wow

"You shouldn't do that-" Erasmus watched with a furrowed brow as a stream of viscous, crimson liquid was drawn from the limpened mouse in his brother's hand.

"... You shouldn't meddle." Bernhardt's voice was cool as he spoke back. Once it seemed the last of what he could get out of the mouse was now collected in a floating mass of blood, he simply dumped it from his palm, letting it fall to the floor with the softest of thumps as if his prior apology and gentle handling meant nothing.

The marketplace was buzzing with activity and chatter, but one shrill voice seemed to pierce through the crowds. Nyra, who'd been weaving his way through the square, stopped and looked over to where the outcries were coming from.

"They have abandoned you! They have abandoned me! All of us!!" He continued, his audience growing one by one, and with this his voice seemed to grow louder, harsher.

"Let us not forget the fall of Krisos! The holy city!"

Despite the swealtering heat, Nyra felt like he'd been submerged in ice. Around him there were murmurs of discussion, and finally someone cried back in agreement.

"Reduced to ash and bone... Listen to me, my brothers and sisters!!... The age of gods is ending!"

More voices called out, and by this time guards were pushing their way through to reach the platform this crier preached from. One shoved past Nyra, jostling him from his own thoughts.

"... Are you even listening to me?"

The only sound Elliot recieved in response was the rain pelting the car and the static white noise coming from the radio. He peeled his eyes away from the flooded windshield for a split second to cast a frustrated glance over to the brooding teen in the passenger seat.

"Micah!" He finally barked.

The twirling coins floating above the teen's outstretched hand fell into his palm with a clatter before a short, "What?!" was snapped back at him.

Elliot just gripped the grimy, time worn wheel a little tighter as he clenched his jaw, before a defeated sigh wheezed out of his weakening lungs.

"Nothing."

More silence filled the car, for what felt like hours.

"... I still don't know why you won't come!" Micah finally broke that silence some time later, but at this point, Elliot wished he hadn't. They'd had this conversation countless times, and it always ended in a screaming match.

"Micah, you know wh-"

"No I don't! You say you're too sick but-... but there's gotta be someone out there that can heal you!! Y-you can get better, you just have to give it a fucking chance!"

"Stop-"

"No, YOU stop!"

"Micah!"

"NO!"

The car suddenly swerved, pushed by an unseen force as Micah's emotions boiled over. In a panic, Elliot quickly corrected, over-corrected, and when the worn down tires hit a patch of water, it sent the car spinning in the empty, wet road until they eventually came to a stop.

Both were momentarily stunned. Elliot put the car in park, took off his glasses, and sat back in his seat when the burst of adrenaline wore off. His eyes closed until he heard a weak sniffling next to him, and, putting on his glasses again, he saw Micah furiously wiping his eyes. "I-it's not fair," he whimpered.

"... C'mere." Elliot unbuckled, and as he leaned over the console, Micah gravitated into his arms, where he was able to hide his face and cry in peace. He was right, this wasn't fair... It wasn't fair that Micah had to go through this alone... It wasn't fair that he couldn't stay with him and look after his little brother as he navigated this broken world. But whether they liked it or not, it was reality.

the main energy source is a mineral-like, energy emitting substance that is also highly flammable (near impossible to extinguish/high temp)- acts kind of like a cross between lyrium nd the crystals of atlantis

it is considered sacred, bestowed by the gods

it is mostly used in temples and for crafting weapons and building infrastructure (in bigger cities)

Nyra is afraid of deep water. If it goes up past his chest while standing he won't get in it.

he frequently has nightmares

this opens up the possibility that

a)someone seperated them for a reason, possibly to cause the downfall of his people

and b) nyras sibling is out there somewhere nd finding each other would make them potentially very powerful... and a threat

with a sufficient number of people it can take shape of an arching door of interwoven flesh and bodies, sprouting eyes everywhere, and in the center of the archway the other world can be accessed

-blood wizards goal is to summon a dark, otherworldly being whose body itself acts like a door/portal into a different realm, where magic is rumored to originate (lovecraftian in appearance)

-summoning this being requires great sacrifice, of magic, flesh, and blood, hence the great number of murders committed around the first time it was attempted

-blood wizard promises great power and unimaginable knowledge to those helping him but he is ultimately only in it for himself, everyone else are pawns

-that being said, his follower base is extremely devoted to him, committed to helping his plan come to fruition

•The world of stem cell research and biotechnology came together to bring to the market the world’s very first organic prosthetics

•Prosthetics, and later on organs, are made from a type of synthetic, biorobotic stem cell that can adapt and mimic the cells in the body perfectly so that limbs can either be grown back, grown and attached, and organs (internal and external) can do the same

•It was revolutionary until the cells began to malfuction in away, reproducing too rapidly, consuming any kind of organic energy, which led to tumerous, parasitic growths that would eventually hijack the body

•The need to consume energy is seemingly insatiable, and all over the world people were becoming ravenous, and often times cannibalistic and mindless

•The malfunctioned cells can combine with malfunctioned cells from other inhabited bodies and can also spread to bodies previously unaffected

•Malfunctioned cells can be spread through open wounds, blood, etc, like a virus.

•Animals can also become ‘infected’

Elliot •25 •powerless •terminally ill •self-sacrificing •protective •Micah’s older brother

Micah •16 •telekinetic/clairsentient •mouthy •inexperienced with powers •self-reliant •only really listens to Elliot

He was upset. He even cried. I rolled my eyes and called him a baby.

My parents scolded me and told him they would take him to see it that weekend, and that made him feel a little better.

I wasn’t going with them, though. Only losers went to the movies with their parents and little brothers… No, I had other plans.

I was going to ask Lisa Palmer to go with me opening day, after school. I’d had a crush on her since our Freshman science class together and… sure she was pretty popular but I felt like I had a good chance.

That Monday, I asked her. She said yes. We made plans for Wednesday night to meet at the theater and we would see the movie together, and Wednesday night couldn’t come soon enough.

I made sure to wear the coolest clothes I had- I even brushed my hair and used some my dad’s cologne. We were supposed to meet at 6 outside the theater. I got there at 5:30.

I waited, and waited some more for her to show up… 1… 2… 3 hours passed by… I kept thinking maybe she was just late. I had our tickets in my coat pocket, I could have gone inside and watched the movie by myself-

I saw Lisa arriving as I was finally leaving to go home. She was walking in for a later showing with a group of other popular kids, upperclassmen, laughing with her arms wrapped around some bigger guy that looked like he could’ve be a football player… I’d been stood up. I should’ve expected as much.

Home was a long way from the theater. On foot at least… It was getting late and it was already dark enough that most of the street lamps were flickering on by then… Lisa’s dad was supposed to pick us up after the movie, or so I thought… but I didn’t really mind the walk… It gave me some time alone to cry- Yeah, I cried.

My tears fell fast while I held the two tickets tightly in my hand… two tickets that I’d wasted most of my lawn mowing money on… but before I could rip them up like I wanted to, a car pulled up beside me. It was kinda weird, but I was more concerned about wiping my face before the guy inside could roll down his window see I’d been crying.

He seemed normal, middle aged- almost like someone’s dad, with the way he looked at me over his glasses.

He asked me if I was ok, why I was walking home this late by myself, then offered me a ride. I was reluctant, but I said yes since my parents would start to worry if I didn’t get back soon…

I never made it home to my parents… I never saw them or my brother… or Lisa Palmer… or my friends ever again. I was stupid to get in that car…

They never found me. They spent months searching. I wasn’t the first or the last kidnapping that year… I don’t know if they ever caught the guy… I don’t know if they found the others…

My parents buried an empty casket and moved away a year later.

I wish I’d never said no. I wish I'd just taken my lame little brother to the movies.

With strength that was surprising coming from another child of similar stature, Kat was shoved with malice and fell to the cold tile floor before looking up at his teammate, shocked and intimidated.

“I wasn’t trying to do better than you, I was just swimming! I swear!” Kat pleaded with Rival but it was obvious he wasn’t buying it. Kat didn’t dare get up from the ground.

Raised voices echoed off empty locker room walls and rang harshly in Kat’s ears. Maybe their coach would note their absence quickly and find them before this turned violent. There was really no telling what Rival would do when he was upset like this.

“Oh, so you just naturally swim better than me then?!” Rival snapped.

“No- No! The that’s not what I meant!”

“Shut up! I told you to do one easy thing and you can’t even lose!!” No punches were thrown but Kat flinched anyway and kept his head down.

Rival was simply fuming and pushed up his glasses with a growl of disdain. That’d been his chance to impress their coach, to be chosen for competition and this- little twerp… ruined it! He’d barely been able to contain his anger when Kat got out of the pool and was showered with praise from his teammates for having such a good time. Praise that could’ve been his!

The rushed flip-flopping of Rival’s pool shoes approaching had Kat sheilding himself with both hands this time but instead a swift kick forced him futher down onto the floor, followed by a foot stomping on his head to make sure he stayed there. Kat let out a pathetic yelp of pain that made Rival sneer and scoff at him, not a trace of empathy or remorse on his face.

“What, are you gonna cry? Tch, I guess you’re a big crybaby too, huh… thought it was bad enough that you were a freak…”

He pressed down harder, like trying to squish a bug under his foot, and Kat was trying not to snivel, failing miserably, his poor teary whimpering only shortening Rival’s fuse further. Rival leaned down as he put more weight into his foot and made sure he was nice and close to Kat for him to hear what he had to say next.

“Next time I tell you to do something… you’re gonna do it… and if you DON’T- I’m gonna break your leg!!” Rival yelled. “...Understood...?”

Kat nodded frantic, as best he could while pinned to the ground, to show his compliance, unable to muster up a proper verbal response. Not that begging would do any good. What he did give however must’ve satisfied Rival to a degree, having reduced Kat to a weeping, trembling heap on the floor... made him squirm- and that’s how he was left when the angered child lifted his foot, stepped back, and took his leave.

Kat would be found some few minutes later when a searching coach finally heard the meek noises from outside the door, but not a word was spoken about what’d actually made him upset, not to his teammates, nor his parents. Especially not to his parents.