Off to market (Nicky)

[Anonymous]

GET UP!
102379 woke with a start, his head throbbing from the sleeping drugs. His master was standing over him. He bent forward on his hands and knees before rising from the tiled floor.

'Get my breakfast then have a shower. Filthy mage,' said captain Kaenos.

He hurried out and rubbed his head. His Master gave it to him every night but 102379 had shown too much emotion yesterday so had been double dosed. It left him with a sore and unfocused mind. Nonetheless, he was able to get to the kitchens without falling over.

'C-Captain Kaenos's breakfast.'
The lady-mage serving gave him a sympathetic look, it was well known how the Captain treated his mage. Especially his current one, who had been gifted rather than chosen. The woman slipped a small bread roll in his hand and bade him eat it before he got to the Captain's quarters. 102379 bowed, he was not allowed to speak without his master present.  He hurried back to his master, chewing the bread. Perhaps today would not be so bad. He knocked on his master's door.

Enter, you're late.
Sorry Sir.
He bowed low but his unfocused mind caused him to trip, landing in the food. He cowered, knowing what was to happen. The Captain turned around and glared down at him, unleashing pain and anger across the mind-link.
102379 shrieked, wreathing in pain. His head smacked against the tiled floor and there was a loud crack. By the time his master had stopped sending pain, his breathing was coming in short gasps and he'd developed many bruises.

'Get up.'
102379 rose on trembling legs and silently followed his master, who led him to a small ship. He was terrified, what if he was being taken to TRIM. He quailed, whatever his master did to him, it was better than what would happen at TRIM. He hung his face in his hands, worried that he would start crying. He flinched, his nose was broken and bleeding. He pulled his hood over his face so that nobody would see, he was ashamed of his failure.
You do that again and you will be sent off to TRIM.

He was still shaking when they left the ship, the loud noises of many people speaking and laughing told him that they had gone to the city. He did not look up as his master led him through the streets, intent on finding someone, though 102379 had no idea who.

[Anonymous]

Vulcan was meandering through the streets. Unlike earth where he'd originally lived before it had started dying, he didn't wear a hood. There were so many different kinds of creatures, his marigold eyes with the scarlet outer circle no longer drew attention-- much. Aside from the eyes, most of the time he did look perfectly human, and did not take offense when people called him such. For a very long time, in his mind, he had been human, but now, he had accepted he was more than that.

He drew a deep breath to sigh, but was surprised to catch the scent of freshly bruised flesh. He turned curiously, looking through the crowds. He could spot a bruise at a surprising distance. The smell, the way people favored them, the way the blood in the body moved around them.

His eyes latched onto the creature in the hood. He was the bruised one. The gaze shifted to the master. The man had never laid a blow, but Vulcan was positive he'd delivered the bruises somehow. He shifted his meandering and moved closer to them, now curious. Besides, the man obviously had money, maybe he needed a job done.

[Anonymous]

102379 stubbled forward, looking only at his feet as he followed his master down the main street. He stopped when his master walked into a shop. He had never been taught to read so had no idea what he was going in for. The Captain's uppermost thoughts were on several items that needed collecting.

Stay outside
102379 bowed to his master and waited. It was always uncomfortable being left anywhere alone; he was never sure what he should do, how he should feel or what he should think. The freedom scared him, if he ever did anything wrong while waiting his master would force it from his thoughts and punish him for it. Instead, whenever his master left him alone he would stand perfectly still and not try not to think about anything, they way he could never do anything wrong.

It was getting hot and 102379's hood was getting heavy. He needed to sit or drink something. He had not had anything to drink today and he was starting to feel a bit lightheaded.
Your thoughts are getting annoying. Silence them.
102379 stood up straight and tried to stop thinking.

[Anonymous]

Vulcan paused outside the shop and if he had been inclined to smile, he might have. There was a mind link going on here. Mind links he was good at. He paused, leaning against the wall not far from where the hooded figure stood. Slave? Maybe not exactly, but the concept was close enough to work for the time being.

How he had to choose. Talk to the timid, fearful creature, or follow the master and see what he was up to.

Considering the determined look on the master's face, perhaps he'd attempt to talk to the hooded one first. It might be his only chance to do so.

Attempting to subtly tap into the mind link between the two, he approached. If things went as he hoped, he would tap in, realize the master had control of the servant and then quietly clip it off so the conversation would not be monitored. If it didn't work, he might have to make good his escape.

[Anonymous]

OOC: The mind link is caused by a metal band connected into the brain. http://remnants.spiritsoftheearth.net/edanith.php#mord

BIC:
102379 remained mind-silent until he felt something new across the mind-link. He shifted uncomfortably, perhaps the band had developed a fault. It was highly unlikely because he had been with his master, Captain Kaenos, for a long time, longer than most mages had with one mordacai.

He did not know what to do. Should he tell his master or wait. He could test it but without permission, he would get into a great deal of trouble. He shuddered, if he did that he might get sent to TRIM. He decided to remain still.

[Anonymous]

Vulcan hesitated. That was not a natural mind link. It was manufactured. Now, he was intrigued. Could it be blocked? Would it hurt the one wearing it. He sure looked like a whipped puppy, it would be no surprise to Vulcan to find he was a slave. He acted like one, and those fresh bruises suggested he was in some kind of trouble.

Pausing a moment to consider it, he tenatively tested to see if the link would be blocked, or if the bruised one was even capable of speaking at this point.
(sorry about the delay, I didn't expect to be away from the computer for the weekend.)

[Anonymous]

The sun was high in the sky now and 102379's heavy hood was making him sweat. He leant up against the wall behind him. It would be better to be caught slouching than on the ground. He needed water. He prayed to whoever would hear him that his master would let him drink. He understood that the gods hated him but surely they would take some pity on him.

stop complaining and stand up straight.

He stood up stiff, trying not to cringe at the shock his master sent. He glanced up accidently and noticed there was a man watching him. He darted his head to his chest and closed his eyes.

[Anonymous]

Vulcan tilted his head and then walked away, returning a few minutes later with a flask full of water. Dehydration was something he was familar with. He gently nudged the man's arm, offering the flask.

[Anonymous]

102379 stared at the flask in front of him. If he drank it he could get in trouble again but if he didn't he'd faint. He continued staring for a while, unsure what to do, then slowly reached his hand out. He bowed to the stranger in front of him, too scared to speak just yet. He drank slowly then looked up at t he man who gave him the water. It was the one that had been staring at him earlier. He smiled.

[Anonymous]

Vulcan gave a nod. He was not prone to smiling, he never had been, but even so, the guesture was a friendly one. It was kind of interesting to listen in on a mindlink that was man made. He'd heard rumors of the mages and such, but he'd been skeptical. He had mind link abilities, he hadn't thought that technology had quite advanced enough to manufacture it just yet. He leaned against the wall not far from the man. With the way things were going, nothing he could do would be anything special. He didn't mind so much really, but he'd been alive a long time to see things change and it was going to be different to be one of the common folk.

[Anonymous]

What's going on out there?
Nothing Sir.
Who is that man with you? Look at him.
102379 lifted his face to look at the man with black hair and strange coloured eyes.
What did he do?
He-he gave me water Sir.
Did I allow it?
No Sir, sorry Sir.
His mind went went silent as Captain Kaenos left. 102379 was scared, hopefully his master was still busy. He hestitated then looked at the man again, this time of his own initiative. He was gratefull for the water but had no way of speaking to the man without being caught.

OOC:  How do you want them to talk? I could pretend he has the courage to speak if you like. Sorry this is really slow.

[Anonymous]

Vulcan flinched at the sudden voice in the mind link. This was quite the challenge. He used his foot to write in the dirt. It was worth a shot, maybe the man could read. Do you read? he wrote, monitoring the link.

(I'm not really sure how this'll work. If you like you can make the Captain do something to Vulcan at some point)[/b]

[Anonymous]

102379 looked down at the writing, he had never been taught to read. There was a sound of the door opening.

'What the hell is happenning out here? You! What are you doing with my mage?' captain Kaenos glared at the man, at 102379 then the writing in the dirt, 'You, you worthless mage. I can't leave you alone for one hour without you making a mess.'

102379 screamed and fell to the ground.
GET UP!
He pushed himself to his feet, recieving a blow to his groin and collapsing once more.

'Now what did you want with him?'

[Anonymous]

Vulcan didn't flinch when the mage fell. He felt compassion, but he didn't reveal a lot of it outwardly. "He looked dehydrated and I was curious about the band on his head. It's not his fault I came walking over to him and started drawing in the dirt. He never said a word. I think the question should be, what do you want with him? You obviously don't care if he lives or dies. What is his value to you? Is he just for your entertainment? Explain this to me, I'm curious how things work here." His tone never wavered or changed. It wasn't angry either. It was simply factual.

[Anonymous]

'You are not from Edanos then,' it was a statement not a question.

'We Mordacai run the military in Edanos, we are peacekeepers and the primary defence of the Country. These mages,' he glared at 102379, 'are not human. They are the cause of the apocalypse and it is our duty to exterminate them. The creautres were able to prove themselves useful in fighting Aedolis and terraforming Mars so we put up with them. Anyone fround with mage abilities is tested, trained and given to a Mordacai to serve. This one is weak of mind; I have been trying to teach it its place.'

He glared down at the cowering 102375, who was still gasping in pain from the groin punch.

[Anonymous]

"And his place is on the floor gasping and bruised?" Vulcan asked a little skeptically. "I'm not sure I see the point in damaging your own property, but I suppose since he's yours you can do what you want with him" He stroked his chin as he considered it. "What is he supposed to be trained to do?" Apocolypse indeed. What utter nonsense.

[Anonymous]

'The floor will remain his place until he shows proper respect,' said Kaenos. 'As for his purpose, he is a mage. The headbands we wear allows me to enter his mind and use his abilities. He is a trained elemental and enhancer, his abilities enhance my combat prowess. I do not care what state his body is in so long as his magic remains.'

Stop cringing and stand up straight.
102379 slowly rose to his feet.

'These mages are a necessary evil. Without Mordacai using their abilities, we would not have been able to terraform Mars.'

At his master's command, 102379 lifted his arms and covered the foreigner from head to foot in rock. His master began walking around the man, 'a short time ago, my mage detected a glitch in our mind-link then I find a man trying to talk to him. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it was you that tried to tamper with it. I don't think your human.'

[Anonymous]

The rock liquified much like magma running down a volcano. "You should have been able to tell that by looking at me. What human has eyes like mine?" He asked coldly. He was not afraid of the man or the mage. He'd been captured and killed many times in his life, and he was still standing. Not much worried him except perhaps never being able to die and so being doomed to forever adapt to an everchanging universe. So far he'd done well, but how many centuries can a person stand to endure? He'd find out and this man with his silly rocks would not stop him.

[Anonymous]

OOC: What is tectonic elemental control? Is it control of volcanoes and earthquakes? Also, you might want to read up on the mordacai.

'My, you would be an excellent slave, but perhaps you would prefer to go to TRIM. I'm sure you've heard of them, even if you are a foriegner.'

102379 was scared, so scared that he wet his pants. If this ended badly for his mastre, it would be his fault. This time his master odered him to cover the man in ice, gagging his mouth open. Deep down he wished the man luck, hoping his master would not bother to trael so deep when his mind was next scanned.

[Anonymous]

(Earthquakes, volcanos, magma, lava, tectonic plates, volcanic rocks. And I did read about the Mordichai, but Vulcan didn't)

Normally, Vulcan didn't reveal himself for anything than some bizzare humanoid cross, but he was not about to stand there and allow himself to be encased in rock and ice was laughable. He'd melted rock, how was water supposed to be a challenge? Vulcan simply leveled his gaze on the 'boss'. "I'm not a mage" Vulcan stated. This was oddly amusing to him. He hadn't had a challenge in what seemed like forever, not to mention it was essentually only his own life he was playing with. That made a difference to him. Despite showing very little caring for the most part, when he had other people's lives in his hands so to speak, he was much more cautious.

Being in a position of having nothing left to lose was a dangerous mind set indeed.