06-23-2015, 03:17 PM
Thrall Behemoth quirked an eyebrow as the aging pirate weaved his first volley. It felt the hot breath of the serpent long before it clamped its dagger teeth into its metaphysical flesh. More phantoms, more illusions. The Thrall Behemoth surged forwards with a hand outstretched, even as the immense snake dug its teeth deeper into the Thrall's adopted flesh. It would show this Behemoth how a true telepath fought. With calloused hands, it clamped its grip on to Behemoth's forehead, much in the same way that he himself had done to the girl. The Thrall pushed with all of its own force, but could gain no purchase within the human's mind. To fight against the surging tide of emotions and vindication that came from the true Behemoth's own sentience was a current that the Thrall could not fight against. Not in this girl's body. She did not have the talent...her brain was not attuned. It was in this moment, that the Thrall realized that it was fighting unarmed against a deft foe. It was that moment of dawning horror that gave Behemoth's own mental beast a certain reality. Consciously, the Thrall knew that the snake was merely an image, but now...now it had the pulse of fear within it, and it was the pulse within this vein into which the serpent injected its venom.
Immediately, Thrall Behemoth recoiled from the decaying man, its face adopting that accursed, mouthless, three eyed affectation that heralded the touch of the god-mind. What was once a perfect replica of Behemoth now became twisted and deformed, losing its shape and integrity. The serpent, in due time, lost its hold on the now intangible specter, but the damage was done. It was in this moment as well, that Behemoth realized the truth of the situation. The only person that this shadow had power over in this scenario, was Millie. Without a psychic brain, his foe was helpless...and Behemoth was quite experienced in dealing with normal, human brains. The contents didn't matter, so much as the hardware, per se. So the man went to work with vicious intent, tearing into the Thrall Mind's memories with a sadistic glee. A bonanza of personal vendettas, hopes and plans now laid bare before him.
True, the scope of this creature's mind was vast...far greater that Behemoth could dare comprehend in such a fleeting moment of opportunity. But as long as the Thrall was caught off guard, he could at least alter those memories which would permanently cripple the beast. Millennia of destruction and raw, unhindered power surged past Behemoth; the story of the life of a god, told in reverse. But where did the creature's sentience itself, lie? Surely there had to be a concrete place within its mind where it held its own identity. To search through the god-mind was to wander the universe, unaided by any form of orientation...and then Behemoth realized that it had been staring the source of the Thrall's willpower in the face all this time. The weak point of the beast was not within this mental infinity...it was the infinity itself. The only thing the creature had to define itself was the memories that had been forced into Millie's taxed grey matter. It had no other means by which to assert its psyche, no real mind.
The solution was simple. Only slight edits were necessary.
Next.
Next.
Behemoth proceeded in this way for what felt like...an untold amount of time. The man went through and scrupulously replaced ever instance of the Thrall's self reference with Millie's psyche. There was nothing that the beast could do: it could not chase Behemoth back through its own memories. Such a feat would be like trying to perform heart surgery on yourself. Unchallenged, Behemoth rose from the deepest depths of the creature's mind...but it was no longer the creature that had the knowledge of the infinite, and the intelligence of the stars. It was the girl. Millie once again owned everything in her mind, for better or worse. However, it could not be overlooked that, in the process of getting to this victory, Behemoth had quite thoroughly blasted Millie's deepest personal identities to smithereens. Behemoth searched for that door, that place where the girl had kept herself secreted away from the existential horror. The door was still there, but behind it, there lay nothing but a blank expanse. Blackness eternal...worse than a blank canvas...it was scorched earth. The effects of this...Behemoth could not begin to conjecture, but what was important was that he had achieved his promise, however vain. He had returned the girl's mind to her control, and no more would she have to fight to have an identity...even if it was nothing like the one she had before.
Enough...it was time to withdraw and observe the damage that had been wrought.
Behemoth broke his hand away from the girl's scabby forehead with a long, haggard gasp. He immediately fell onto his back, a great, terrible weakness coming over his body. The time...how long had he been fighting that battle? The mariner looked to the docks, where the tide rose and fell. Based on where the water had left its salty hash marks, almost a day and a half had passed. His potion! His damned elixir! With a desperate flailing, Behemoth clawed his way towards his desk where the vile ichor was kept. Close, so close...Yes! With a frenzied grunt, Behemoth snatched the bottle off of the desk. He fell prone on the floor and uncorked the dark concoction. He was about to raise it to his chapped lips when a sandaled foot smashed his wrist to the ground. Behemoth watched the bottle wobble dangerously as it was kicked out of his grasp, but by some merciful aberration of physics, the liquid did not spill. Weakly, Behemoth looked up to see the face of the girl. Bloodied, scabbed. It was backlit by the golden light of the ocean sunset which spilled through the cave's archway. The sound of gulls picking at aquatic carrion echoed throughout the cavernous abode, yet the girl remained silent. A fierce look was emblazoned upon her otherwise meek features. This person's name was Millie...but it was not the girl.
"Alright pap. You've got some explaining to do." she said, her small voice hoarse and harsh as a winter gale. Behemoth could only let out a whimper of pain along with panting in response. Millie looked over to the bottle and smirked.
"Oh you'll get your fix, don't worry. I'm not heartless, like the monster. But answer me one question..." Millie said, hunkering down and grabbing Behemoth's clammy chin in her hands.
"What. Did. You. Do?"
Behemoth let out a long gasp and his head sunk lower to the cold stone. Did she not understand? He was withering away in her clutches!
"I...I removed the monster's will from...from your mind..." Behemoth said between gasps. "In the process...parts of your mind were damaged. I...I warned you, I-Aaaggh!" Behemoth shouted as Millie's foot met his face with a loud smack.
"Don't get smart with me, pap. So what? I'm some kinda freak now too? Is that it?" Millie shouted, her indignant shout echoing among the dangling frigates like cannon fire. Behemoth rolled over on to his back with a slow gurgle...and that gurgle slowly became a dark, brooding laugh.
"What's so funny there, Captain Crunch?" Millie shrieked. Behemoth had no response other than to keep chuckling between rough, bloody coughs.
"AHACH...CAHACK...You...eheheh...you're more than you were...don't you feel it?" Behemoth muttered, his eyes staring ahead dejectedly. Was this how it ended? Slain by default by a teenage girl? Oh how the myriad men of the sea would laugh at him now, if they could but see this wretched display.
"What do you mean?!" Millie roared. Behemoth only laughed.
"Answer me dammit!"
Laughter.
With furious intent, Millie snatched up the vile of potion and crammed it halfway down Behemoth's mouth. The pirate coughed and sputtered, gagging on the cool glass vile...but oh what a wondrous feeling, to have life trickling back into his thrice damned body. It was good to know that, even on the brink of death, he could play people's minds to his advantage...even if they did have an infinite body of intelligence. Millie yanked the bottle of potion out of his mouth and tossed it into the whispering sea over the edge of the dock. Behemoth took a few deep breaths before smashing the girl away from him with the renewed strength he found. She fell to the ground and skidded a few feet from the force of the blow. As she recovered, Behemoth noticed the glint of a predator in her eye...that aqueous humor that the thrall-mind summoned. Before Behemoth had time to ponder the implications, Millie hurled herself back at him. Her candor was admirable, but she was no warrior. Though it pained him to a...minimal extent...he rebuked the girl with a swift knee to her gut.
"Oohhhh Millie. Miiiillie, Millie, Millie." Behemoth crooned, walking over to his easy chair and lowering his muscular bulk into its aged cushions. He watched from his erstwhile throne as the girl tried to stagger to her feet, her breath knocked from her lungs.
"I will say, you do have unplumbed depths. Well...you did. To be frank, your most precious memories were collateral damage. Unfortunately, that's what you risk when you play for keeps, my dear." Behemoth said, oh-so-much enjoying playing the smug antagonist once more. Millie turned to face him, one hand keeping her propped up.
"What-hhuuuupp...what did I forget?" she hissed. Behemoth shrugged.
"Some things I'm sure you'd like to forget...others...well, it all happened very fast and I wasn't taking notes."
"Bastard..."
"Hmph. Well...where do we go from here, girl?" Behemoth asked, pouring a generous portion of gin into two tumblers. He gingerly delivered one to the enraged girl, and was bemused when she tossed it back like he himself had done when he was a younger man.
"I don't remember." Millie said, her tone harsh and chiding. She sat back on her rear and let out a prolonged sigh. "I don't remember." she said in a more solemn tone.
"Well then...tell me what stars will be out tonight." Behemoth said, nursing his own beverage. Tears welled in Millie's eyes...but she did. In great detail, and when it finally came to be night...she was right. Behemoth and Millie sat on some barnacle encrusted rocks, watching the shipping lanes in the distance and the gleaming points above...
Immediately, Thrall Behemoth recoiled from the decaying man, its face adopting that accursed, mouthless, three eyed affectation that heralded the touch of the god-mind. What was once a perfect replica of Behemoth now became twisted and deformed, losing its shape and integrity. The serpent, in due time, lost its hold on the now intangible specter, but the damage was done. It was in this moment as well, that Behemoth realized the truth of the situation. The only person that this shadow had power over in this scenario, was Millie. Without a psychic brain, his foe was helpless...and Behemoth was quite experienced in dealing with normal, human brains. The contents didn't matter, so much as the hardware, per se. So the man went to work with vicious intent, tearing into the Thrall Mind's memories with a sadistic glee. A bonanza of personal vendettas, hopes and plans now laid bare before him.
True, the scope of this creature's mind was vast...far greater that Behemoth could dare comprehend in such a fleeting moment of opportunity. But as long as the Thrall was caught off guard, he could at least alter those memories which would permanently cripple the beast. Millennia of destruction and raw, unhindered power surged past Behemoth; the story of the life of a god, told in reverse. But where did the creature's sentience itself, lie? Surely there had to be a concrete place within its mind where it held its own identity. To search through the god-mind was to wander the universe, unaided by any form of orientation...and then Behemoth realized that it had been staring the source of the Thrall's willpower in the face all this time. The weak point of the beast was not within this mental infinity...it was the infinity itself. The only thing the creature had to define itself was the memories that had been forced into Millie's taxed grey matter. It had no other means by which to assert its psyche, no real mind.
The solution was simple. Only slight edits were necessary.
Quote:...As the sanguine finger traced lightly across Millie's suited shoulders, the material beneath them would smolder, not by the goddess's power, but her own. It was not an aggressive show of force, but merely a message: I am not like others you may come to find in this world. Millie's head would rotate all the way around her neck, following the ghostly woman, never breaking her gaze upon her delicate yet untamed face. A tinge of regret shot through Millie's eternal mind, regretting she hadn't nipped this one in the bud, back when she was a mere immortal. Still, it was she who would give her direction now, so it was not as if she would have to try to hard to ploy for her service. Still...
"If I might be so bold, milady, I also know, all too well, of the end of things. Everything dies. Everything. And when this entire reality's time comes to fold into naught, I will be there to make sure it does." Millie said, her voice becoming immersed in echo as her body dissolved into a flock of bright yellow butterflies. They would flutter around Pandora's form, now circling her. It would be known that, while Millie was indeed a volunteer for her direction, she would not be so easily forced beneath her elegant yet domineering heel.
Next.
Quote:"Deception is the key to power. Keep the full extent of your abilities hidden when possible; there may be people who can sense your true nature via magic, but if you give them no reason to suspect you, then you will have an easier time manipulating them." Millie said softly.
"Also, I would work on developing a core set of memorized and practiced spells to start with. Nothing big or flashy, but basic things that can be used together to great effect."
Ilyana nodded. She wondered what sort of spells she should start with. She almost asked, but she felt as if she was being pushy to begin with. Perhaps it was best to go practice somewhere she couldn’t hurt anyone. “Thank you,” she nodded. “I… You’ve always been so nice.”
"There are many ways to manipulate people." Millie said curtly. She revolved once on her center axis and vanished with a small chiming noise, leaving the hall empty, save for the newly christened Aspect of Cruelty, Nileeta.
Next.
Quote:..."I had no intention of doing so." Millie said softly. With smooth, liquid movements, she walked around the large arcane circle, tapping a particular glyph on each column with the tip of the sword. When she did so, the lines would ignite with bright flames that began creeping slowly towards the enwrapped creature at the center of the circle. By the time she returned to the start, the blanketed horror was wreathed in flames, which reached high into the night air. All at once, the creature would seem to break free of its binding sheet. It was a pitiful sight...what had obviously once been a young woman was now a scaly wretch, with large prehensile pseudopods slithering around on her bare, greenish back. Her eyes were no more, as empty sockets screamed louder than the horrible, insectoid maw. Sensing Millie at the far end of the corner, she sprinted at him full tilt, shredding claws outstretched, and still most certainly on fire. When she moved, however, the fiery arcane circle now moved with her, whipping through the air as if pried away from it's second dimension.
Millie stood calmly as the creature grew closer, when all at once, when she was within a scant two feet of him, she drove the enchanted scimitar through her forehead with a lightning fast jab. There was a pause before the magical lines all collapsed on the creature with a resounding crack, causing spidery cracks to spider across the top of the ruins. The writhing creature now rose into the air, twitching and screaming loudly as her body was immolated by the wracking flames. When she was almost twenty feet of the ground, the light had consumed her completely, and the screaming had ceased...yet the orb of light continued to rise into the sky. It burned its way through the clouds, scattering the local cloud cover to reveal the slivered moon and the star Vega glimmering overhead.
All was silent.
Behemoth proceeded in this way for what felt like...an untold amount of time. The man went through and scrupulously replaced ever instance of the Thrall's self reference with Millie's psyche. There was nothing that the beast could do: it could not chase Behemoth back through its own memories. Such a feat would be like trying to perform heart surgery on yourself. Unchallenged, Behemoth rose from the deepest depths of the creature's mind...but it was no longer the creature that had the knowledge of the infinite, and the intelligence of the stars. It was the girl. Millie once again owned everything in her mind, for better or worse. However, it could not be overlooked that, in the process of getting to this victory, Behemoth had quite thoroughly blasted Millie's deepest personal identities to smithereens. Behemoth searched for that door, that place where the girl had kept herself secreted away from the existential horror. The door was still there, but behind it, there lay nothing but a blank expanse. Blackness eternal...worse than a blank canvas...it was scorched earth. The effects of this...Behemoth could not begin to conjecture, but what was important was that he had achieved his promise, however vain. He had returned the girl's mind to her control, and no more would she have to fight to have an identity...even if it was nothing like the one she had before.
Enough...it was time to withdraw and observe the damage that had been wrought.
Behemoth broke his hand away from the girl's scabby forehead with a long, haggard gasp. He immediately fell onto his back, a great, terrible weakness coming over his body. The time...how long had he been fighting that battle? The mariner looked to the docks, where the tide rose and fell. Based on where the water had left its salty hash marks, almost a day and a half had passed. His potion! His damned elixir! With a desperate flailing, Behemoth clawed his way towards his desk where the vile ichor was kept. Close, so close...Yes! With a frenzied grunt, Behemoth snatched the bottle off of the desk. He fell prone on the floor and uncorked the dark concoction. He was about to raise it to his chapped lips when a sandaled foot smashed his wrist to the ground. Behemoth watched the bottle wobble dangerously as it was kicked out of his grasp, but by some merciful aberration of physics, the liquid did not spill. Weakly, Behemoth looked up to see the face of the girl. Bloodied, scabbed. It was backlit by the golden light of the ocean sunset which spilled through the cave's archway. The sound of gulls picking at aquatic carrion echoed throughout the cavernous abode, yet the girl remained silent. A fierce look was emblazoned upon her otherwise meek features. This person's name was Millie...but it was not the girl.
"Alright pap. You've got some explaining to do." she said, her small voice hoarse and harsh as a winter gale. Behemoth could only let out a whimper of pain along with panting in response. Millie looked over to the bottle and smirked.
"Oh you'll get your fix, don't worry. I'm not heartless, like the monster. But answer me one question..." Millie said, hunkering down and grabbing Behemoth's clammy chin in her hands.
"What. Did. You. Do?"
Behemoth let out a long gasp and his head sunk lower to the cold stone. Did she not understand? He was withering away in her clutches!
"I...I removed the monster's will from...from your mind..." Behemoth said between gasps. "In the process...parts of your mind were damaged. I...I warned you, I-Aaaggh!" Behemoth shouted as Millie's foot met his face with a loud smack.
"Don't get smart with me, pap. So what? I'm some kinda freak now too? Is that it?" Millie shouted, her indignant shout echoing among the dangling frigates like cannon fire. Behemoth rolled over on to his back with a slow gurgle...and that gurgle slowly became a dark, brooding laugh.
"What's so funny there, Captain Crunch?" Millie shrieked. Behemoth had no response other than to keep chuckling between rough, bloody coughs.
"AHACH...CAHACK...You...eheheh...you're more than you were...don't you feel it?" Behemoth muttered, his eyes staring ahead dejectedly. Was this how it ended? Slain by default by a teenage girl? Oh how the myriad men of the sea would laugh at him now, if they could but see this wretched display.
"What do you mean?!" Millie roared. Behemoth only laughed.
"Answer me dammit!"
Laughter.
With furious intent, Millie snatched up the vile of potion and crammed it halfway down Behemoth's mouth. The pirate coughed and sputtered, gagging on the cool glass vile...but oh what a wondrous feeling, to have life trickling back into his thrice damned body. It was good to know that, even on the brink of death, he could play people's minds to his advantage...even if they did have an infinite body of intelligence. Millie yanked the bottle of potion out of his mouth and tossed it into the whispering sea over the edge of the dock. Behemoth took a few deep breaths before smashing the girl away from him with the renewed strength he found. She fell to the ground and skidded a few feet from the force of the blow. As she recovered, Behemoth noticed the glint of a predator in her eye...that aqueous humor that the thrall-mind summoned. Before Behemoth had time to ponder the implications, Millie hurled herself back at him. Her candor was admirable, but she was no warrior. Though it pained him to a...minimal extent...he rebuked the girl with a swift knee to her gut.
"Oohhhh Millie. Miiiillie, Millie, Millie." Behemoth crooned, walking over to his easy chair and lowering his muscular bulk into its aged cushions. He watched from his erstwhile throne as the girl tried to stagger to her feet, her breath knocked from her lungs.
"I will say, you do have unplumbed depths. Well...you did. To be frank, your most precious memories were collateral damage. Unfortunately, that's what you risk when you play for keeps, my dear." Behemoth said, oh-so-much enjoying playing the smug antagonist once more. Millie turned to face him, one hand keeping her propped up.
"What-hhuuuupp...what did I forget?" she hissed. Behemoth shrugged.
"Some things I'm sure you'd like to forget...others...well, it all happened very fast and I wasn't taking notes."
"Bastard..."
"Hmph. Well...where do we go from here, girl?" Behemoth asked, pouring a generous portion of gin into two tumblers. He gingerly delivered one to the enraged girl, and was bemused when she tossed it back like he himself had done when he was a younger man.
"I don't remember." Millie said, her tone harsh and chiding. She sat back on her rear and let out a prolonged sigh. "I don't remember." she said in a more solemn tone.
"Well then...tell me what stars will be out tonight." Behemoth said, nursing his own beverage. Tears welled in Millie's eyes...but she did. In great detail, and when it finally came to be night...she was right. Behemoth and Millie sat on some barnacle encrusted rocks, watching the shipping lanes in the distance and the gleaming points above...
And, we dream of home I dream of life out of here Their dreams are small My dreams don't know fear I got my heart full of hope I will change everything No matter what I'm told How impossible it seems We did it before And we'll do it again We're indestructible Even when we're tired And we've been here before Just you and I
Don't try to rescue me I don't need to be rescued
Don't try to rescue me I don't need to be rescued