Chapter 26 : Cutting loose ends

[author note : a shorter one cause I'm on my phone at work when I make this post. New chapter for my original story.

If you're interested in reading more, you can visit my Patréon (just go on their website and run a search for Cathbel). Enjoy !]

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Meanwhile, in an unknown location mostly plunged into darkness, a single giant monitor was turned on with the multiple viewpoints of the situation Simon was facing from the perspective of his aggressors. Facing the monitor, in a comfortable armchair, sat an elegant man with a pale skin, blond hair tied in a neat pony tail, eyeing the screen with casual interest. However, underneath the facade, the man was beyond thrilled.

Arcanists often chose to focus on one element or one discipline in order to become masters. Those that practiced several were either fools, had too little talents in magic, or they had reached the highest level of mastery in their initial studies and decided to branch out for some reason. Given his new subject's obvious youthfulness however, the latter couldn't be the case and yet… The other two didn't fit what the young man showed, nor what his last subject had told him. Which meant…

« He's a poly-arcana ! An instinctive genius one, at that ! » The hand holding a glass slightly clenched and trembled in excitement. Poly-arcana was a term he coined for those very rare subjects who could harness and study multiple elements and disciplines without their masteries suffering any troubles.

At some point, he envied those types of people, as he had only one power. That was before he discovered how incredible it was, however… Besides, his partner and symbiote did give him another advantage, if only slight.

« Lightning magic and Air magic, probably. Hm… Maybe he isn't actually one since some mages hypothesized that the air and lightning elements could be considered branches of the same elements. » The man took a sip as he considered that. But he rose and tensed slightly with renewed interest when he saw the cables and their cannons get pulled toward the Terran and then impact him.

« That was… strange. The subject was pulling on the restraints at first but then he stopped… And that's when the cannon were torn off their anchors. Some form of telekinetic magic, then… He is a poly-arcana ! And then, there's the impact on him… I'm not sure what it was but if felt odd. I'll have to study it in detail later. For now, let's see what those mercs will do next. »

* * * * *

Simon observed his attackers leisurely. Although it might seem like he was acting cocky at the moment, inside he was panicking a little. These kidnapper seemed to have come prepared… Not only their numbers, they also had a wide range of equipment from what little he saw : firearms, some kind of gas and the gas mask wearing mage that used it, and the weird cannons. The latter especially were probably designed to restrain people with super strength or large animals.

« Are they kidnappers or poachers ? » The way he saw it, the latter was more likely right now. Especially given what they used to try and catch him. Perhaps that was the norm when dealing with people like Simon though… He didn't really know. It's not like he was used to dealing with things like this.

He smirked when the idea that his life used to be normal crossed his mind. Truth was, it never was ! First it was the disease, then waking up in the future, getting brainwashed by the malevolent empire's war machine built by his species, getting selected for an experimental program to test flight new Starfighters, crashing, surviving… It had been so long since his life was normal that the idea made him smile wryly.

On the other hand, the people seeing his face took the smile as a bad sign and instantly went on guard. So, when Simon's train of thoughts ended and he was able to focus back on the situation at hand, he, too, prepared himself. He reinforced the kinetic filed covering him to make sure nothing they could throw at him would hurt him (even though nothing had until now…) and then, his hands started to spark.

Still smiling, Simon raised his sparkling, right hand and swept his gaze over the people. Instantly, weapons were raised and after a very short lull of silence, chaos ensued.

In a burst a kinetic energy, fallen leaves and dirt flew in the air and Simon disappeared from his location, reappearing on a tree, next to a very surprised and frightened Seraph. Before he could react, he was stunned and knocked out. As his body started to fall, Simon stopped him and laid him down. Then, he disappeared again, and his action cracked the branch, making it and the body fall down anyway.

Like a ghost, the Terran appeared and disappeared on the battlefield, blasting people from afar from time to time. Soon, silence fell again on the very still, very silent forest. Only one person remained : Ace. Since the others were all wearing pretty much the same thing, Simon couldn't be bothered to try and find their leader. He'd settle for this guy answering his questions.

* * * * *

Enraptured, the Genocidal watched the whole scene without even drawing a breath. Thankfully for him, it was short, even if it was full of action. He had never seen anything like it ! His magic defied reasons and the rules that usually governed it. Here, the subject didn't use incantation, didn't carry or wear any visible focus, nor were his gestures more elaborate than what someone would do in a fight. Meaning… this was different from magic.

The man had only seen things like this few times in his life. In fact, one could even say a handful of times, if the hand was missing fingers. Penelope and her 'bond-mate' as she called it. Himself and his own…

Slowly, a small feral smile split his face and he commented out loud :

« Looks like we've found a kin… I can't wait to introduce myself ! » Seeing Simon approaching the last mercenary he sent, the man snapped his fingers. « We can't have anyone tattle on us, now can we ? »

* * * * *

Simon was just about to open his mouth when the man, Ace, started to shake. And then, as if he was unable to control his limbs the man fell on his side, shaking more and more.

The Terran ran over and took off the man's mask. His first aid military training kicked in as he noticed the man's convulsion… Only it wasn't just convulsion. Blood was dripping from his nose and ears, his eyes were bloodshot and he seemed to be crying blood. The sight was rather ghastly and it reminded the young man of some of the Terran's biological weapons.

For a moment, he was sent back on the battlefield. And then… The man was gone. Dead.