For the first time in my life I felt a twinge of happiness watching the human jolt awake, his face plastered in a mix of pain and terror. I would’ve hit his head to wake him up, but I wasn’t trying to put him in a daze this time around. As a matter of fact I wanted him awake, wide awake and ready to do as I pleased. It just happened that I delivered a fairly strong blow to his lower leg in order to immobilize him for our little chat. He was completely disarmed and naked, but I couldn’t risk him running away now could I? The wound was bleeding, but nothing too serious compared to the bruise that had been left behind. As long as I didn’t kill him by accident.
Compared to his calm sleep just seconds ago, he set up in surprise, groaning and crying out in pain as…water ran down his cheeks? Well this was new. Did humans perhaps distribute liquid waste through their eyes? Was it a sensory reaction to pain? Anger? The scientist's analytical behavior had rubbed off on me, and I was curious. Too curious to just observe and let him be.《What are you doing?》 I asked, my head tilting in confusion as I observed in silence.
Compliance was expected of him given his position, but he said nothing. Instead he quickly assumed a protective position at my telepathic voice, backing up against a nearby tree at the sight of me towering over him. Despite his little show of defiance, it was hard to take him seriously as he clutched his leg in pain. I stared at him down, his eyes filled with nothing but fear, a faint reminder of how I reacted to my captors prodding when I first was created. Except that he would never be able to grow accustomed to his current captor.
The rock was still in my hands if I wanted to pry out answers by force, but coercion through words was far more effective. The aspect of potential pain only served to increase the weight of an interrogator's words.
《You can hear me right?》I ask, watching his head tilt up and down in a small nod.
《Good. Answer my questions, and I will refrain from harming you. Screaming for help and attempts to escape will not be tolerated. Not that you could with your leg like that. Now, what are you doing?》
“W-What do you mean? I'm not doing anything.”
《Your eyes. Why is there water coming from them? Is that how you urinate?》
“It's called crying.” He replied between odd sounds from his nose. Some liquid was leaking out from there as well. “I'm crying because of the pain from a broken bone.”
《Why does pain cause you to begin 'crying'? If I were to break your other leg with the rock would the intensity of your ‘crying’ increase? Would it decrease? Would nothing change?》I ask, lifting the rock to deliver another blow.
At the mere sight of my arms lifting the human curls himself up, struggling to get his pleas for mercy out his mouth. I hadn't even touched him, yet his crying returned with a renewed vigor. Fascinating. Were all humans like this? Did they all crack so easily under pressure?
“P..Please! I'm sorry! I'll talk! I...I can't take it anymore. I'm begging you. A..Anything but the rock!” He mumbled, failing to even look me in the eye.
《Ok then. No rock.》I reply nonchalantly, dropping it behind me as the human raised his tucked head in confusion.
“Y…You mean it?”
《Sure I do. What, did you think I'm some sort of monster who gets off on watching you in pain? I'm sure that's something only you humans enjoy.》
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He looked taken aback, but remained silent as I continued.
《I can mess around with your body later. For now, I have questions that must be answered. Question one. Where are we?》
“Ellinia. The Ellinia forest.”
《Forest?》
“We call the abundance of trees a forest.”
《Two. This forest…..are you the only human settlement inside?》
“Y..Yes. Our village practices living in harmony with nature.”
《Three. Your ‘village’ has a map no? Where are we? Or rather, what kingdom is this?》
”You're in Wyn. It's a large island to the west of the main continent.” So I'm on an island? I guess that would make a good dumping site for trash.
《Four. How would I be able to acquire more knowledge about anything? I need information. Locations, people, maps, spill it.》
“Umm books are what you're looking for. They would be in a library.”
《And where would I find such a thing?》
“Any city. But they won't let you just walk in. Y…You're a monster after all. You'll be eliminated on sight.”
《Feeling a little better now are we? Don't answer questions I don't ask. Now, final question, how many people are in that village? Are they all trained as well as you?》 I ask, his face instantly tensing up at my question.
“I…I can't tell you that. I will not sell out my people to a monster such as yourself.”
What drove him to suddenly deny my requests? Perhaps the pain from earlier had dulled. I conclude, picking up the all too familiar rock.
He quickly turned over and attempted to crawl away in a crying fit, but I hit him in the back of the head. Blood began to leak, but I assumed he would be fine. Human heads were exceptionally hard compared to the rest of their body after all.
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It was deep into the night by now, but I couldn't sleep. Not with the human and my eggs sitting around in the middle of the forest. Nothing came near us with my presence, but I kept watch for what felt like hours until the human showed signs of waking. He immediately tried to move, only to cry out in pain and he clutched his leg and head. His head snapped towards me as he once again realized his predicament, anger now added to the mix of emotions on his face.
“Why!? Why are you keeping me here like this!? What do you want? I gave you answers! Let me go! I..I….” He yelled, his voice trailing off as he looked behind me.
The color in his face began to fade, his skin turning pale as he sat speechless. "Oh dear lord in Oberon and Grendel... you…you're multiplying..."
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The Purely Supernatural
The purely supernatural has its own place in Ninety-Seven, too large to be fit into a single generalization. Instead there are three categories: Magic, Summoning, and the Psychic Disciplines.
Magic
Magic influences the living and the dead, the real and the unreal. It may be everything or nothing at all – but it has always existed and will be with us forever. It allows spellcasters to shoot fireballs from their hands, fly in the air, or create illusions. Not to be confused with Ki, magic is constituted by the spiritual energy of the world, and is said to spring from reality itself. As a result, those without the gift find themselves incapable of using magic.
Summoning
Magical abilities don’t depend exclusively on the Gift. Some individuals are able to control the essence of supernatural beings and do with them as they wish. They could bring them to the material world, banish them, control them, or even bind them to objects. The practice of retrieving and controlling monsters falls under summoning.
The Psychic Disciplines
Not everything can be explained through the powers of the soul and spirit. Some people can use their mind to alter their surroundings merely through willpower. A person’s psyche produces an enormous amount of energy – called a matrix – that can be used for controlling matter and modifying the laws of physics. Different matrices constitute different disciplines, allowing psychics to fly, move objects at a distance, or even afflict the minds of others. Only a very small number of individuals have access to the part of the mind that allows for such feats., and even fewer develop a mastery of their Psychic Powers. Many question it's origins, but one thing is sure – Willpower allows them to use their abilities to the fullest.