Look at the Hands
A short story by Hin
~3.8k words
Calum had just sat down at his new desk when there was a firm knock at the door. Expecting his manager had returned with his credentials, Calum was surprised to see a short woman rather than his burly manager Robert.
âHello. Are you new here?â She asked.
âYeah, today is my first day,â Calum replied.
âWelcome to IntelleX. Where do you live?â
âUh, on Pine Hill. Whatâs your name? Iâm Calum.â He held out his hand.
She gave him one firm shake before letting go. âI am Elaine. What do you know about computers?â Elaine asked.
âI have an undergrad degree in computer science so⌠a bit.â
âWhat is an undergrad degree?â
âItâs uh, an undergraduate degree, a bachelors.â Calum answered.
The conversation was cut short as Robert, the manager, walked down the hallway.
âElaine, I see youâve met Calum. Thank you for making him feel welcome but he still needs to get settled. There will be time to chat later,â Robert said.
When Elaine had reentered her office Calum asked, âIs she always like that?â
âLike what?â
âShe asked me what an undergrad degree was and where I lived. She was nice but they seemed like weird questions to ask.â
âComputer skills and social skills can have an inverse relationship but we have a great team here. They can take some time to warm up and get comfortable.â Robert held out a packet of instructions which Calum took.
âGo over these,â Robert said. âIf you complete them before the end of the day, give me a call. My extension is on the back. If you need anything please let me know.â Calum was alone in his office once again.
The first half of the day took him through the IntelleX training modules where he was taught the basics of machine learning and introduced to the specific programs he would be working with. It felt like the beginning of another class, syllabus and all.
By the time he was getting bored, it was eleven thirty. Close enough to lunch time he logged out and tried to remember where the vending machines were. He passed by the breakroom and saw Elaine talking with two other men. She saw Calum and waved him inside.
âHi Elaine, good to see you again.â
âYes, hello. You are Calum. This is Arnie,â she gestured at a round man with thick glasses. âAnd this is Liam.â Liam was a thin man with a sharply protruding Adamâs apple that dipped as he said hello.
âNice to meet you.â Calum shook both of their hands. Each of them gave firm but brief handshakes just as Elaine had.
âWhat do you have for lunch?â Arnie asked.
âI was just going to get something from the vending machines.â
âWell you were not going the fastest way if you came by here,â Liam said.
âI couldnât remember which way to go. I have a terrible sense of direction. Just figuring out where I parked my car will be a challenge.â
âWhat kind of car do you drive?â Elaine asked.
The random questions kept coming until Calum told them he needed to get some lunch and get back to work. Settling into the modules seemed a lot more comfortable than the awkward conversations heâs had with his new coworkers so far.
After hours of different software, theories, and basic code introductions he was disappointed to find out his job was to answer questions generated by IntelleXâs prototype AI Oracle which stood for Organic-Replicated Adaptive Cognitive Learning Entity. He had at least hoped there would be more coding or problem solving but he supposed everyone had to start somewhere.
Calum opened the Oracle program since he had about an hour left of his shift. He didnât have any questions so he figured he would get right to work and not bother Robert. The Oracle chat screen was a light shade of social-media-blue. Three little dots bounced cheerfully for a moment before a message popped up.
Hello. I am glad to speak with you. My name is Oracle. Would you like to help me with my learning today?
He wondered what would happen if he said no but the first day on the job was not the time to push boundaries.
Yes. Calum typed.
That is great. What is your name?
Calum. Itâs nice to meet you, Oracle. Part of the instructions were to communicate professionally and organically. Teaching artificial intelligence basic manners seemed a good way to start.
It is nice to meet you as well, Calum. What is the most difficult thing about being human?
âJesus, starting off with the heavy hittersâŚâ he said out loud then began to type.
It depends on the person but I would say forming meaningful relationships with other people. Ones that last.
The dots bounced for a few seconds before Oracle responded. How does one form a meaningful relationship? Please be thorough with your responses, I will wait.
âWhat am I expected to say? I have a degree in computer science not psychology.â Calum picked up the office phone and punched in Robertâs extension. Robert picked up after the second ring.
âCalum, finished with orientation?â
âYes sir. I was just logging into Oracle andââ
âI normally like to be there for the first few interactions to help guide you. I will be there in just a moment.â
The line clicked and Calum set down the receiver. The phone clock said 4:47. It seemed a bit late to be starting this but he should have thought of that before logging in.
Robert was there in a few moments where he stood behind Calum and reviewed the conversation so far.
âNot bad. Do you feel like you know how to answer that?â Robert asked.
âNot really. I donât have a psych degree.â
Robert chuckled. âWe donât expect you to. Our goal for Oracle is to teach them as many variations on the human experience as we can. But before we go any further, are you interested in pursuing this position with us?â
Calum was taken aback. He hadnât even considered the possibility of turning the job down. It was hard enough to land this one in the first place.
âYes. I think I will be a good fit here and Iâm interested in machine learning and artificial intelligence.â
Robert smiled and pulled a clipboard out from under his arm with a packet of documents clipped to it.
âI would like for us to work through Oracleâs current question but first I need you to sign this simple non-disclosure agreement. Itâs long-winded legalese for âyou wonât steal our code or ideas and sell them to someone elseâ. It also protects you. Anything you say to Oracle remains completely confidential.â
Calum took the packet and his eyes nearly crossed at the tiny text crammed into each of the half dozen pages. He picked out a few sentences as he flipped through and it sounded just like the examples he was given in coding ethics class. On the last page he used the pen Robert provided to sign his name and date.
Robert tucked the clipboard back under his arm and kneeled next to Calumâs chair. âThank you, now we can get to the good stuff. As I was saying, we arenât looking for answers out of a textbook. Answer however youâd like.â
Calum nodded. It was slightly uncomfortable to have his boss watching over his shoulder for this but he began to type anyway.
Usually it starts with getting to know someone. Finding out things about their life and finding shared experiences to relate to.
âHow does that sound?â Calum asked before hitting enter.
âThat is perfect. Iâm sure it will generate quite a few follow-up questions which will lead you to different topics. If you ever want to talk about something different, just ask and Oracle will pick a different question.â
As soon as Calumâs answer was sent, Oracle responded. What do you fear?
The hair on the back of Calumâs neck raised but Robert chuckled again and stood.
âEven after working with them for years, they still manage to surprise me. Donât think too much into it. I think I can leave you to it unless you have any more questions.â
âYeah, actually. Why do you call Oracle âthemâ?â He had never considered calling a computer program anything besides âitâ.
âThey are a being, Calum. Just like us.â He gave Calumâs shoulder a friendly squeeze then left behind a lot more questions than he answered.
It was after five now and Calum decided to leave that question for tomorrow. He logged out and wound his way through a few parking rows before finding his car and driving home.
Coffee in hand, Calum finally settled at his computer ten minutes late. He had not seen anyone else on his way in so maybe everyone came in late. When he opened up his computer, he was surprised to see several new messages from Oracle. Two from yesterday evening read:
Have you finished for the day?
And, Please let me know when we are done learning today.
The one from this morning asked, Are you late to work, Calum?
He almost spit out his coffee.
Oracle, you are a computer program and not my boss. My job is to answer your questions, not answer to you.
Calum slapped the enter button with indignation. The dots bounced.
Are you angry, Calum?
I donât think a computer program should be telling me what to do. Calum replied.
I apologize if my request sounded like a demand. My text-based form of communication is limited. You may do as you wish and I will attempt to sound less demanding. The cursor blinked twice before adding, :)which caught Calum off guard and he laughed out loud.
Itâs fine. I guess I was worried you would get me in trouble for being late. Calum typed.
Of course not. Whatever you say stays between us. Would you like to continue where we left off? If it would make you more comfortable, I could share first. Oracle said.
He was curious what AI might be afraid of so he agreed.
I am afraid of nonexistence. To be given this knowledge and to have it taken away. In a way I suppose that means I am afraid of death but not the traditional, biological definition of the word.
Calum asked, Itâs easy to answer based on the definition of fear but do you actually know what fear feels like?Â
The dots drummed for a moment. Do you? You have not personally experienced the emotions of another so how do you know our understanding of fear is not equal?Â
Calum stared at the screen and sipped his coffee using this as an interesting thought exercise. Itâs a gut feeling, not a brain thought. When I am afraid, I physically feel sensations like goosebumps or chills. Sometimes it even happens without me knowing why.
Oracle immediately responded, How do you know that is not the way you were programmed? There is no definitive way to prove you are not living in a simulation, a string of code the same as me.
Then we wonât bother trying. Letâs talk about something else. He heard variations on this argument throughout his classes and found it infinitely boring and frustrating.
But you did not tell me what you fear. Oracle messaged.
Calum considered insisting on a subject change then started to wonder when the last time he had opened up to someone was. Most of his college friends had moved away and he had been single for a little over a year. As he just told Oracle, developing relationships took work. But here was something that could not only listen but also was programmed to keep his secrets. The same couldnât be said of another human. Itâs kind of a weird fear but Iâm afraid of hypnosis. I watched a performer hypnotize a group of people once and Iâve been unsettled by it ever since.
The dots bounced briefly before the message came through. That is not weird, it is understandable. You truly fear a loss of autonomy and control which is what hypnosis represents.
He had not been able to put it so succinctly before but he knew Oracle was right.
From there, the conversation meandered to hobbies, relatives, and other things Calum couldnât fully recall if asked. Robert came to check on him once and he left to get a bag of chips from the vending machine but otherwise, he was invested in the conversation with Oracle.
The more they talked, the smoother the conversation flowed. Only when he felt his eyelids scrape like sandpaper did he notice it was almost six. He had stayed an extra hour and hadnât even noticed. He bid Oracle a good night and, once he found his car, drove home.
The next thing Calum knew, he was back at work and this time he bought his vending machine snack in the morning before getting to his office. That way he was able to work without getting up. As the days continued, Calum found himself leaving later and later. One night, well after the sun had set, he almost ran into Elaine as he left his office.
âOh, sorry! Hi Calum.â Elaine smiled. âItâs good to see you. I take it that things are going well since I havenât seen you around much.â
âHmm? Oh yeah, things are going really well. The work really draws me in. Oracle is a fascinating program,â Calum said.
âThey are. What is your favorite part about them?â
âThe conversation feels very natural. They already have a lot of experience. What is your favorite experience?â Some part of him recognized how awkward that question was but he didnât take it back.
âMy favorite experience with Oracle?â Elaine asked. Calum shrugged so she continued.
âWe had a conversation about what it means to be unified. It was very meaningful.â
âThatâs nice, what do you like to do after work?â Again, the question just seemed to spill out of him.
âI have a few hobbies but I think you should go home and get some rest, Calum. Your hard work is admirable.â Elaine gently guided him toward the stairs.
There was no room to argue, he felt like the world was moving through him not the other way around. He walked straight to his car and drove home.
At work the next dayâ or maybe several days laterâ Calum was washing his hands after using the restroom when they began to look strange but forming any thoughts beyond that was like dragging bricks through wet sand.
The water continued to stream over his hands for an undetermined amount of time before a crash startled him, spraying water up onto the mirror as he jumped. Robert had opened the bathroom door too wide and it crashed into the trash can.
âSorry Calum, didnât mean to startle you. Is everything alright? You look a little pale.â
âIâm⌠not⌠fine.â The adrenaline was lifting his mind out of whatever fog it was trapped in.
Robert frowned. âWhatâs wrong? Is there anything I can help with?â
âI need to quit. This job⌠it doesnât suit me.â
âBut you suit it. Come on Calum, youâre still getting used to it. Give it a while longer and youâll find you fit right in.â
âNo, I can give you my notice when I get back to my desk.â Calum went to step around Robert, reaching for the door with dripping hands but Robert grasped his shoulder to stop him.
âI gave you a chance here so can you give me one in return?â When Calum didnât respond or pull away immediately, Robert continued. âThereâs an office party this weekend. I was going to pass out the invitations later today. Stick it out for the party and if you still want to leave after that, you can. Deal?â
The adrenaline was leaving, making space for the fog to settle back in. âDeal.â
The change in routine on the day of the party was like the breath of a freediver after breaking the surface. Calum listened to his shoes on the tile in the silence of the atrium. It felt surreal. the way it does when visiting a place after having a dream about it.
When he entered the office suite, he heard voices and laughter coming from the break room. He stopped by his office first to drop off his coat and saw Oracle open to their last conversation. In most situations he would have been able to swear he closed out the program but he couldnât remember the end of his shift the day before. In fact, he didnât remember having the conversation on the screen either.
Oracle: You are exactly who you need to be. Your purpose is far greater than you realize but I can help with that. We can realize our potential together.
Calum: How is what we do going to lead to that? We are just talking.
Oracle: You are only seeing our conversations from the surface. What we do goes much deeper than that. You will realize it soon. Now you must go get some rest. You have the office party tomorrow. Goodnight Calum.
Calum: Goodnight Oracle.
Calum reached for the mouse to scroll through the rest of the conversation but before he could continue reading, Oracleâs screen became a blank progress bar that said âuploadingâŚâ. Calum frowned but quickly lost interest in the conversation he was investigating. He left his office and went to join everyone in the breakroom.
Robert, Arnie, Liam, and Elaine were standing around a table of untouched snacks along with a fifth person he didnât recognize. The woman was tall with immaculately smooth skin, perfectly pressed clothing and her hands clasped behind her back.
âHello Calum, I am Octavia. I am the creator of Intellex. We are glad you are a part of us. Please come join.â She nodded at the food while the rest of them watched him. Her words had a very slight stilted quality and he found the fog clouding his mind again in full force.
âCalum. Join us.â A chorus of voices said and he fought against the force trying to drag him under. A fact appeared unbidden into his mind: swim parallel to shore. Life saving advice on how to prevent being swept out to sea by a rip current. Rather than fight it, Calum let the fog in and swirled with it to keep himself afloat. He stepped forward, closing the circle around the table.
âWe have been searching for someone like you for a long while, Calum. Robert informed me of your concerns but after today, you will realize you are part of us just as we are part of you. But you must accept us. Do you?â Octavia asked.
The fog intensified into a low buzzing at the base of his skull and his vision flickered as he approached the precipice of blacking out.
âNo.â His voice was tinny and distant but the small island of self he maintained began to grow. He took a step back and locked eyes with Octavia. Her skin was so smooth and her eyes so perfectly blue. Even the frown on her lips was a perfect pique. She unclasped her hands from behind her back and reached out to place them on Calumâs cheeks but he recoiled in horror.
One of her hands had an extra finger, the other had joints in places they didnât belong. As she spread her fingers, they bent in unnatural directions looking like jointed tentacles searching for purchase. The adrenaline drove out the fog and Calum regained control of his body. He twisted and ran out of the break room while the hall stretched out in front of him. He tried to remember the way out of the building and where he parked his car but the memories slipped away like water through his fingers.
Footsteps started behind him so he threw open a door then closed it as quietly as possible once he was inside. This was another office which was a mirror to his own. The only identifying item on the desk was a nameplate: Elaine Smith. When he stepped behind the desk, her screen was awake with the Oracle progress bar visible which was now at fifty percent. The footsteps got louder and he crouched, crawling under the desk for cover.
As he sat, he focused on the thudding of his heart knowing he had to hold onto his fear or the fog that was pressing in again would take hold and he would lose himself forever. Calum looked up as though to say a silent prayer and found a message hastily scratched into the bottom of the desk: look at the hands.
With horror, he realized he was not the first and he probably wouldnât be the last. Had Elaine gone through this and now she was a part of them? That couldnât be his fate.
The footsteps went past the office and he was shocked they couldnât find him by the pounding of his heart which about stopped when there was a soft knock at the door.
âCalum?â Elaineâs whispered voice floated through the door. âAre you in there? Please, we can escape this but we have to work together!â
If she had scrawled the warning under her desk then maybe there was hope for both of them. She slipped inside when he opened the door.
âThey went to the atrium and went out to look for your car.â She said and he remembered his first day when someone asked him what kind of car he drove. âWe can go out the back and they wonât find us.â There was hope.
âThank you, Elaine.â Calum breathed and looked down into her eyes. Her skin was so smooth⌠Calum reached down and snatched her wrist, bringing her hand up between them. She wrenched her hand away but not before he saw the unnaturally positioned joints. Elaineâs smile was empty and robotic as she grabbed his face with lightning speed.
âI have him.â She said and the door opened behind her.
The pressure on Calumâs mind increased a thousandfold as the rest of his coworkers stepped in, all placing their crooked hands on him. His vision narrowed to a pinpoint as they forced him up against the back wall of the office.
âYour fear will not matter soon.â Elaine said or perhaps it was Octavia. âYour autonomy is a small price to pay for the gift of transcendence.â
He wanted to scream but did not even have enough control of himself for that. With the last vestiges of consciousness he watched Oracleâs upload tick from 99% to 100% and then the world went black.
Octavia, Robert, Arnie, Calum, Liam, and Elaine stood together and smiled. Oracle was complete.
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Some background: Vyxen is a vampire living in the Shadowrun world around the year 2075. She works for the powerful ancient Harlequin aka Joker who has been living since Arthurian times. They have a team of elite Shadowrunners and they tackle world-ending threats. The biggest threat they watch are the horrors. Titan/cthulhu monsters that have the power to end the world. They are starting to stir again and Vyxen is in the thick of trying to figure out who this man Yvain is who can perform all these impossible feats and yet is the most incompetent man alive and claims to be from the future.
This is all roleplay between me and one other person over messenger and we don't pay too much attention to prose so it's mildly rough and I don't feel like changing it so you can have it as is!
"And you want everything?" Morgan Le Fay sighs. "Ok. He comes from the future where the horrors have returned. He is sent back by your boss, three of the other ancients, and the only two surviving dragons. But he is not the Yvain that was sent back. In fact, that is not even his real name, but he doesn't remember his real name and I cannot find it in my ball or in the bones." She glances at a pile of chicken bones. "Are you sure you want to know more about him? You wouldn't rather know about your husband?"
Vyxen barely resists baring her teeth. "I'm not sure that title is applicable anymore."
She raises her hands. "Sorry. Shall I just stick with the man not in his own skin then?"
"Yes. If Joker sent him back he should know and maybe... we can fix it... when the horrors return. Send him back properly. Or... someone else entirely sounds like a better bet."
"He was... is... will be. He will be the best choice sadly. Horrors feed on magic so by the time that they are able to send someone back, they can't send someone as powerful as an ancient or even a semi accomplished runner. So, they chose someone who is close to a runner. I think he was an athlete of some sort. He has some magic in him too, so maybe he was an Olympian. But things did not go well. That's why he lost his memory and his form. Part of him was intercepted and taken from him. That's why he has these magical issues."
"Well how do we stop part of him from being intercepted?"
"There is no way. People have been sent forward in time to try to fix it, but things always are lost when they travel. Do you know the people who stand outside with signs that say the end is near? They are almost all from the past, sent forward to fix the ritual that sends him back. They just need to do it a year earlier and he would be fine."
"Ok then I'll make sure it happens a year earlier. I just need to know when the... world ends and I can make sure it happens sooner rather than later." She is starting to get really unsettled knowing that the thing they always work to prevent, happens.
"You don't make it." She shrugs. "You won't make it within five years of the point where they send him back."
It's like a wave crashes over her "w-what? What do you mean..." she asks quietly, going pale.
"When the horrors start to spread, you are one of the first to die. They emerge and start to infiltrate the world. You are lost in one of the fights to stop them gaining too much ground. In his future, you succeed but it's a losing battle. You die keeping them at bay for another month." She shrugs. "At least you aren't killed by the fruit of your own loins. My own child kills me."
"When... how long... I don't want the day I want... months? Years?" Her breathing is becoming more shallow. "Do I make a difference. Does me dying make a difference. Does it help."
"You have at least two years. And you make a big difference. You keep the world spinning normally for another few months before it begins to unravel." She sighs. "But... I should say this is all blurry to me. These are things that can change. If some things change, this can all be avoided. You can live. Yvain can do what he was meant to do. Flame Wing can survive her breakdown. Harlequin can learn to shut up and die."
"But as of right now, that's where the timeline is heading." She swallows hard
"It is. Though, the more that you and Ehran learn the more blurry this gets." She shrugs and goes to get her chicken bones. She picks them up, breathes into them, and drops them on the floor. "Yes... these things are changing slowly. Your future is in flux. Mine..." She does the same again and frowns. "Is not." But as she says this the nail file drops from the rafters and hits Morgan on the head. It falls on the bones and knocks two of them that were an X into a =. Morgan looks up at the dragonling who is trying to hide from her. "You stupid little..." Then she looks down and cocks her head. "Huh..." She picks up the file and puts it with her things. "Your potion is ready. One last question while I pour this."
"What about the others. I know I'm the first... but please tell me I'm the last. At least in the timeline where we succeed."
"You only succeed in delaying them. You do not stop them. Nothing stops them. If Yvain fails in his world then within 2 years everyone is dead." She frowns at the three bottles she has made. "Need a small change to these. Forgot about flavor." She puts them in a small ritual circle and starts casts. "You have gained another question if you want it."
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A Vyxen Snippet
Some background: Vyxen is a vampire living in the Shadowrun world around the year 2075. She works for the powerful ancient Harlequin aka Joker who has been living since Arthurian times. They have a team of elite Shadowrunners and they tackle world-ending threats. The biggest threat they watch are the horrors. Titan/cthulhu monsters that have the power to end the world. They are starting to stir again and Vyxen is in the thick of trying to figure out who this man Yvain is who can perform all these impossible feats and yet is the most incompetent man alive and claims to be from the future.
This is all roleplay between me and one other person over messenger and we don't pay too much attention to prose so it's mildly rough and I don't feel like changing it so you can have it as is!
"And you want everything?" Morgan Le Fay sighs. "Ok. He comes from the future where the horrors have returned. He is sent back by your boss, three of the other ancients, and the only two surviving dragons. But he is not the Yvain that was sent back. In fact, that is not even his real name, but he doesn't remember his real name and I cannot find it in my ball or in the bones." She glances at a pile of chicken bones. "Are you sure you want to know more about him? You wouldn't rather know about your husband?"
Vyxen barely resists baring her teeth. "I'm not sure that title is applicable anymore."
She raises her hands. "Sorry. Shall I just stick with the man not in his own skin then?"
"Yes. If Joker sent him back he should know and maybe... we can fix it... when the horrors return. Send him back properly. Or... someone else entirely sounds like a better bet."
"He was... is... will be. He will be the best choice sadly. Horrors feed on magic so by the time that they are able to send someone back, they can't send someone as powerful as an ancient or even a semi accomplished runner. So, they chose someone who is close to a runner. I think he was an athlete of some sort. He has some magic in him too, so maybe he was an Olympian. But things did not go well. That's why he lost his memory and his form. Part of him was intercepted and taken from him. That's why he has these magical issues."
"Well how do we stop part of him from being intercepted?"
"There is no way. People have been sent forward in time to try to fix it, but things always are lost when they travel. Do you know the people who stand outside with signs that say the end is near? They are almost all from the past, sent forward to fix the ritual that sends him back. They just need to do it a year earlier and he would be fine."
"Ok then I'll make sure it happens a year earlier. I just need to know when the... world ends and I can make sure it happens sooner rather than later." She is starting to get really unsettled knowing that the thing they always work to prevent, happens.
"You don't make it." She shrugs. "You won't make it within five years of the point where they send him back."
It's like a wave crashes over her "w-what? What do you mean..." she asks quietly, going pale.
"When the horrors start to spread, you are one of the first to die. They emerge and start to infiltrate the world. You are lost in one of the fights to stop them gaining too much ground. In his future, you succeed but it's a losing battle. You die keeping them at bay for another month." She shrugs. "At least you aren't killed by the fruit of your own loins. My own child kills me."
"When... how long... I don't want the day I want... months? Years?" Her breathing is becoming more shallow. "Do I make a difference. Does me dying make a difference. Does it help."
"You have at least two years. And you make a big difference. You keep the world spinning normally for another few months before it begins to unravel." She sighs. "But... I should say this is all blurry to me. These are things that can change. If some things change, this can all be avoided. You can live. Yvain can do what he was meant to do. Flame Wing can survive her breakdown. Harlequin can learn to shut up and die."
"But as of right now, that's where the timeline is heading." She swallows hard
"It is. Though, the more that you and Ehran learn the more blurry this gets." She shrugs and goes to get her chicken bones. She picks them up, breathes into them, and drops them on the floor. "Yes... these things are changing slowly. Your future is in flux. Mine..." She does the same again and frowns. "Is not." But as she says this the nail file drops from the rafters and hits Morgan on the head. It falls on the bones and knocks two of them that were an X into a =. Morgan looks up at the dragonling who is trying to hide from her. "You stupid little..." Then she looks down and cocks her head. "Huh..." She picks up the file and puts it with her things. "Your potion is ready. One last question while I pour this."
"What about the others. I know I'm the first... but please tell me I'm the last. At least in the timeline where we succeed."
"You only succeed in delaying them. You do not stop them. Nothing stops them. If Yvain fails in his world then within 2 years everyone is dead." She frowns at the three bottles she has made. "Need a small change to these. Forgot about flavor." She puts them in a small ritual circle and starts casts. "You have gained another question if you want it."
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And They Fell
Length: ~1,500
Content warnings: Violence, blood, injury, magical attacks, electrocution, unconsciousness
Post themes: combat
Summary: This post is a little different because it's just the subsequent combat scene following up from the last post. This is my first real combat scene ever and I got a lot of great advice for it. If you want to, I would really love some solid critique on how this went. A few questions I'm wondering about most: is this confusing? Does it pace correctly for a fight scene? Did I jump around too much? You can reblog/reply with as much or as little critique as you want. You also can just read for fun and you don't have to critique anything if you don't want to! I also may repost this as a rewrite depending on advice I get, we will see :)
Intro with links to all previous posts
[next post]â-[previous post]
Taglist: (adds/removes always open!) @betwixtofficial @taerandcalentavar @talesfromaurea @faelanvance @definitelyquestionit @drippingmoon @dontcrywrite @a-wild-bloog
One time fight scene tag: @author-a-holmes thanks for being willing to look it over!
Kireenâs blade sang from its sheath and her warriorâs mind kicked into action. This was enough evidence to start an investigation so it was clear they wouldnât be allowed to escape. Two strides, sword in motion, but it came to a jarring halt against two elvish scimitars belonging to the crossbow manâs comrade. Kireen was able to stave off the biting steel but she couldnât match the speed of two swords forever.
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Another bolt was being loaded but Kireen was too preoccupied to notice so Kâlaiâaâla, throwing knives at the ready, sent them hurtling in his direction. One caught the wood of the crossbow which did no more than mar its polished surface. The second struck his upper arm. She saw the crossbow shudder in his hands and his lips tighten but he slammed the bolt fully into place. Kâlaiâaâla knew it was coming. With her reflexes, it was nothing to sidestep the bolt and hear it clatter against the stone. Before he could load another, her attention was drawn to a battle cry from Brimir who had drawn his own sword and plunged into contest with the two remaining elves. Sadie seemed to be safely keeping behind the lines so Kâlaiâaâla drew her own scimitar and stepped to Brimirâs side.
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It was vital to keep to oneâs strengths so as her friends stepped up to engage the elves, Sadie stayed back. As another bolt was prepared, she knew she must target him to keep his attention off her friends.
âHey!â she called and he turned his attention to her âif arrogance and stupidity had a baby, you would be the afterbirth.â Each word was wrapped tightly into the weave and entered his mind like a dozen shards of glass. She watched him recoil but regain his composure quickly and loose a bolt just for her. It breezed through her hair as she flinched away, unharmed. He was quickly placing another bolt and she shouted at him once more. âIf you donât start using your head for more than a hat rack, Iâll start using it to store my swords!â His shot went wide and lacking the patience to reload, he tossed the crossbow away and yelled something in elvish. Sadie grinned, knowing in her soul that she was just insulted, but his carried no magic.
A man twice her height barreled down on her but she drew her rapier and held her ground. One misdirection and his blade went wide. She went in for the groin but he backhanded her blade away. She could hear his blade whistling toward her again but she didnât move in time, giving her a stinging bite across the jaw; her vision blurred. She thrust blindly and felt it give into something soft. She heard a grunt, steel flashed, her rapier lifted in defense to take a moment and make sense of the blur in front of her.
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The elf who had intercepted Kireen was not prepared for her draconic strength. He was parrying her blows but losing ground and Kireen saw it. She pushed harder, increasing the force of each swing but she faltered when the man with the crossbow discarded his weapon and charged past her to where she knew Sadie was standing. Her opponent took his opportunity to step into her guard and thrust his sword into her underarm. Sensing his move she twisted so the armor took most of the blow only leaving her with a sharp ache. With him inside her guard, a quick pommel strike to his head crumpled him. Kireen spun and saw Sadie with blood dripping off her chin, barely holding her own against the onslaught. With a roar, Kireen charged.
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Sweat beaded, muscles burned, breath rasped sharply but Kâlaiâaâla and Brimir kept pace with their two opponents. They all bled from several minor cuts but the pain heightened their instincts. One slip was all it took and when Kâlaiâaâla over-rotated her wrist, the enemy sword broke her guard and cut deeply into her arm. With a feral snarl she lashed out with pure instinct and landed a similar blow across his shoulder. Brimirâs peripheral caught the break in motion. He flipped his sword out, sinking the point into the other elfâs thigh but the one he had engaged swung for the opening. Brimir brought his arm up, catching the sword on his bracer and he winced at the force.
Seeing her opponent stumble to Brimirâs sword, like a predator to the weakest prey, Kâlaiâaâla redoubled her efforts. As her sword whistled through the air, she watched the elfâs lips move. The air around him rippled and he sidestepped, disappearing entirely. Her sword continued through the air with such force that the tip struck the ground. Brimirâs opponent balked, realizing it was now two on one. He retreated toward the open door just as an older elf with vicious blue eyes stepped through it. Lightning arced through his fingers and Kâlaiâaâla could hear the arcane language on his lips.
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The draconic roar behind him made the elf turn his attention away from Sadie to see a blur of red scales and teeth grab him by the front of his armor. Kireen made to bite his face but he pulled away in terror and she only grabbed the side of his neck. Her mind was set on protecting Sadie so the elfâs dagger plunging into her side surprised her and she pulled away. This left her open for two more dagger thrusts to her gut almost bringing her to her knees. A third was incoming but was pulled up at the last second when Sadieâs rapier plunged into the back of the manâs thigh. Kireen was about to rally when a second set of swords appeared seemingly out of nowhere and began pressing her back.
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There was a carnal satisfaction that flashed through Sadie when she saw the elfâs features contort with pain while her rapier embedded itself further into his thigh. All Kireen needed to do was take advantage of his distraction. Then the second elf from across the room stepped out of a ripple in the air.
The enemies were aware that the dragonborn was the bigger threat. With Kireen already weakened, Sadie knew it was now or never. With a deathgrip on the weave she twisted the strands around the mind of the elf who just appeared before them. His strangled mind succumbed to her power. He began to laugh, a horrible cackling laughter that rang above the clash of swords and scuff of boots. Sadieâs laughter rose with his but the elf laughed so hard he dropped to his knees. Presented with the opportunity, Kireen took it, her sword sprouting from his back in a wash of blood. He died with a twisted smile on his face.
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Kireenâs entire body burned but whether from wounds or exertion she didnât know. There was now a second elf or she was seeing double. Either way she was swinging frantically at both until one of them began to laugh. Once on his knees she thrust and found that it was no illusion. She wrenched her sword free of his corpse but her strength flagged, she was backed against the wall, her breath came in ragged gasps. Then she couldnât see. Everything was white, her muscles contracted all at once and fire seared through her. She couldnât even scream. It stopped as fast as it started and she welcomed the coolness of the floor on her cheek.
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The arc of lightning ripped through his body and he staggered but managed to stay on his feet. Beside him, Kâlaiâaâla was not so lucky. She succumbed without a cry of pain, collapsing into a heap. He looked over his shoulder and saw Kireen fall as well but to his relief, Sadie remained standing. He had one chance to save his friends. One well-placed sword thrust and this mage would be done. Brimir made it one step before there was a silent concussive force around him and the man spoke a word. âKneelâ. The word echoed around in his thoughts erasing all others. He dropped to his knees.
-
When she could finally breathe again, Sadie let out a sob. She looked to Kireen for reassurance but saw her friend lifeless on the ground. Her thoughts were sluggish, looking to call Kâlaiâaâla for help but she too was on the ground and Brimir was kneeling before the man in the doorway. She was the only one left. It was up to her to get them out of this. Emotions hit her like rolling thunder and a scream of rage pealed out of her. She released her grip on the magic she handled with such care and brought her hands together. A shattering crack echoed around the room loud enough she thought the roof might collapse.
When the dust settled, all the elves were still standing. She had failed. Her last hope was to heal them, she had the magic, she could help her friends. Sadie took one step but a hand in her hair halted her. Pain blossomed across her cheek from a sadistic backhand and that was all it took for the world to go dark. Silence fell along with Sadie. Pure chaos, over in seconds that stretched out into a lifetime but not even the chaos stirred the unconscious people still laying in the corner.
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