"what do you mean he's still alive!" this was not what Sam was expecting to hear after he returned from another match; this was after someone who made use of sound magic and illusions. They were very good illusions. If Sam let his guard drop, he would have gotten trapped.

Anyway Sam won, while they were great with their issuions. not so great at defending against it, he would have lost to them and there small knife. he was kind of insulted they thought that was a weapon capable of defeating him. until he learned it was enchanted.

after that and a few hours of rest and healing, Sam returned to Daniel sighed who had a collection of information for Sam about his older sibling. at first, he was just reading through their accomplishments, the awards they won the good and bad they done. Like getting drunk and walking through a street but nacked.

but then he read that Tatum was still alive and currently still acting. which shouldn't have surprised Sam too much, with enough money or skill living more than a hundred years wasn't impossible. but tatum was like thirty when he meet Sam, so he definitely did something to live this long and still be a working age.

"why didn't he contact me?" then another memory came to Sam, one that made his gut sink." I told him not to," Sam could remember that his enemies or someone attacked them. Trying to hold Tatum hostage, only to get trapped and kicked where the sun doesn't shine. Even though they both came out of it without any injury, Sam panicked.

He didn't realize it then, but now he has more experience. Sam was able to tell that he had a panic attack and made some panicked decisions, like leaving and telling Tatum not to contact him, with some very mean words.

"I have to talk to him," Sam knew this was the most reasonable course of action if he wanted to repair the reaction ship. 'really, I should be racing out to anyone who might still be alive; let's focus on them right now.'

This wasn't going to be easy, as Tatum was famous. Sam had a number for them, but it was over a hundred years old, so it might not be his anymore. Not to mention, who knew if the shapeshifter would answer? If he did answer, would he speak to Sam?

'huh, my stomach is in knots over this,' It's been a while since he's been so nervous that he didn't want to eat. but he knew how to force a bit of food inside of him. even if he wasn't at risk of starving anytime soon. but food was something to focus on.

Half a day later, after watching some more movies, Sam realized that the way he wanted to deal with this would be face-to-face. It wouldn't be hard to find the home of Tatum and talk to him. Since he was in school, he was going to have to take more direct travel methods like using the destructive power of a devil to cut a hole in space.

Was it unstable and like an extreme rollercoaster? Yes, but Sam landed inside the city he was aiming for. The sun was rising here while it was night in his current home city. he remembers this city vaguely," I wonder if that tea shop is still open?"

putting that away for later, he started heading for the shapeshifter's home. when he got in a block he sensed some security, from a distance he gauged they were pretty strong, esspcaily the one with the shotgun, he was pretty that thing had some kind of divine enhancement. 'mm, it feels Greek. i wonder which god. maybe it was the god of cheese.' he snickered at the idea.

Then, he stopped before remembering when he put a chick in the hospital with a roll of cheese. It was several dozen pounds. But it was still cheese. 'alright let's hope i don't have to fight them.'

moving slowly he approached the house, his path clear to those watching causing the guards to tense ready to fight if he posed a threat. he stooped a dozen feet from the house, then he took a deep breath in. A rune on his tongue, "Come out tatum! it's time to speak with the child who weilds the power of demons ghost and witchs!"

The rune on his tongue just amplified and controlled his voice. The sound wouldn't go anywhere while making it strong enough that it would break through most simple and common defenses and blocks. It was a pretty simple technique that left him able to dodge the first shot from the guards.

"oh can't let that hit me," Sam commented as he looked at the burning hole in the ground. it was deifntly some kind of fire, but there were several fire related mthes for the greeks.' stepping forward he avoided a basterd sword and pun and to kick, his food struck the flat side of the blade and pushed them back.

Moving several steps back, he avoided several more shots from the gunman; they were fast and very hot. 'okay, even with my regeneration, that's going to leave decent damage. Acting fast he brought his hands down quickly drawing a trio of rune he slamed into the ground.

The power pulsed through the ground; the heat began to seep out of the ground and the sir. Leaving behind a thick chill. One that weakened the following shot as he focused on the other guards. Sword, nunchuck, a fucking electrified chainsaw!

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"oh, that's kind of cool!" he ducked and dodged the wide swings of the rotating blade." i'd love to fight," leaning right, he lashed out at their wrist, knocking the chainsaw away." but your boss is here, and I'm here to talk to them."

He jumped back several feet as the door opened, and Tatum stepped out with a mini machine gun. Which he used to draw the rest of the attention, his gaze quickly zeroing in on Sam." is that really you? Shadow?!" the tone was abit accuser.

Which fare, but Sam still twitched at the name, remembering why he wanted to be called that. It's partly because the name sounded cool, but it still kind of is. But the rest of the reasons were definitely telling about his mental health at that time.

"yes, it's me. I don't know if you want to talk to me. But I decided that I should at least reach out to you. It might have been a hundred years, but we were close." he did his best to stay late, but his emotion leaked in his speech, his worry and hope. The actor did a better job of keeping his face flat.

For several moments, he said nothing, just looking at Sam, who did his best not to fight under their gaze. At the same time, his guards moved, spreading out to get good sticking points. Sam was unconcerned about them; oh, they could definitely hurt him. But not kill him.

"going to run off again when the conversation is over?" Tatum fainly asked and Sam nodded," i have school in the pouring but I'll stay as long as i can." tatum nodded and turned around having Sam inside the house.

"nice place," Sam commented as they walked through the hall. tatum had left his slippers at the door way and Sam had forgotten to put on shoes when he came. followingdown they hall they arrived in the living room. it was large and very cozy looking, one wall covered in achievements and pictures.

Sam winced when he realized that he was in a number of pictures but ignored the guilt for a moment. He was either going to make or break his relactionship with the shapeshifter. Tatum took a seat on their couch, picking up a bowl of popcorn candy and pretzels. all drizel in carmel.

"your sweet tooth hasn't changed." Sam stated taking his own seat in the hovering loveseat. tatum didn't commented popping a it of popcorn into there mouth. "so you wanted to talk?"

Taking a deep breath, "I'm not going to apologize for trying to protect you. I'll admit that with a calmer mind, I probably would have come up with a better solution. I'll apologize as many times as necessary for leaving, but not for trying to keep you safe!"

"What makes you think I need help keeping safe?"

"the fact you still have guards," one Sam fought not more than a few minutes ago." right Tatum sighed," I don't know that would be a good argument." groaned they dramaticily stretched out against the cough," So tell me little shade? why now, why not in the past hundred years."

"I had a bad coping method of erasing parts of my own memory until recently; I didn't remember you. I miss a lot of my time traveling the world; I don't know how many people I deem too painful to remember."

"do you need a therapist?" tatum asked without hesitation." already have one." Sam replied.

'I'm more than happy to be of assistance, my lord. Speaking, my lord, the one known as Tatum is letting off an interesting reading.' Sam nodded to them before turning back to Tatum." I hope they're good." Sam assured them they were.

"Honestly, as much as it annoyed me that you left, I could understand the minimal amount of logic it made. Why you didn't contact me afterward was a different problem. I thought you were dead. I had a grave made; I made an offering on the day of the dead. But not you just whipped your own memory."

Sam wasn't sure how to feel about this, touched they had done this for him, or guilty they had thought he was dead for so long." but enough of the sad things, we can come back to that later." they popped more mix in their mouth. "tell me are you dating anyone?" Sam scuffed, rolling his eyes.

"you bloody romantic," taking a seat, he looked at Tatum," I've tried, but they never went anywhere seriously, even worse, remembering that I'm several hundred years old. Physically, at least," Mentally, he was a lot younger due to all the missing memory.

"ah, have you tried a dating app?"

"abistly not," sam immeadlty said when tatum asked why not. sam slowly expeined how he onced used a dating app to track down a guy he had beef with. you'd be amazed how many people you found like this," I learned it form this russiunn dude...though that time that guy might have been a hook-up app. he brought lube but no flowers."

"Did he touch you?" Tatum asked, looking towards his gun. Sam rolled his eyes," he didn't try. Immediately trying to run when he saw me." the nonbinary person relaxed and asked more about what life Sam was currently living, learning that he was currently going by Sam Vegal. Tatum was free to call him Shadow if he wished. "If nothing changes, I plan to stick to that name."

"that's nice, but I want to hear more about the people you're calling your parents." their voices gained a protective edge again. he didn't know if Sam remembered it or not, but the boy did. could he call him that with the raven's true age? they decide yes because, for all intent and purpose, he looked and acted young.

When Shadow first started staying with him, Tatum gently pocked about what Shadow would call him. The suggestion of the parent got a fit, a tantrum in which the boy threw a couch, the TV, and a sink. He didn't even get near a sink or use telekinesis of mana, but he threw it.

So they settled on a sibling, which was great cause Tatum was not ready to be a parent at that edge. But he knew something had put the wild child in such distaste for his parents. It obviously improved, but Shadow never even hinted at why. Tatum didn't push.

He was going to meet their people; if they proved to be any danger to their little brother, they were going to face Tatum's wrath.

The two talked for an hour, to the point that even with teleportation Sam was late for class. not that he cared, riding don't he high of seeing his older sibling again, and a bit guilt at the other relationship he was ignoring." I'll talk to him someday. I will, I must."

Walking into class, he took a seat and did his best to pay attention to everything that followed. but he definitely drifted off, watching his holo-device, watching in case Tatum sent him a message. The two of them traded contacts so they could talk. Sam wasn't sure how often they would talk.

Sam didn't use his holo-device much for communication, more often than not being able to speak face-to-face with the people he spoke with. Most of them lived on this island, plus he could fly and teleport and own several vehicles. Distance wasn't his biggest concern now.

Now it was the test in the fourth period, 'why do we have to do this stupid infernal test!' he mentally swore as he filled in the bubbles. Bubble after bubble, soul-draining bubbles that might never end.

'Okay, maybe I'm being a bit dramatic, but I'm bored.' he finished the next, then focused on collecting some of the lust in the air. Focused it on the stones in his pocket, wiggling his feet against the ground until the class let out for the day.

School came to an end a few hours later," Daniel had a family thing, so he headed home and gathered all the rocks he had filled in the past week, then took them to the witch shop to drop them off before heading back home with some witch's clay.

'you know I never did much with this kind of craft.' most people made familiars from it. As he considered the form he was going to put the clay in. he passed a shop, "Ah, doesn't Tyrone like that show?" thinking about it, he quickly dipped in and got one of the posters the shop was selling.

"This is going in his birthday gift, "Sam smiled, thinking about the collection of stuff his loved ones were getting for the celebration. "AH! Tatum!" his smile almost broke his face as he turned around. Heading for the stores.