A Familiar Face

Staring at the large built man I nearly went in for the kill on instinct. I’d been through hell for the last four hours with my crew and coming across a villain was not on my to do list for the day.

“You're one of our people you know? I just want to treat you to a meal today, nothing binding you to the Empire.” 

I know this song and dance. He wants to come with him nicely and not so subtly get me to join his group. I’ll be walking into a room with more than one cape and then things we'll join or we kick your ass (or worse.) 

I give a slow nod to the man as I approach, he relaxes slightly but the man is clearly a fighter. He’s still got his guard up much to my annoyance.

After all there's one silver bullet in his plan he didn’t consider. 

I’d just gotten an event with his name written on it!

Event: From one Storm to another

Defeat Stormtiger

Prevent Civilian Involvement

Prevent 10,000 dollars in property damage

I approach him before stopping and ask him a very simple question while slightly distorting my voice.

“Is this an offer of recruitment?” I try to sound slightly hopeful and my charisma puts in the work because he seems to believe me. His stance relaxes slightly but I can still see the faint traces of defense mixed into his stance. 

“It is if you want it to be, though that makes me curious of why you helped out a chink?” The words roll off of me like a river. I keep my heart steady but my fist lightly clenches at his remark. I’d nearly forgotten he was a Nazi. He notices the action and instantly goes back on guard, a faint wind starting to blow around him as I realize my cover is blown.

I really wish my powers were more subtle, but the way of the Bard is not a subtle one at all! You know what, I’ve been handling this wrong. I’ve been trying to handle this like a Rogue. I’m not a rogue, I’m a Bard!

I point a finger at him and he tenses up but notices nothing happened, instead the wind around him just beats a bit faster.

“I recommend you leave. You don’t win this fight, and honestly I’d rather let you go than fight you.” He laughs at my words and the large figure cracks his knuckles.

“You offer me a good fight and expect me to run away with my tail between my legs? I thought you were smart.” I just gave him a casual shrug in response.

“Most of my powers are lethal, so don’t blame me if you die.” He pauses slightly at that. To him I’m a mysterious new cape, I vaguely remember grab bag capes being a thing so hopefully he buys the threat.

He just snorts as a wave of wind flies towards me. I barely raise a wall of Earth in response. I’m still drained from everything that just happened and having to do a fight right now is pissing me off.

“I’m going to beat the shit out of you then send you to Hookwolf. I’m sure he’ll have something fun planned for a race traitor like you.” I let out a small breath as I threw my body around a building to avoid the onslaught of projectiles. 

Things were so much easier when I was fighting fish! Things were easier when I had a crew . . . my heart starts to beat in my chest as my eyes narrow. Why aren’t I fighting with a crew? 

Bardic Composition is the ability to manifest stories right? While I definitely can’t manifest a strong one like- it only hits me then I never got that shark girl’s name! Either way I can’t manifest her in my current state. Maybe if I was on full Thread but not right now.

I’ll test out my theory of manifesting allies later, right now I have a fight to win and I can’t afford to waste what little resources I have. I send a rock flying towards his chest but a large amount of air bellows it out of the way causing me to clench my fist in annoyance.

“You seem to just have rocks, at least make a more believable bluff next time!” More weak blasts of wind fly towards me, he’s trying to knock me down not kill me right now. But I can’t afford to get captured here!

My mind floats back to the amber tree I’d made in my room and an idea forms in my head. He can block projectiles with his wind, but what if I send them from beneath? 

Fuck it, I’m going to lose if this doesn’t work! Kicking my heel against the ground, amber veins run through the earth. The last of my internal Thread leaves my body as the power rushes towards him.

“I warned you.” An amber tree far larger than my previous one grabs him as he tries to use his wind to move out of the way. The amber branches tear through flesh and send him flying from the sudden impact of the tree manifesting beneath his form. 

Fuck did I just kill him? I hear a howl of pain from the loose crate I’d sent him flying into and decide that now is a good time to get the hell out of here!

Event: From one Storm to another

Defeat Stormtiger, Succeeded. Two Villainy Gained.

Prevent Civilian Involvement, Succeeded. One Heroism.

Prevent 10,000 dollars in property damage, Failed.

Alright mission accomplished. But now I actually have to get home. I moved through the streets on instinct and removed my Hood when I’d found myself alone. Despite the oddly breathable fabric of the Hood I was still covered in sweat and some blue blood from the fishman I’d faced against with my crew. 

I hope they're doing alright. I looked over my notification and raised an eyebrow after a moment. I’d defeated him? He got one shot by that attack? Maybe I should be more careful to not accidentally kill people by mistake. 

I had to remember that in Worm even capes could be taken out by a bullet to the head in most cases. Durability powers put you in the Brute category and not everyone had that luxury. Maybe I should put more points in CON then?

Well first I need to roll my Villainy.

Rolling 4d6.

+1 Strength. +1 Constitution. +2 Wisdom.

My body strengthens, and my instincts sharpen from the sudden influx. So wisdom is my senses and instincts? That’s good to note. I also put my last point into Charisma using the Heroism.

[Status]

Name: Jackson Dubois

Class: Bard 3

STR: 12

DEX: 13

CON: 13

INT: 11

WIS: 13

CHR: 15

Skills:

• Bardic Inspiration III

• Jack of All Trades II

• Bardic Composition III

• Martial Performance I

Equipment:

[Geomancy: Earthen Bones]

[Silver Rake]

[Hood of the Hangman]

[Stormfall Rope]

[Admirals Command]

Claims:

Stone Breaker Hangman 2/6:

• +Damage against Golems

• +Rope Techniques

With a stat spread like this I don’t really feel like a Bard. I guess I’m more of a commander if anything. I pondered the thought as I entered the apartment. My sister wasn’t here, she was probably working another long shift.

My expression twisted in anger as I’d remembered all she’d done for me in my previous life and this one. She’d worked hellish hours in order to get custody over me from our shitty parents and here I was with powers and not helping ease her burden even a little bit.

I needed a way to make some money. Nothing that would get me in direct trouble, but there had to be something I could do? I did have tons of different skills from Jack of All Trades but I would be insanely suspicious for a random teenager to be on the level I was.

Maybe . . . maybe I could get a job by the docks? I had stupidly high rope skills so maybe I could get something there that was mostly just physical labor. With how things were looking over there though I wasn’t sure I’d have much luck. With a sigh I went to sleep, I could do this on Sunday.

I rested in my bed for a moment, as my thoughts spiraled. Did I even have time to worry about getting a job? Leviathan would hit Brockton Bay soon enough and everything would be washed away.

My fist clenched in anger, I’m sorry Emi. Night took me a moment later, anger losing out in the face of sleep in the old bed I’d rested upon.

[You have rested for 8 hours. You have healed.]

I rolled out of bed and powerwalked outside of the apartment after getting dressed and throwing a piece of toast in my mouth. I need to get stronger. That meant another dungeon, fighting bad guys, or practicing my powers.

I focused on the spool of thread within my heart and was slightly surprised to find its count had drastically increased. This was quite the improvement, and I’d felt the stories I’d experienced spring to the forefront of my mind.

Perhaps could I manifest them in reality? I rolled my neck slightly as I considered going out and looking for trouble but decided against it. Instead I threw up my jacket hood for the cold weather and decided to just go for a walk. I shoved my hands in my pockets and started moving through the city of Brockton Bay in order to get a lay of the land. After a while I spotted the large Hospital and wondered if I could heal people. 

I shook my head, I had no idea. I looked within for any stories I could pull upon but nothing involved ‘healing’. However as I gazed at the hospital I noticed a green portal was actually resting nearby.

Huh . . . maybe I could get something here? I approached it and read it over and my eyes widened in surprise at what the stage was.

[Fleshcraft and Lovecraft]

In the world of Vile-jiv rests the Womb of Beasts. A mighty being that births monsters of all kinds like a fountain of despair. Destroy the Cursed Womb and free this world of its terror and eternal day.

[Stage One]

[Fleshlings]

Fuck that! I don’t care that the portal is an inviting green, lovecraftian horror is not my speed! Also why the hell is something like this near the hospital? If I want healing I’ll need to do it another way. I started to move away from the hospital however I paused as I saw someone is a weird white mage get up before freezing as I saw their face.

How the fuck is my girlfriend here? I- what? I staggered back and the girl didn’t seem to notice me as she ran off while being moved by other people before my expression twisted. I figured other versions of people I knew might be here, but my why the fuck was she at the hospital looking like that?

My gut swirled and pieces started to click together. I’d met her through my sister while she interned at the hospital she worked at. We’d hit it off quite well, and her snarky personality meshed well with mine. 

My mind flashed over a little detail I’d forgotten, one that had been buried by no choice of my own. 

Amy . . . they shared a name, didn't they? Panacea and the woman I wanted to marry. I forced myself to turn around and start moving away as my heart slammed in my chest. They weren’t the same, they couldn’t be. Why the fuck did they look the same!?

Almost like a cute little mouse that was ready to chew your fingers off the moment you stopped paying attention. 

I sat on a park bench after running for a while and stared down at my hands. Things just got even more complicated, and things were already way too complicated for my liking!

I put my face in my hands and groaned. When I pulled my eyes upwards I was faced with a white portal much to my confusion.

Why hello there.

[Over the Rainbow]

The Fae forest has always been joyful, and now is no different! It’s the Rainbow Carnival and it's time to play! Engage in the festivities, but be careful to not lose your soul by mistake!

Fuck it, I need to blow of some steam. Some games sound fun. I selected the first stage and stepped through after a moment of making sure no one was watching.

AN: The plot thickens! Charisma isn’t mind control. We learn this the hard way. Next time we explore a carnival of fun and interact with some Fey! Surely nothing will go wrong.

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Thanks for reading and see you next time!