The dragonling had fluttered down and began foraging aimlessly again which caught Dan’s attention. “Is you doin’ dat?”
“Doing what?”
“Makin’ it move.”
Anaar’s expression falls flat as he ogles Dan, unsure if it was a serious question. “Of course I am. How else would it be moving?”
“Why you makin’ it move all around and act like a real animal?”
Anaar slaps his forehead with understanding. “Oh! You mean that! I was beginning to wonder about you for a minute there. It’s programed to emulate a baby dragon’s behavior. Don’t ask me where I got those parameters from, but it seems to work for now.”
“Programed?”
“Yeah, so it can be relatively autonomous. It isn’t true autonomy, but it is linked to my subconscious desires and responds to stimuli accordingly.”
“Dat sound complicated as fuck. I don’t know what it means.”
Stefani chuckles as she pats Dan consolingly. “I think what Anaar means to say is that he is not actively controlling it because it can pick up on what he wants inherently. Right?”
“More points for Stefani today!”
“Wait! How da fuck you do dat?!” Dan’s eyes grow wide as he begins putting pieces together. “So this why you so good at teachin’ me bout constructs?! You been usin’ ‘em the whole time?!”
“I told you I had a wealth of experience in the matter…”
“Then teach me how to make it do shit by itself!”
“Dan, can’t you already do that? You just had a bird fly you around, and you use the… stick man… all the time.”
“Yeah, but I have to be really workin’ hard to make sure they doin’ right! Why you think I make the bird?! It be easy to think of the bird flyin’ and shit while I do other stuff. I tried just makin’ wings for myself and I kept crashin’ into shit! Just thinkin’ ‘fly’ don’t fuckin’ cut it!”
“Aren’t you strong enough at this point to just use your paper to comfortably move you around without all the flapping? Realistically it isn’t the flapping keeping you afloat, but your mind is using that as an excuse and blocking you from doing something you already are capable of. I saw that bird take off. It would need a much bigger wingspan and flap harder to carry you away if it was actually trying to function like a bird. You know their bones are hollow for a reason, right? You are far from hollow.”
Dan grumbles at the lecture which he usually would find insightful, but currently found it unsatisfactory. “You still ain’t taught me how to make ‘em do shit by theyself!”
“I don’t think this is really the time Dan… As you pointed out, we are close to the City zone now. We will revisit this another time.”
Maggie huffs as she stands from her seated position on the ground. “Finally! Can we go now?!”
They began moving toward the City, the dragonling first flying high and scouting, before coming to a lazy perch atop Anaar’s head. Seeing this happen, Dan was struck with yet more questions.
“So… you been a True Quintessence all dis time, right?”
Anaar cuts his eyes toward Dan without breaking his stride, wondering where this conversation might be headed. “Yes…”
“And you can make portals, right?”
“Yes…”
“Then why da fuck we walkin’?! Cain’t we just pop into wherever we want?! Matter fact, why we been walkin’ all these years?!”
“For starters, I haven’t always been able to make portals, it is a newer development. Also, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should do it, or that it even makes sense. You can essentially fly, but I don’t see you soaring the skies to our destination.”
“Man, I’m tryin’ to be a good friend! It ain’t right for me to be flyin’ and leavin’ y’all behind!”
“Then take us with you.”
Dan stops short as he becomes aware of the box he opened. “It ain’t that simple.”
“Why not?”
“Cause I have nuff trouble carryin’ my damn self! I cain’t be carryin’ four people!”
“Well maybe you should work on that. It could be useful in the future.”
Dan grumbles something under his breath, but then jumps into another question. “So you say dis portal thang new. How you jest be gettin’ new powers and shit?!”
“It has to do with me being a True Quintessence. I have actually been working on some new theories-” Anaar catches the look on Maggie’s face, then continues. “-That I won’t be boring you with, but it has gotten more frequent since my encounter with my twin. You know that massive incident in Ivory a month or so back?”
“Oh shit! The one where Phave done fucked up the whole building! I don’t even wanna know what kinda freaky shit y’all was doin’ to make that happen.”
“Yea… that was actually me. I have gotten Phavian’s powers too.”
Dan’s mouth falls open, while Stefani remains expressionless, despite the swirl of emotions battering her insides. To the surprise of neither of them, Maggie was completely unfazed, it being clear as day she had been long privy to this information. Rather than wait for them to pelt him with questions again, Anaar started back up at a clip, causing them to quickly fall in step lest he leave them behind. Not long after he began walking, he stopped again, gazing somewhere in the distance.
“Wow. Didn’t expect that. Guess you are going to get your wish Dan. Seems it is time for the final boss.”
“What you talkin’ bout?”
“Check your Vizer.”
They all look at their Vizer, but it is Maggie who first exclaims. “There are only five people left?!”
Stefani then realized what the count meant. “There is only one other person besides us…”
A portal opens before them as Anaar moves to enter first. “Hence the final boss.”
They all follow Anaar through the portal, finding themselves at what would be a bustling intersection if it were not devoid of life. There was a massive building to the right of their exit, to which they noticed a very fit man propped against one of the doors, who seemed completely unbothered by the sudden appearance of the four remaining contenders of the Melee.
“Since when did our class have a Transporter?”
Anaar shrugs as he walks up to the man. “You really like this building don’t you? Decided not to camp out up top this time I see. You have been waiting here for some time haven’t you?”
Eyeing Anaar with a lust that did not exude sexual desire, but something else that needed to be fulfilled, the man smiled, only accentuating his already handsome face. “Yeah, I have. How would you know that?”
Anaar returns the smile, then turns his back on the man. “Everyone has their secrets.”
“Fine by me. So are we going to have our rematch or what? I’ve been dying for this moment. I refused to be beaten before reaching you.”
Anaar sighs heavily. “Have it your way…”
Before anything can begin, Dan and Stefani both look at one another before nodding in agreement and speaking up. “You said you ain’t gone lose ‘til you fight Anaar. Look like you got a lotta fightin’ ahead a ya, cause you gotta go through us first.”
Anaar looks at Dan, then Stefani with curiosity. “Are you sure? I know you two have gotten better, but don’t take this the wrong way… I don’t think either of you are his match.”
Stefani took the comment much more personally than Dan, immediately drawing her claws and dropping into a stance. “We’ll see about that!”
In a burst of speed, Stefani took off toward the man, a flurry of wild scratches missing by the smallest of margins. Feeling no need to show off, nor play with his food, the man immediately retaliated the moment Stefani left herself open. Precision strikes practically thundered against her body. His movements were crisp, yet his attacks had an elegance to them, fluttering beautifully like petals in the wind. His engagement with Stefani was over as quickly as it began, Stefani rendered completely unconscious on the g
round before them.
I know those movements. They aren’t just the result of intensive training and dedication… He has Foresight. How did I miss that before? The last time we met I was sure he was just a Synestate. I don’t think I’m infallible, but it is almost an impossibility I missed something so glaring.
Dan looked to Stefani on the ground as Anaar moved to carry her out of the way. He felt in his heart he was a much stronger combatant than Stefani, but he would not have expected her to go down so easily. He knew Stefani had much more martial arts experience than he did, but it was never put forth that it was martial arts only. Readying himself, he was certain the best route to victory would be to restrict the man’s movements. It was clear he was at a similar level to Anaar in his martial arts, so leveling the playing field was his only option. With mounds of paper spilling forth, he entered the fray.
One of Dan’s greatest weaknesses often time became his greatest strength. His unpredictability would throw opponents off, judging him as weaker than he really was. At a critical moment when he was almost down, he would exhibit a surge of strength in ability that far exceeded what he was normally capable. Despite Anaar’s attempts to make this power more readily available, it remained locked behind a door that only a particular key could open.
The first action Dan took was creating a golem to assist him on the field. Anaar initially found this to be a smart tactic, as it split the opponent’s attention, making him easier to assault. Unfortunately, it appeared the plan instead backfired horrendously on Dan.
I see what he means now that he is fighting someone else and not me. I always presumed it was because I was his opponent that he was having difficulty controlling his constructs. It is clear that he is focusing so much on keeping the golem active, that his own movements are equivalent to him being frozen, at least against this guy.
Though his golem was indeed proving much more of a burden than a boon, Dan showed he was not without options. Surprising Anaar with something he had never seen before, Dan drove strips of paper into the ground, then used them to create chains to keep the man down. It was refreshingly ingenious and Anaar praised Dan for it, despite being too slow to bind the man.
Dan refused to let any of his failures keep him down as he continued to try out different tactics. He had correctly assessed his range advantage, making sure to keep the man on the defensive. He tossed two handfuls of cards, which was by far the fastest moving attack he had launched. He scattered them in a manner that would drive the man closer to any of the bindings still attached to the ground. He was positive that if even one caught him, it would spell victory.
Dan could taste victory as the man had just carelessly stepped into the range of one of the tendrils. It struck out like a snake, lashing at the man’s ankle in an attempt to encircle it, but was evaded by the man diving out of the way, coming into a handstand position. Even though it had not grabbed him, Dan could not have asked for a better situation. He immediately lunged at the man in the awkward position, hand on the hilt of his katana ready to strike.
In a series of deft movements no one expected, the man spun around on his hands, bounding and inverting his stance, his legs sweeping Dan off his feet as his body was supported behind his back by his arms. The somewhat goofy Dan went airborne from the sweep, and as his body was falling toward the ground, the man’s legs swung upward into a savage roundhouse that seemed to have far more power than it should with his arms as his base. The kick made direct contact with Dan’s head, sending the already airborne man spiraling into a wall where he and all the paper around crumpled to the ground. Whether he was aware of Dan’s paper armor or not was unknown, but he had managed to hit Dan in the one area he lacked protection.
Capoeria… Unexpected, but why am I not surprised? Not a very common practice in these parts, but looks fun nonetheless.
The man looked slightly winded, something that did not escape Anaar’s notice. If nothing else, he would be able to tell Dan that it was not quite as one-sided as it seemed. Maggie rushed forward toward the man, who immediately straightened his back, ready for whatever may come.
“Are you next?”
The man’s question was answered by Maggie’s actions long before her words. She had rushed to Dan’s side, scooping him up and pulling him to the side. Placing his head in her lap, she gently stroked his head, all the while looking down at him with a mixture of disapproval and concern.
“Nope. I’m not an idiot. Our fighting styles don’t mix. Unlike this knucklehead, I don’t feel like I have something to prove.”
“Fair enough.”
The same look he once had for Anaar, also flashed momentarily for the small woman before him. She was far more formidable than she let on, and he had a suspicion that she might very well prove troublesome in the future. He took his mind off her, and focused on his main course.
“We finally get our rematch. It was her who caused you to run off last time wasn’t it?”
Anaar shrugs, “Guilty as charged.”
“That you can say that so casually leaves me conflicted. It is upsetting to think you were only entertaining me the whole time, dancing with me until you became bored or were needed.” The man licks his lips before continuing. “But something gets me fired up to think about going round for round with someone who has the strength to look down on me so much.”
Anaar had an overwhelming sense of discomfort with the conversation and the direction it was headed. “You aren’t going to start stalking me and attacking me randomly are you? I already have one of those… I really wouldn’t like another.”
The man laughs, throwing back his head as every visible sinew underneath the caramel brown skin rippled. “No, no, nothing like that. I don’t intend to make a fool out of myself at every turn like JaMarkus Schrodes. Though I wouldn’t mind stalking you for other reasons…”
Great… I’m sure somewhere Phavian is punching a hole in the wall or something… “Well that is a relief. I guess… You seem to know a lot about me, but I don’t know anything about you. I don’t even know your name. How have we gone nearly three years without interacting?”
“The name is Kintaque. We can’t all be as famous as you. To be fair though, I keep to myself.”
And that shit works?! I might have to take some lessons from this guy.
“The chat has been nice. Have you been trying to give me a chance to recover? Either way we should probably get on with this.”
The man shifts his stance and takes on an intensity that made evident he had not been serious before. Anaar remembered from his previous encounter and what he had just now seen that the man liked to wait for someone to advance, rather than be the one who pursued his target. If he could still be damaged, he would be somewhat apprehensive, but with his Invulnerability, there was nothing he had to worry about. Sighing to himself, he darted toward the man to get into range.
Grossly misjudging his abilities, he streaked toward the man much faster than he could ever react, grabbing his face along the way as he crashed into the wall of the building they had been standing next to. Panicking at what was happening and what would be the inevitable result, he pushed himself back with a massive gust of wind, hoping it would slow his momentum. Though it did what he wanted, it was still not enough to prevent him from nearly shattering the thick wall with the man’s body.
Jumping back alarmed and remorseful as the man slid downward from the large indentation he had made, he scrambles down to the battered man in a frenzy. “Sorry! Sorry! Oh no! You think he’s going to be okay?!”
Maggie’s eyes bulge at the sight and the ridiculous question posed to her. “What is wrong with you?! Would you be okay after something like that?!” She pauses for a moment. “Don’t answer that.”
“I don’t know what happened! Well I do… but it wasn’t like I intended for it to go that way! I’m still struggling with this newfound strength! It isn’t like I have had all my life to…”
Anaar stops mid-sentence as he seems to have fa
llen into a deep state of contemplation. Maggie, who was no stranger to this behavior went on looking after Dan after Anaar had stopped talking. Portals had begun to open, recovery staff spilling forth. If Anaar had not subconsciously healed Kintaque soon after the impact, the man would not have had a chance at survival.
A Medic apprehensively pokes Anaar, jerking him from his trance. “I… need to take care of the patient…”
Anaar snaps to his senses, standing and making way for the woman. “Oh, right. My apologies.”
One of the Transporters looks to Maggie with a question on her face. “So… are you two gonna… You know…”
Maggie huffs and stomps her foot. “Are you really going to make me say it?! Fine. I concede to Anaar. Is that what you wanted to hear?!”
“Sorry, but the rules are the rules. I guess that does it for you then. Do you two need a ride home?”
Maggie looks over to the Anaar who was still engrossed in his thoughts. “Don’t worry, I think we’ll manage.”
With that, the recovery teams took their patients and departed. Maggie gave Anaar a few moments to himself before she finally prodded him to bring him back to reality.
“Hey, what are you thinking about?”
Anaar’s eyes look to Maggie as if seeing her though a haze, then finally everything becomes clear. “Not totally sure yet. I’ll tell you when I am certain.”
Maggie nods, “Fine by me, just don’t go struggling on your own like you usually do. Want to get out of here?”
Anaar looks around, realizing what has transpired since they are the only two left. Opening a portal, the two make their way back to his room to the whoops and excited kisses from Phavian. Codi showered Maggie with an equivalent amount of love until she was pushed to the floor once Maggie had her fill. With the praises ongoing, followed by the obligatory alcohol, Maggie and Anaar sat resting against each other as their second Mid-Year Melee came to an end.
17
“I have two words for you. Three some.”
Anaar looks blankly at Phavian as he holds up three fingers with a grin. “That’s one word… What are you even talking about?”
Revelations (Song of Sophangence Book 4) Page 32