Discord
04-22-2020, 11:51 PM
‘!!!
If you do end up telling people about us, how do you expect them to react? Having voices in your head guiding your actions would've been looked upon pretty negatively on Earth, what Kaz'Rao's take on that?’
It felt like an alarm bell went off in my head, a new message from The Forum. I flinched, and Ser Silversong narrowed her gaze. Shit. Yeah I can’t tell her what’s really going on.
“I suppose the blank look on your face means you don’t know what I’m talking about. It would have been so much easier if you knew what a Defiant was from your past life.” Silversong said, sighing “I’ll just have to explain it. There are three types of Soul Arts. Learned Arts, which are the normal ways one gains a soul art; Forbidden, Arts that burn the soul for quicker, more potent results; And finally, Defiant Arts.
“Rarely, when one is at the end of their life, they have a will to keep going that surpasses what their body is naturally capable of. They make a vow in their hearts, to defy death and accomplish a goal, a dream, a wish. That can keep their body going for much longer than what is usually possible, but they still end up dying.
“In their next life though, they carry that wish with them. To Defy death and rebirth, even for a moment, gives them power. Their soul, which burns bright from their will, turns that wish into power, into a Soul Art. one unique to them, and unable to be replicated, at least not to the degree a Defiant can wield it.
“I’m a Defiant, and my Defiant Art lets me put off rest for as long as I need to, once I went months without sleep. Then, when my task is done, I repay the debt owed to my body, going comatose for however much time I had the art active, plus four or five days.”
She paused, to let that sink in. Or to give me an opportunity to respond. I didn’t know what to say. This would mean The Guidance Forum is a soul art. It also means she doesn’t know I’m an alien, or what my Defiant Art can do. How should I proceed?
‘Ooh what's a defiant?
Is that a name for people from Earth, or do you think she knows about us?
...We should probably let her talk, actually. Ignore me for now.’
“You used it right now, didn’t you?” Silversong asked.
“No, I don’t know what you’re talking about, I have some kind of superpower?” I lied.
“Scud, I can sense when a Soul Art Is used near me, It’s one of the first things you learn when training for a Learned Art. Your brother could probably do the same. I can understand not trusting me, but I can help if you let me.”
Shit. I’d have to tell her something. Having this power and being a reincarnate not on whatever government registry they use for soul patterns makes me look extremely suspicious. What do I do?
‘Ur defiant because u disrespect the police’
Fuck! Okay, I need to be careful when I’m thinking about what to do. But it seemed it was too little too late. Ser Silversong Unsheathed her sword just a bit, and the black metal reflected the light into a bright red… that wasn’t black. The sword wasn’t black, it was a deep dark Red. Shit, shit shit! Her power was the ability to control iron from her own blood, I forgot. That sword is made entirely of iron extracted from her own blood!
“There are generally nine Techniques in each art. To master even a single one takes decades. I know all nine for both Blood Iron Thorn and Tireless Dedication.” She said, locking eyes with me, “Tell me what you’re doing right now and I won’t be forced to take action.”
I can’t ask for help this time. I can’t think about this, I just need to tell her.
“I didn’t know I was doing it at first. I didn’t know what it was,” I explained, holding my hands in the air, “There are these people… They send me messages, thoughts, words, ideas, seemingly when I’m in need of Guidance. I can’t control it, I can’t turn it off. They see what I do, at least around the time I get their help.”
“You realize there’s no way that’s Verifiable, right?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah! I know it sounds crazy, I feel crazy. There are people who can read my mind and talk to me. I don’t know who or what they are or how this is even possible. But what the heck am I going to do? Come up with a more convincing superpower? I don’t even know how these things work!”
Silversong pondered that for a moment, before sliding her sword back into its scabbard and placing it back on the table. I breathed a sigh of relief and put my arms down.
“I’m sorry for scaring you,” She said, folding her hands on the table. “I can’t be too careful. Your records have Sigma readings that indicate you’re a first life, and your Sigma pattern doesn’t match any on record from before your birth as Scud. Both of those things and being a Defiant? It’s incredibly suspicious, and nearly impossible.
“But I see now… you’re on your second life, you didn’t live too long in your first. You’re still just a kid, no more than… twenty-five, maybe thirty, years old in your last life. If you live as long as I do, with the job I have, you learn to read people. Why didn’t your pattern show up and why do the readings from your birth indicate this is your first life?”
“I don’t know why they thought this was my first life, as for the other question, I plead the fresh start provision.” I said. Thank god I paid attention in history class when that one came up.
“Fine.” Silversong huffed. “ I can't ask you about your past life, but you’re still going to need to have your registration changed. Have you talked with your family about this?”
“No… look. I just want to stay Scud the kid, the idiot who made scrap metal swords and started a food fight because they noticed the cafeteria’s new condiment dispensers were shaped like guns. I know I can’t keep that up, the people in my head, my Soul Art, The Guidance Forum, already convinced me of that. I just want one more week where everyone will treat me the same. Just until after my birthday.”
“It sounds like you have good people watching your back. Fine. I’ll give you one week before I report this. But I would like your insight, and the… Forum’s insight on what they might be. I have a theory, given What I’ve heard, but I want to here what you have to say.”
“Alright, give it a minute.” I said, closing my eyes.
Alright guys, What are you?
If you do end up telling people about us, how do you expect them to react? Having voices in your head guiding your actions would've been looked upon pretty negatively on Earth, what Kaz'Rao's take on that?’
It felt like an alarm bell went off in my head, a new message from The Forum. I flinched, and Ser Silversong narrowed her gaze. Shit. Yeah I can’t tell her what’s really going on.
“I suppose the blank look on your face means you don’t know what I’m talking about. It would have been so much easier if you knew what a Defiant was from your past life.” Silversong said, sighing “I’ll just have to explain it. There are three types of Soul Arts. Learned Arts, which are the normal ways one gains a soul art; Forbidden, Arts that burn the soul for quicker, more potent results; And finally, Defiant Arts.
“Rarely, when one is at the end of their life, they have a will to keep going that surpasses what their body is naturally capable of. They make a vow in their hearts, to defy death and accomplish a goal, a dream, a wish. That can keep their body going for much longer than what is usually possible, but they still end up dying.
“In their next life though, they carry that wish with them. To Defy death and rebirth, even for a moment, gives them power. Their soul, which burns bright from their will, turns that wish into power, into a Soul Art. one unique to them, and unable to be replicated, at least not to the degree a Defiant can wield it.
“I’m a Defiant, and my Defiant Art lets me put off rest for as long as I need to, once I went months without sleep. Then, when my task is done, I repay the debt owed to my body, going comatose for however much time I had the art active, plus four or five days.”
She paused, to let that sink in. Or to give me an opportunity to respond. I didn’t know what to say. This would mean The Guidance Forum is a soul art. It also means she doesn’t know I’m an alien, or what my Defiant Art can do. How should I proceed?
‘Ooh what's a defiant?
Is that a name for people from Earth, or do you think she knows about us?
...We should probably let her talk, actually. Ignore me for now.’
“You used it right now, didn’t you?” Silversong asked.
“No, I don’t know what you’re talking about, I have some kind of superpower?” I lied.
“Scud, I can sense when a Soul Art Is used near me, It’s one of the first things you learn when training for a Learned Art. Your brother could probably do the same. I can understand not trusting me, but I can help if you let me.”
Shit. I’d have to tell her something. Having this power and being a reincarnate not on whatever government registry they use for soul patterns makes me look extremely suspicious. What do I do?
‘Ur defiant because u disrespect the police’
Fuck! Okay, I need to be careful when I’m thinking about what to do. But it seemed it was too little too late. Ser Silversong Unsheathed her sword just a bit, and the black metal reflected the light into a bright red… that wasn’t black. The sword wasn’t black, it was a deep dark Red. Shit, shit shit! Her power was the ability to control iron from her own blood, I forgot. That sword is made entirely of iron extracted from her own blood!
“There are generally nine Techniques in each art. To master even a single one takes decades. I know all nine for both Blood Iron Thorn and Tireless Dedication.” She said, locking eyes with me, “Tell me what you’re doing right now and I won’t be forced to take action.”
I can’t ask for help this time. I can’t think about this, I just need to tell her.
“I didn’t know I was doing it at first. I didn’t know what it was,” I explained, holding my hands in the air, “There are these people… They send me messages, thoughts, words, ideas, seemingly when I’m in need of Guidance. I can’t control it, I can’t turn it off. They see what I do, at least around the time I get their help.”
“You realize there’s no way that’s Verifiable, right?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah! I know it sounds crazy, I feel crazy. There are people who can read my mind and talk to me. I don’t know who or what they are or how this is even possible. But what the heck am I going to do? Come up with a more convincing superpower? I don’t even know how these things work!”
Silversong pondered that for a moment, before sliding her sword back into its scabbard and placing it back on the table. I breathed a sigh of relief and put my arms down.
“I’m sorry for scaring you,” She said, folding her hands on the table. “I can’t be too careful. Your records have Sigma readings that indicate you’re a first life, and your Sigma pattern doesn’t match any on record from before your birth as Scud. Both of those things and being a Defiant? It’s incredibly suspicious, and nearly impossible.
“But I see now… you’re on your second life, you didn’t live too long in your first. You’re still just a kid, no more than… twenty-five, maybe thirty, years old in your last life. If you live as long as I do, with the job I have, you learn to read people. Why didn’t your pattern show up and why do the readings from your birth indicate this is your first life?”
“I don’t know why they thought this was my first life, as for the other question, I plead the fresh start provision.” I said. Thank god I paid attention in history class when that one came up.
“Fine.” Silversong huffed. “ I can't ask you about your past life, but you’re still going to need to have your registration changed. Have you talked with your family about this?”
“No… look. I just want to stay Scud the kid, the idiot who made scrap metal swords and started a food fight because they noticed the cafeteria’s new condiment dispensers were shaped like guns. I know I can’t keep that up, the people in my head, my Soul Art, The Guidance Forum, already convinced me of that. I just want one more week where everyone will treat me the same. Just until after my birthday.”
“It sounds like you have good people watching your back. Fine. I’ll give you one week before I report this. But I would like your insight, and the… Forum’s insight on what they might be. I have a theory, given What I’ve heard, but I want to here what you have to say.”
“Alright, give it a minute.” I said, closing my eyes.
Alright guys, What are you?
