11-06-2014, 01:26 AM
The Ascendancy whisked him into his office and sat down. His guards remained at the door. A look from the man was enough. Marcus shut the doors on the guards. If he was presumptuous, he would know. At this point, though, he didn't care. As he turned, Malik took over.
Ascendancy sat down at the desk and seemed in repose. An act, but he understood. His eyes flicked to the chair but he decided that standing directness was appropriate.
"Lets hear your story, Marcus. Not the one on your application. Your other one."
Marcus couldn't help but smile. Direct and to the point. He would have done the same thing. He inclined his head a fraction. "Of course, Ascendancy."
His head returned to full position. "As I'm sure you've had your people confirm, everything in my applications, transcripts, history, essays, and recommendations have been checked. And they have all been verified. With the obvious exception of the power we share in common. Obviously, that is not something that one puts on a form."
A slight smile.
"But to your question. I was 21 years old and in my fifth year at university. I had dropped my major in mathematics to focus on political science and philosophy a few years before. I was on my way out of the dead nation I lived in and headed for one that still had a chance, an opportunity to bring order to the world."
Marcus repressed Malik and let the truth show. His words became clipped and sentences short. "I was at a grocery store. A woman was with her child. I saw them. I saw her anger as they walked to her van. The way she moved. The way she looked around."
His eyes focused again on Ascendancy. "You know of my past, the foster homes and abuse I endured."
He didn't wait for a nod. "I saw her walk and I felt a cloud of anger come over me. But it felt like it was not from me. I felt like I had ascended. I was above this and could see everything. And I knew what had happened. The child had done something to anger her. I had seen that look too many times."
He looked at the man, returning to the present. "I was right of course. The woman looked around to see if anyone could see her. She didn't see me and started beating the child. The chaos pressed in upon me and I decided it was enough. I can't explain my thoughts except that I had determined this would stop. I walked to her and said something to her. But somehow, the words I said didn't matter. She stopped and her eyes glazed and she then walked into on-coming traffic and killed herself."
He took a breath and paused. "Obviously, I had not meant for that to happen. But it did. I was scared and got away amidst police and witnesses. I went home and hid in my room, skipping the next day's classes. By the 2nd day I was deathly ill but I forced my way through. The sickness weakened soon and I was back on my feet."
He quieted. "From that day forward, I found that I had a power. I could do things with my mind."
Distaste showed on his face. "I dislike randomness, disorder. I refused to believe this was magic. It was deeper than that. The only metaphor I found useful was that of the 'Force'. A fiction, I know. But the author did base the fiction on old mythologies. I suspect the source of my- of our- power is the basis of those old stories. In any case, it was useful enough. I applied my knowledge of mathematics and the scientific method to this power and gradually learned how to use it. I even developed a mathematical way of representing and manipulating weaves that hints at the potential of this power."
His eyes focused on Ascendancy. "Above all, I crave order and harmony. Peace in this world. Not the emotional definition. Real peace and security. Machievelli's definition. Even before I learned I had this power, I was determined to bring it about. But then I read your story, your writings."
He stepped forward, feeling confidence. This was the moment of truth. "If you had not been here, I would have set about creating it. It is that important. A work of a lifetime but someone has to do it. But you are here. So I determined to be here to work with you. A willing ally. This world must have peace."
He spread his hands. "That is my story."
He inclined his head.
Edited by Marcus DuBois, Nov 6 2014, 07:25 AM.
Ascendancy sat down at the desk and seemed in repose. An act, but he understood. His eyes flicked to the chair but he decided that standing directness was appropriate.
"Lets hear your story, Marcus. Not the one on your application. Your other one."
Marcus couldn't help but smile. Direct and to the point. He would have done the same thing. He inclined his head a fraction. "Of course, Ascendancy."
His head returned to full position. "As I'm sure you've had your people confirm, everything in my applications, transcripts, history, essays, and recommendations have been checked. And they have all been verified. With the obvious exception of the power we share in common. Obviously, that is not something that one puts on a form."
A slight smile.
"But to your question. I was 21 years old and in my fifth year at university. I had dropped my major in mathematics to focus on political science and philosophy a few years before. I was on my way out of the dead nation I lived in and headed for one that still had a chance, an opportunity to bring order to the world."
Marcus repressed Malik and let the truth show. His words became clipped and sentences short. "I was at a grocery store. A woman was with her child. I saw them. I saw her anger as they walked to her van. The way she moved. The way she looked around."
His eyes focused again on Ascendancy. "You know of my past, the foster homes and abuse I endured."
He didn't wait for a nod. "I saw her walk and I felt a cloud of anger come over me. But it felt like it was not from me. I felt like I had ascended. I was above this and could see everything. And I knew what had happened. The child had done something to anger her. I had seen that look too many times."
He looked at the man, returning to the present. "I was right of course. The woman looked around to see if anyone could see her. She didn't see me and started beating the child. The chaos pressed in upon me and I decided it was enough. I can't explain my thoughts except that I had determined this would stop. I walked to her and said something to her. But somehow, the words I said didn't matter. She stopped and her eyes glazed and she then walked into on-coming traffic and killed herself."
He took a breath and paused. "Obviously, I had not meant for that to happen. But it did. I was scared and got away amidst police and witnesses. I went home and hid in my room, skipping the next day's classes. By the 2nd day I was deathly ill but I forced my way through. The sickness weakened soon and I was back on my feet."
He quieted. "From that day forward, I found that I had a power. I could do things with my mind."
Distaste showed on his face. "I dislike randomness, disorder. I refused to believe this was magic. It was deeper than that. The only metaphor I found useful was that of the 'Force'. A fiction, I know. But the author did base the fiction on old mythologies. I suspect the source of my- of our- power is the basis of those old stories. In any case, it was useful enough. I applied my knowledge of mathematics and the scientific method to this power and gradually learned how to use it. I even developed a mathematical way of representing and manipulating weaves that hints at the potential of this power."
His eyes focused on Ascendancy. "Above all, I crave order and harmony. Peace in this world. Not the emotional definition. Real peace and security. Machievelli's definition. Even before I learned I had this power, I was determined to bring it about. But then I read your story, your writings."
He stepped forward, feeling confidence. This was the moment of truth. "If you had not been here, I would have set about creating it. It is that important. A work of a lifetime but someone has to do it. But you are here. So I determined to be here to work with you. A willing ally. This world must have peace."
He spread his hands. "That is my story."
He inclined his head.
Edited by Marcus DuBois, Nov 6 2014, 07:25 AM.