Learning

[Michael Vellas]

Michael released the false flame with a spike of irritation skipping across the void of his power enhanced mind.

He had not meant for Giovanni to break through so soon. He had lost control of the damn net. It had never been his strong point, but he expected to at least hold the man for a little longer. Perhaps Giovanni had made use of his power more than he thought.

He had felt Giovanni's grasping change, but he had not planned it that way. As soon as Giovanni had realised the purpose of the false flame and calmed himself, Michael would allow him access his power. As it was, it happened too fast to be sure.

He looked at Giovanni's face, wondering if he had realised why he did what he did. It didn't matter, he supposed, as long as it worked. There was only one way to find out.

"Try seizing the power again now."
Michael said.

[Giovanni Cavelli]

Giovanni gasped as the flames disappeared. The pain disappeared almost as soon as the flames left. Michael stood calmly, a strange look in his face. Michael was clearly surprised that Giovanni had been able to seize the power. Giovanni was a little surprised that he had been able to do it so quickly as well.

Giovanni was also surprised to realize that he could sense the power around him. It was something he was now aware of, but he had realized that it had always been there.

Michael asked him to seize the power again. Aware of where the power was, Giovanni was able to do so. The power filled him, and Giovanni was surprised by the sweetness of it.

Giovanni wondered why he was able to do it so quickly. The past few years, Giovanni had tried to avoid using it as much as possible, but was it possible that he had used it subconsciously? Giovanni allowed the power to fill him and allowed it to settle in, wondering what he could do with it.

[Michael Vellas]

(((some minor modding)))

Giovanni seized the power with relative ease and settled into a steady grip.

Michael was mildly surprised, although it did not show. It was a pleasant surprise. His annoyance faded, but remained - chiefly annoyance at his own failures. Despite the mistake it seemed it was a success, which was all that mattered.

Michael dismissed the issue, focused on the next task. He filled himself with the sweet bliss of power until he felt the pricking pain as he strained his limits. "Pull as much of the power as you can into your grasp."
It was dangerous, but danger was a greater teacher than Michael was. Besides, he wanted to gauge the man's strength and assess what he could learn.

As Giovanni complied, he felt the power rising in the man and paid close attention as until he felt the man straining beyond his capacity. He allowed it to continue until the man was perilously close to breaking. "Stop."
The command was spoken in a voice sharp enough to cut steel and Michael used a delicate net to separate the man from the power, lest he succumb to the lure.

The barrier slipped away from Giovanni as quickly as it had been placed. He still could not maintain the barrier. "Remember that pain. Had you attempted to pull in any more, you would have died. Never extend beyond your limit."
He let the point sink in - and allowed the man to rest. It was a harsh way to learn, but it would save him much more pain in the future.

"When you feel up to it, seize the power again and I will show you a few things."
Michael said, watching Giovanni for any sign of weakness. That he had endured this much was a testament to his determination ad eagerness to learn, but he wouldn't have the man kill himself if he could prevent it. "Do you understand how to use the power? The five powers -"
He cut off mid-sentence, gesturing for silence.

A slight breeze ruffled the closed curtains filling his ears with the metallic chime of the beaded curtain-control clashing against the glass window. Shadows danced along the floor in time with the beams of afternoon amber light fluttering in through the gaps in the blue curtain.

The wooden beams above groaned as the midday heat was cooled by the chill wind blown in from the river and Michael frowned, closing his eyes.

Click.

His eyes sprang open and fixed upon the door. He hesitated a moment before spinning a net and threw it at Giovanni without a glance in his direction.

As the net formed and released, everything happened at once. Giovanni was thrown backwards by the net of Air out of the way as a muted thud echoed around the house.

For a moment the world stopped and Michael was engulfed in the void of detachment. He felt the distant impact - the sting of a mosquito bite - hit his left arm, followed by a trickle of warmth dripping steadily down his elbow.

He did not take his eyes from the door as it was lifted from it's hinges with an unnatural quiet. He watched as three figures entered the room, suppressed weapons aimed and ready. The smell of blood reached his senses and anger flickered across the calm in his mind like a match struck in the darkness.

"Stay down,"
he whispered to Giovanni, forming a complex net of power that stirred from the very depths of his being.
Edited by Michael Vellas, Nov 29 2013, 12:17 PM.

[Giovanni Cavelli]

As Michael asked whether or not Giovanni understood the five powers. Before being able to answer as the door came off its hinges. Giovanni turned and felt the power radiating from Michael and gasped as he saw those who had entered.

There were three men - the ouroboros tattoo prevalent on each of their wrists. Fear flooded him, but with his barrier broken, the power did not fill him as it usually did. He felt unable to do anything and froze in place. Giovanni didn't even hear Michael tell him to stay down.

Giovanni studied their faces, dreaded the face of his nephew, but all the men were strangers to Giovanni. Still, he was sure the Atharim had sent his information to all of their agents. Giovanni thanked god that he had the foresight to change his appearance. The men didn't seem to recognize him.

Michael approached the men, no fear in his eyes. He had faced the Atharim before. It was then that Giovanni thought that if Michael could survive encounters with the Atharim, then he could too. Giovanni had dealt with one of his fears today - he wasn't afraid of his power anymore - now he needed to face his fear of the Atharim.

Giovanni attempted to seize the power, and began to feel it fill him as Michael confronted the Atharim. He held the power, waiting for the opportune moment to unleash it.

[Michael Vellas]

The assassin's attempt was cut woefully short.

With blood trickling down his shoulder and arm, Michael stood still as two silent shots halted in mid-air, stopped dead by a wall of Air.

He saw their eyes widen in surprise and panic and one turned to flee, but he unleashed a net of Spirit and Fire and the assassin crumpled in a ragged heap against the wall beside the door. He did not have time finish him as the other two recovered from their shock.

Michael did not allow them to fire another shot, striking the one on the right with a net that would make his heart burst. It was sickening, but he would not risk destroying the house or any others.

The third scrambled to the dubious cover behind the TV, but before the gun could be shot Michael wrapped him up in Air.

As the threat passed, he realised he was breathing fast and hard. His head swam and arm throbbed as blood mixed with sweat. He found his hands shaking - at what, he could not tell - as he approached the helpless assassin.

"The Oroboros."
His voice was flat as he turned the man's wrist over in his hand to reveal the tattoo. "You will tell me who gave you the order to kill me, Atharim."

[Giovanni Cavelli]

Michael's response was quick and practiced. Giovanni was glad for his quick response. Without Michael there, Giovanni would have been killed. Giovanni made a mental note to be prepared in the future. Michael wouldn't always be around.

Michael saw the first assasin get thrown across the room as Michael turned to deal with the other two. Michael had to take care of the immediate threat so couldn't focus on the first man.

He stood up and stagger a bit, the wind blown out of him. Giovanni thought of something that came naturally - a storm. Before he had no control, but this time he tried.to control it. He formed a smaller storm in the room, and sent a bolt of lightning towards the man. He purposely missed, striking close to the man to cause a small explosion that sent him hurtling across the room again.

The assasins trajectory was different this time and he went head first into the wall. Giovanni heard a sickening crunch as the man feel to the ground dead. Giovanni had meant to.knock the guy out, but what's done is done.

During that time, Michael had taken care of.the other two and appeared to be questioning the remaining assassin. Giovanni approached to listen in.

[Michael Vellas]

He did not blink as the crack of lightning whipped through the air leaving an acrid burning smell in it's wake. The tethered assassin's eyes bulged as he stared over Michael's shoulder at the scene.

His fury intensified at the recklessness of Giovanni's actions, but it was momentary; a passing wind carrying the sulphuric heat of a volcano over the plains below. He had to remember he was untried, untested and incredibly afraid of the hunters. In fact, that he managed to do anything beyond huddle in a terrified stupor was a credit to his character. It seemed he merely needed the push over the cliff to unfurl his wings.

"Well done, you're better than you give yourself credit for,"
he said, still fixed on the remaining assassin with an unblinking gaze.

For his part, the would-be murderer bore the situation with impressive courage when the shock had worn off. Michael could feel the disgust, the burning desire to scourge the earth of even the memory of his presence as he stared into an unflinching abyss of mindless hatred.

"Fuck off, monster. Do what you want to me, you will both die soon enough. You and the rest of you...abominations."


Michael's face remained smooth but his mind roared and reverberated inside his skull. What right did it have to call him an abomination? It knew nothing about the power they possessed beyond fanatical teachings based on corrupted records filled with fear-mongering and vainglorious boastings of an ill-deserved victory. The Brothers had brought the world to the brink, sundering the veil of Tatarus in their foolish attempt to slay ˈKroʊnəs! It knew nothing of the pain the Ἑκατόγχειρες unleashed upon the world! It -

Sharp pain released Michael from the storm of rage as he found himself drawing on more of the power than he had ever done before. He was dangerously close to the precipice. The void of calm shook like the reverberations of massive bells tolling the dreaded call of battle.

What...is this...

The eyes that held so much hatred now mirrored fear. Michael blinked in a deliberate action, turning to Giovanni with the last shreds of composure he had. "This is the nightmare that has haunted your every waking moment. Confront it. I leave him to you."


As he stepped back, he hoped neither saw the trembling in his limbs.

Edited by Michael Vellas, Jan 22 2014, 01:46 PM.

[Giovanni Cavelli]

Giovanni grimaced as Michael told him to take care of Atharim assassin. Giovanni approached him cautiously and the assassin's mouth moved into a smiling.

"Ah, it's you! Now that you're closer I can see it. Changing the hair color and you're thinner than before, Moretti. Your nephew comes for you, and you will soon die like the rest of the abominations."


Giovanni sneered as the assassin spoke his real name. The fear in him turned to pure hatred and anger. Giovanni picked up his pace and picked up the man by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

The air around him became fuzzy and the house was replaced by a desert. His opponent now wore Ancient Egyptian clothing - the kind you would see in hieroglyphics. His face was tinted green and he wore a crown on his head with ostrich feathers on it. He saw the look of fear on the other mans face.

"Your death will come sooner,"
Giovanni said. He understood the words, but he heard them in a foreign language. It sounded like some form of Arabic.

Giovanni continued in the strange language, feeling the power surge through him like never before, "Your death comes now, Osiris."


The vision ended, and Giovanni saw the look of fear and confusion in the assassin's face. Giovanni wanted to tear the assassin to pieces, but he slammed the man against the wall, breaking his neck. He allowed the body to drop to the ground.

He released the power and felt faint, realizing that he had been holding a dangerous amount. Giovanni almost fell to the ground, but caught himself on the wall and leaned against it, panting hard.

Giovanni didn't want to see the look on Michael's face. He spoke a language he didn't know.

What happened there?
Giovanni thought. "It was like a vision, but it seemed more like I was remembering. It seemed so real!"


Without looking up, Giovanni spoke to Michael, "Do you ever have visions, but they seem more real than that - almost like - you're remembering something that didn't happen to you."


Giovanni kept his head down, refusing to look Michael in the eye.

[Michael Vellas]

His arm dripped blood on the carpet and a dull ache forced him to confront the injury. He tried rolling up his long sleeve but gave up and ripped it off at the shoulder to properly view the damage done.

The bullet hadn't hit anything vital, but was lodged in just below the shoulder. A difficult position indeed.

He winced as Giovanni lost control once more and the assassin's body slumped against the wall, lifeless. He would have upbraided the man had he not been shaken by...whatever had come over him. Besides, he had probably just unleashed a torrent of bottled up fear and anger.

Tying the ripped sleeve around the wound to stop it bleeding, Michael turned on Giovanni who had retreated from the body. Far from being enraged or satisfied, the man would not meet his eye and shrunk away.

"Do you ever have visions, but they seem more real than that - almost like - you're remembering something that didn't happen to you."


The question was peculiar, and he thought a moment before answering. "No,"
he said in a flat voice. He had not forgotten his recent...experience. It was merely a different mystery to Giovanni's. Visions? Perhaps the man was mad. Perhaps whatever happened to him earlier would develop into a similar madness. Not a pleasant thought.

"Visions are the least of your worries,"
he continued, dismissing the subject for the moment. Perhaps Tony knew something about it. "You must learn to control yourself,"
that with a nod towards the burnt patch that had been struck by Giovanni's lightning. "Dispose of the bodies - I don't care how. Luckily the Atharim like to be secretive, I doubt there will be much investigation - but three dead bodies are a problem."


Fatigue and blood loss shortly pierced the rush of the power and he sat down, rubbing his temple with his uninjured hand. "Go. I need to be alone. You should be safe for the moment."

[Giovanni Cavelli]

Giovanni looked up to meet Michael in the eyes. He nodded at his instructions, but noticed the hesitation and flatness of Michael's voice as he answered his question. Michael didn't seem to notice that Giovanni had spoken in a foreign language and if he did, he thought nothing of it. He also wondered if the other man had heard his real name uttered by the Atharim assassin.

Giovanni grabbed two of the dead bodies and threw them over each shoulder. He dropped the two bodies off in the nearby forest and went back to retrieve the final one. He arrived at the location of the other bodies and realized he had no idea how to dispose of them.

He then heard another some coming through the woods. It sounded like another person walking towards him. Giovanni swore under his breath. He had three dead bodies with him. Giovanni braced himself as another approached.