A Magical Anomaly
Prologue 6
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Choice Made:
[x] Cut some of your sleeve off, and wrap the wound with it. Then sneak around, looking for a directory or something. Maybe there's something medical related you can find.
Bonus choice:
[X] Try replying to the voice while tending to your wound and sneaking around. If you have time to chat, then you have time to get away from danger.
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You glance at your sleeve and grimace a little at the damage. It might have been a cleaner slice into you, but having the bladed claws of that… thing ripped out when you pushed it had definitely done some damage.
You don’t think anything major was cut, but then again, you had literal magic amnesia. Someone could tell you this was a paper cut and… well you’d call them an idiot but the point has been made.
It takes some effort, but you manage to rip off one of your sleeves, your knife helping to cut through the fabric as needed, and after a while, you have yourself a shoulder tied with a makeshift bandage crossed with a sling or something, probably not a good idea to let that arm move too much and loosen the pressure being applied to the wound.
You take a few deep breaths. Calming yourself a little now that the bloody work is done. Your previously white top is now soaked in a worrying amount of blood… how long were you in the cupboard before you came to…
And what was that weird thing… with how far you pushed the creature away…
Magic?
It would make sense you suppose…
A thought for later. Right now, you need to find out where you are.
You’re kind of tired of waking up someplace you don’t know again and again… even if it's only happened twice.
A whisper like laugh ripples out near your ear again. And now you’re sure that this voice isn’t your imagination.
What’s the saying…
Once is a chance, twice a coincidence, three times a pattern or something.
You wait for a moment, listening with eyes closed to see if you hear anything.
The sound of crashing metal and cracking tiles sounds far off for now.
So you quietly slip out of the cupboard, knife held tight and body kept low.
You’re in a kitchen it seems. Orange tiles lining the floors and a trail of blood leading to the cabinet you were in.
You keep an ear out for the noises as your eyes plot a way out. Following the trail of blood leads to another door, and as you peek out of it, you don’t see any new monsters. No directory in sight either, so you move in the direction that’s away from the monsters.
Maybe you’re lucky they didn’t follow you.
You stick close to the walls of the shops, trying to use their shadows to hide yourself. It’s easier here, near the center of the building, the outer walls are covered in glass, and it was a sunny day last you saw out of them. A quick glance up doesn’t let you see if that’s still the same sadly.
You shake the idle thoughts out of your head, and then take a quick breath as the sounds of crashing fade away.
They’re still mostly there, but it’s quiet enough that you don’t think you need to worry about them yet.
You slip your phone from your skirt, thankful for its pockets, and thankful even more that it’s not cracked… No reception though. Maybe the dome that appeared is blocking it? Or that weird tear in space?
You would hum in thought, if it didn’t bring the Fear with it.
A quick glance at the time gives you a reference point.
It’s been… maybe a half hour since the tear opened… Assuming that weird skipping time thing didn’t mess with how time passes. And you remember when it opened properly.
Speaking of weird time stuff. A perfect segway…. Probably.
You're tempted to open your mouth and try to spe-.
But the mere thought sends a shiver of FEAR though you that shuts it down immediately.
Now… how to communicate with the weird voice in your head.
‘Weird you say! How dare you!’ It cries out from behind you.
The sudden voice makes you turn around. But an unseen force stops you before you can. Holding your body in place as the world loses its colour once again.
‘As polite as it would be to face myself when communicating, it would be in your best interests to not do so. Mortal minds don’t react especially well to one of my… upbringing. Especially in my untethered form’
Well… you can’t see… her? It sounds like a her… you think. Confident, yet smooth… like a velvet blanket… even if you’ve never seen velvet… or felt it…
‘I am female, yes.’
You can’t see her. But at least you can hear her then. An unseen weight lifts off your shoulders… one you didn’t realize you were carrying. And suddenly, everything feels just a little easier for some reason.
That odd realization over, you focus back in on the voice as your eyes scan the split in front of you. The voice in your head wouldn’t happen to know the way to some place with medical stuff would it?
‘I am more than a mere ‘voice’ child. But I suppose your mortal flesh should be tended to before we properly converse. Your death would be untimely. Down the left path lies that which you seek. In the meantime, I shall allow you to refer to me as… as…. Uh…’
You leave the voice to contemplate its existence, and its incorrectness that it's more than a voice, following down the left path as it whispers to itself. A tongue you can’t understand that's like two metal hammers banging together with each word it speaks… or you think it's each word, it could be a sentence or something similar.
It’s a few more minutes down the line, passing endless shops of various types, mostly food shops considering that you’re on the food court level. Or one of them anyhow.
But you do come upon what looks like a small medical shop. A pharmacy or something of the sorts from the cross shaped sign above it.
It’s also locked. A thick metal shutter slammed over its entrance. No wait… not locked.
Your hands fail to be small enough to get under the gap to lift it up, the smooth metal of the shutter not giving you much purchase. But you manage to find a… crowbar?
It takes some effort, but you one hand the shutter up enough for you to slip into the pitch black store.
‘That's it. We shall decide on an appropriate form for my address at a later date, for now. You may refer to me as ‘Voice’. I expect there to be a capital V in that. I did not wait an eternity to be referred to with a mere lower case letter!’
The voice, sorry Voice, is kind of annoying you come to realize. Or maybe it’ll grow on you. You shrug at the thought on instinct, hissing as the motion causes your injured shoulder to move. The Voice sighs at you, and while calling you a fool for doing so, directs you towards a can of… Heal?
It's… a green can, like one of those made of aluminum.
‘Aluminum’
You ignore the Voice.
Like a can you drink from…
You’re sure this will work?
‘Of course I am! Though I had not expected humans to have liquidized magical essence as of yet. Probably the guidance of the Fae.’ She says. There is so much venom behind the word Fae that you sputter a bit on gulping down the lime flavored medicine. But you manage to get the rest of it down your throat before anything else can happen.
‘That should stabilize your condition at the very least. It won’t heal your shoulder… but it will mend it such that you won’t lose any more of your life essence.’
You’re a little annoyed at that. But you’re more happy to not bleed out right now. You don’t have a backpack. But a thread bag filled with cans of Heal and Blood, a red can of something that helps you generate blood, makes you feel a bit better at your chances.
The Voice explains the process in detail, but you don’t really pay attention to how it does it, focusing more on what it does. Heal fixes up minor wounds completely, evidenced by how the cut to your cheek is gone. But for more serious wounds, it only acts to stabilize and seal them as needed. Something to do with how it's basically a tier one healing spell in liquid form. You didn’t really understand that part, but the Voice waves it off. Metaphorically, you don’t know she has hands.
‘I do’
You realize… that the Fear isn’t as present when you talk through your head… it's still there, popping up with every mentally uttered word. But… you think you can manage single words and short sentences without locking up… hopefully so. So, you take a breath. And ask your question.
‘What… are you?’
The voice lets out an amused hum at that. Going silent for a moment as you sip on a raspberry flavored can of Blood.
‘Hmm. The truth would be best I suppose. I despise liars so very much. I am no fae, though I am a Noble entity. With a capital N. You humans, would call me an- ‘
A sound like someone drilling nails into a board hits your ears. So loud and shrill you think your ears are bleeding by the end of it. They’re not. But it still feels like it.
‘That fucking censoring bitch - Ahem. I am noble. I am calm. I am not some foul mouthed, greater than thou queen with too much time and a mad scientist complex. It appears my kind has been censored for the masses. At least in direct conversation. Lets just say I’m far, far older than any mere fae, and more powerful for it~’
You can hear the tilde. You don’t know how, but you can hear it…
You nod at her. Listening for any sounds and upon hearing none, your next question comes.
‘What do you want?’
There’s a slight breeze behind you, moving from one side to the other, and you get the impression that her eyebrow has risen for some reason and that she’s moved somehow.
‘To the point then. Very well. I come to you, Filia Solthoth, with a question, and a [DEAL]’
The word is said with such intensity that it feels as though the building shakes, a sound like a hundred different voices saying the same word overlaps over each other in a deafening instant that takes all of your focus.
‘A deal? The fae… just help though?’
She huffs, a sound that sounds so dismissive you almost drop the question before she continues.
‘The fae, Filia, leave girls until they are on death's door, until their very life essence is whittling away, and they have mere moments of life left, then they appear in a flash of glory, offering salvation. Why? I have no clear idea, and i won’t share my theories with you as of yet. But it's certainly odd, no? I offer you a [DEAL] while you are of sound mind and relatively sound body. I hope you take that into consideration’
She lets out a breath, and you can imagine her nodding after a moment.
‘The question is simple. Do you wish to become a part of something greater, to shed your mortal, human form, and in turn, enter into the tome of heroes? Or, do you wish to break and burn the preexisting tranquility to allow for a greater future in front of you?’
Your head tilts to the side in thought idly. But that's only for a moment. The pain in your shoulder throbs slightly, but the scar on your arm burns sharper.
‘My past… wanted a villain’
You take a breath. Mentally and physically.
‘Can I become that?’
The Voice replies, an amused lit to her voice.
‘You wish to spur on those who would save the world? To become a mere stepping stone for them?’
You shake your head no and she hums… in approval you think?
‘You can certainly become that which your past wishes you to be. Or. You can exceed it. I quite doubt she expected my presence when she made that request.’
You quietly hum in thought. Pushing the burst of fear away with closed eyes and intense focus.
‘What do you mean?’
She doesn’t reply. And you get the sense her silence is intentional. So you instead let out a breath.
‘I want to be strong… Better than everyone… a true… villain to Magical girls. Better than the past me. She failed. I won’t.’
The voice doesn’t reply for a moment and you shudder from the FEAR that long sentence caused. She chuckles in your ear as you feel the wind brush your uninjured shoulder.
‘A good goal in the short term I suppose. We shall have to come up with a better long term goal in the future. Not failing isn’t a particularly good reason for one of mine. Then, it is time for our [DEAL] , I shall make you a magical girl, no, better than a magical girl, and in return, you will help me prove, to that queenly bitch, that her way is not always the correct one’
Your instincts say to go for that deal… you’d get to be a magical girl… But something pulls you back from it. A… you don’t know what… but it says to wait… and so you do.
‘No deal.’
You expect anger. Or something negative… instead you get laughter… you really wish you could look this voice in the face and show it your confusion, though it seems to notice either way.
‘Wonderful~ That deal was far too vague I imagine? My part specifically?’
You shrug at her, and her laugh continues for a moment.
‘Then, let us make you a magical girl as you so wished, and my repayment, can be in your deeds. What is it you humans call nowadays… splitting experience? I shall make you better than any magical girl in existence, not immediately, but through time. Your body would not be able to handle the strain if I did so immediately. And in return, you give me a portion of the mana a magical girl would earn on doing whatever it is a magical girl does to get more powerful. A slower growth for the benefits of a magical girl. That is the other offer I give you.’
You go back into your mind. And contemplate the details… it sounds better than the last…
It’s the only other offer she gives you, so you nod to her.
‘Splendid~. Truly splendid. We shall get started on your conversion process in a moment. First, we must decide on the fun part. Or… the second fun part. Your costume is something that I cannot alter or change as it is… nor can I view it… hmm. Very odd. Perhaps we shall have more information on that once your conversion has occurred. For another time then, we need to discuss the next most important thing to a magical girl! Her weapons!’
Space greys out around you, time freezing into place as her giggle bounces off the walls… You get the distinct impression she's in front of you, but can’t make any difference out. Probably for the best…
‘I feel space pulling apart nearby… we seem to be short on time. Always enjoyable. Your soul resonates with the idea of a firearm… not a typical weapon for a magical girl, but my experience with them is from a time long past. Perhaps the newer ones have evolved to incorporate this new technology into their gear. As I cannot affect your costume, the… system… has allowed me to supplement my part of the agreement. You may pick two weapons and two pieces of equipment from this list, and I shall have them made in a suitable form for you. Be warned. They may not appear in a form you are familiar with, but they shall perform their legend to their utmost potential… God, I am going to murder whoever made this blasphemous system… so much… so damn much.’ Her voice gets more strained as she speaks and space almost vibrates when she's finished… you ignore the slight red tinge to reality… and the blood dripping from the ceiling.
Instead, you focus on the… piece of… parchment? You think it's parchment, it's definitely been rolled up before, and doesn’t feel like paper. But whatever it is, it falls into your lap, and then into your hands for you to peruse. Surprisingly devoid of blood
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
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Equipment (Pick Two)
[ PICKED ] A halo of light said to heal all injuries.
[ x ] A helm which inspires terror in all who witness its glory
[ x ] A shield which stands before the sun, and protects the world from burning.
[ x ] A pair of winged sandals upon which to soar through the skies with.
[ PICKED ] A coat fashioned from the scales of a dragon felled by a welp, resistant to flame and water both.
[ x ] A silken shirt said to be impenetrable.
[ x ] A belt said to double the wearers strength
Weapons (Pick Three)
[ PICKED ] An arm torn from a beast no man-made weapon could harm, yet man themselves did.
[ PICKED ] A sword whose edges are blunt and whose tip was broken by angels to stop a wrongful killing.
[ x ] A spear said to raise islands from the depths of the sea.
[ x ] A sword which slew many a head on a serpent's body.
[ x ] A blade found in the carcass of a serpent, slain by a god of storms.
[ x ] A dagger used to slay a witch, cutting her two in a single blow.
[ PICKED ] A seven headed spear said to be made from the remains of a sea monster.