too far.” I frowned. His eyes were still closed but he tightened his grip harder. “No, we dislike each other, hate each other, even loathe each other. But we always dance on the edge of what the other will tolerate. Now Concord is trying to evict us and shelter a warmongering Sorcerer fugitive. And sheltering someone who will build an army to destroy all Camaalis and probably half of the planet at the same time. Three huge things Camaalis cannot tolerate.”
I wondered if anyone else heard the leaden sounds of doom? Because they were echoing in my head. “So... war? Shit, Misha says the Concord is everyone - all magicians in the world. How can you guys survive that?”
He opened his eyes then, black from edge to edge and shining with fury. If he hadn’t have been holding my hands? I would have been out of there so fast you would have seen me blur. His voice echoed as well, way better than any sound effects man could do. “Concord makes huge claims. Always has. They cannot call upon their full strength, and even at full strength Camaalis magic is more powerful than Concord numbers.” He seemed to deflate and sink back onto the bed, all strength spent. “Camaalis will call the power of three. It will probably destroy both us and the Concord, throw magic into the open for the world to see and maybe destroy a goodly portion of it. Saddle up the horsemen, the apocalypse is nigh.” He laughed bitterly. All ideas of running away fled, in the face of all that pain and fear. Shit, I should be as scared.
“You don’t have to come with me.” Darren muttered, avoiding my eyes. “You’re Concord in name only, they won’t make you fight. What Liam said is true, you come with me to England and you’ve chosen a side. You could stay here or go back to California or go anywhere - Kyernath won’t bother you, Camaalis won’t bother you and Concord won’t bother you. You can be left alone.”
I hugged him, hard enough to make him wince. “What about you? You owe Concord nothing. You owe Camaalis nothing. We could both go, neither of us have to go to England or fight a war or fight Sorcerers or do anything else.”
“No,” his head was down, still not looking at me. “I am Camaalis. No matter what else, I am Camaalis.” I opened my mouth but he rode right over me. “No, even if I denied it - and I don’t. I don’t,” his head came up and his jaw firmed. “I don’t, and don’t want to. And even if I did deny it, Concord won’t ignore it - my eyes and hair label me as much as my magic. And Kyernath isn’t going to let a challenge to his power go on breathing.”
“You don’t have to challenge his power.” I began squeezing him tight enough to make a small pain sound.
He laughed, so bitterly it felt like knives. “He’s a Sorcerer, one who hasn’t spent much time trying not to be. His powers are very close to mine. I’m a threat just by existing. It’s one of the reasons he continues to attack me - and why I have to leave.” He met my eyes at last, his gaze was raw. “He’s better than me, Rick. Stronger, more knowledgeable, more skilled - he’s better than me.”
Oh... I don’t know whether to run screaming, hug him closer or kiss him for admitting that. I am really not good at these emotional rollercoasters. You’d think I’d be used to them by now.
“So.” I gently pry away from him - I didn’t even realise he was gripping back that hard until then. “When’s our flight?”
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-01 01:10 pm (UTC)Him away from him?
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-02 11:19 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-03 04:33 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-10 02:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-10 02:17 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-20 12:05 pm (UTC)But cliffhangers? You'll take my cliffhangers from my cold dead hands!
(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-20 06:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-21 09:46 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-04-21 05:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-16 08:01 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2006-05-17 09:24 am (UTC)