04-09-2018, 04:00 PM
Dominick smirked as the newbie drank the lukewarm water before he saw Karim look at him. The power still slithered through him, roared and bucked and snapped. It called to him and his muscles corded as if he were physically wrestling with someone.
It was like a cage match, a street fight, and he ached to do something with it. More than open bottles and stuff. Holding the power, feeling his mastery over it made him want to use it, to lash out. Aggression seemed to come out with his sweat.
But of course he could do nothing. Karim was always watching. Always. Well, he wasn't bad for all of that. Vellas had made a good choice there.
Not that he liked Vellas all that much, though. Guy walked around like he had a stick up his ass. Only a couple years older than him, but acted like he was the almighty master. All those guys close to Ascendancy had that air. Vellas. Ranier. That prick DuBois. Even Sanjay had gone topside and was now palling around with the guy.
Of course they were all massively strong too. Assholes. Maybe if he had gotten in on the training they had or whatever, he'd been in their little club too.
And now another dick head shows up with the Ascendancy's stamp all over him and is primed to move up. Already as strong as him. Well, could you blame Dominick for wanting to show the guy up a little bit? Strength was important, of course. But so was skill.
Karim seemed to sense his energy and paired him off with Monserre instead. Yeah, Karim wasn't a bad guy at all, not really. Sprint drills. Vellas wanted them driven hard and into the ground, physically and with the power.
Each pair would let go of the power and when given the signal, run to the wall at the other end as fast as possible. Whoever got there first got to seize the power and attack the other. Nothing bad, really. Just blows of air, not too hard. The other person had to block and parry and slash as best they could to avoid getting hit. This went on none-stop for five minutes until the whistle blew and they could rest for a moment. And then it started over.
You could only do that for for maybe 3 or 4 times before you got a real break. And maybe some food. Vellas said it was all about learning control in all circumstances. You couldn't ever let the power get away from you. It was like holding the ears of an angry dog or a massive python by the neck.
Too bad he was too busy to see if Carpenter got hit a lot. That woulda been funny. He'd been paired up with Leweski, which was a lucky thing. That guy was slow.
Break time. Dominick got his water, chilled it and opened it with the power, and headed over to Carpenter. Karim gave him a warning look, but then headed away. He was looking out for the guy but this wasn't a preschool either. People had to make it on their own. Or make friends with someone who'd help.
"So...how'd you get on the Ascendancy's radar?"
He looked at Carpenter with only a bit of challenge. He really did want to know. Get some of that special training for himself.
It was like a cage match, a street fight, and he ached to do something with it. More than open bottles and stuff. Holding the power, feeling his mastery over it made him want to use it, to lash out. Aggression seemed to come out with his sweat.
But of course he could do nothing. Karim was always watching. Always. Well, he wasn't bad for all of that. Vellas had made a good choice there.
Not that he liked Vellas all that much, though. Guy walked around like he had a stick up his ass. Only a couple years older than him, but acted like he was the almighty master. All those guys close to Ascendancy had that air. Vellas. Ranier. That prick DuBois. Even Sanjay had gone topside and was now palling around with the guy.
Of course they were all massively strong too. Assholes. Maybe if he had gotten in on the training they had or whatever, he'd been in their little club too.
And now another dick head shows up with the Ascendancy's stamp all over him and is primed to move up. Already as strong as him. Well, could you blame Dominick for wanting to show the guy up a little bit? Strength was important, of course. But so was skill.
Karim seemed to sense his energy and paired him off with Monserre instead. Yeah, Karim wasn't a bad guy at all, not really. Sprint drills. Vellas wanted them driven hard and into the ground, physically and with the power.
Each pair would let go of the power and when given the signal, run to the wall at the other end as fast as possible. Whoever got there first got to seize the power and attack the other. Nothing bad, really. Just blows of air, not too hard. The other person had to block and parry and slash as best they could to avoid getting hit. This went on none-stop for five minutes until the whistle blew and they could rest for a moment. And then it started over.
You could only do that for for maybe 3 or 4 times before you got a real break. And maybe some food. Vellas said it was all about learning control in all circumstances. You couldn't ever let the power get away from you. It was like holding the ears of an angry dog or a massive python by the neck.
Too bad he was too busy to see if Carpenter got hit a lot. That woulda been funny. He'd been paired up with Leweski, which was a lucky thing. That guy was slow.
Break time. Dominick got his water, chilled it and opened it with the power, and headed over to Carpenter. Karim gave him a warning look, but then headed away. He was looking out for the guy but this wasn't a preschool either. People had to make it on their own. Or make friends with someone who'd help.
"So...how'd you get on the Ascendancy's radar?"
He looked at Carpenter with only a bit of challenge. He really did want to know. Get some of that special training for himself.
"Good and ill.
We're like the wind,
we blows both ways."
- Mad Sweeney, American Gods
- Mad Sweeney, American Gods