Sibling Hadrian was seated on a bed in some dingy hotel room. The walls of the room were yellowed from untold years' worth of the residents’ chain-smoking, in fact, she figured she could probably still smell the lingering nicotine stench if she was actually there. Things like smells don’t really carry a decent psychic or magical charge to them. Unlike words. Words and visuals were perhaps the most powerful things in magic, save for confidence and competence.
Before where they sat was an elf and an orc, both of who were locked in some manner of competition. The elf was a slight moron, dressed in a monk’s robe, and was uncomfortably brandishing a dagger at their taller counterpart. The orc, held her sword to the side, showing the elf the flat slide of the blade. She looked at home with the blade, trying to demonstrate some kind of technique with it that the elf would then mirror.
“Now, try to rush me,” said the orc, behind her eyes, in this space, lightning crackled as it does across the storm-riddled sky.
The elf nodded and the pair encircled one another as though they were trapped in the room with a wild animal. The elf then ran head first and knife pointed forward, only to completely miss the orc and receive an elbow to the back, knocking them flat on their stomach.
The elf wheezed as they tried to force back in the wind that was knocked out of them.
“You see, if you were to just move slightly to the left, you could have had a chance of knocking me down, so instead I’ve knocked you down.”
The elf raised a finger to try to indicate that they needed a moment. In this thoughtscape, Sibling Hadrian could see the mass of void that was anchored to the elf. It wasn’t really black in the sense that ink is or the night is. It was void. It was as if something that was occupying the space had been clipped out with a pair of scissors.
Then they heard a voice that did not belong to either the elf or the orc. It was the voice of their father.
“Aye! You little shit. What are you doing pissing around here?”
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This was impossible, they knew, their father had been dead for years. He’d tripped and fallen into a well while drunk. Turning away from the elf and the orc, they searched around the space searching for the source of the voice. At the foot of the bed sat a cage, and from the cage, a massive shadow began to form, almost unconnected to the owl beast that was contained therein. They crawled towards the cage and it rattled as the black form of the owl beast growled, exposing a mouth full of human teeth where there ought to be none.
“You know what i am, don’t you? Scared nun?” growled the beast, its many teeth shaking and vibrating, almost like wind chimes.
“You’re Dale! A-a high demon.”
“That’s right…And you best keep your fucking mouth shut about my being here, creature. Tell your masters about these two fools, but should my name cross your lips, i will show you what your own loosened skin looks like.”
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Sibling Hadrian Temple had been awake half the night, complaining loudly at them for a good chunk of the night. Naturally, there was a limit to Nicola's patience with nuns, and if they were reaching it.
"I saw it...In. In my dreams," they said. Their wimple fluttered around wildly, blown crazy by unseen winds that could not have been inside the church's enclosed study.
Nicola sat back, gazing at the nun calmly. "What, exactly, did you see?" They asked, in their most patient voice.
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"I saw it. Them! There's a new elf in this city, they've been touched by the hand of the Lightbringer himself. A powerful, wild satanist. They're stupid though, like unimaginably dumb," they said.
"Hmmm, your gift for prophecy continues to both delight and annoy, Sibling," said Nicola.
"Thank you, Parent. What would you have me do?" asked Hadrian.
"I would have you get to rest. I shall go out and see if this wildling is anyone of importance, then I shall move from there on my own," said Nicola.
Hadrian bowed their head. "Yes, Parent." They said, before leaving the room.
Hadrian dressed in their fine black clerical robes before taking to the streets, armed only with their sound mind and body. They were human, but they took the task of finding Sibling Hadrian’s mystery satanist very seriously. The priest carved a sigil into their forehead and set out looking as their eyes glowed.
It didn't take long for Nicola to find the satanist in question. They were, as Hadrian had said, quite stupid. They could tell from the ridiculous expression on their face as they played the lyre. Dancing like a wannabe bard. Thinking of no better option for introductions, Parent Nicola rushed the elf and tried to deck them in the face. But when they fully rounded the corner and when the elf was on the ground, they were immediately faced by the biggest orc they'd ever seen in their life.
She was at least twice their size and seemed to cast shadows like an eclipsing moon. The elf was on the ground, still strumming their lyre like it was nothing. The orc made a harsh sound and her eyes were wide and full of a kind of incandescent rage.
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"I...I...I Ummm...you know what, my mistake," said Parent Nicola. They turned and ran in the opposite direction as fast as they could.
Betta caught him by his collar and punched him in the back of the head. "What the fuck was that about?" She demanded.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I thought you were someone else," said Nicola.
"Who the fuck did you think I was?" asked Kailin, unperturbed by Betta's rush to righteous violence. Kailin at that moment backhanded the priest. “Speak!”
“I’m a Priest at Arise Satanistic Church,” they said. Afraid of getting hit again. But without warning, their fear melted away and Nicola pressed a burning hand to the orc’s arm, forcing her to release him.
"What are you doing here, then?" asked Kailin.
"I was sent to find you. Sibling Hadrian had a dream about you. They said you were touched by the Lightbringer and were a powerful wizard.
"Gross. Leave me alone," said Kailin, turning away.
"Hey! Wait, you can bring your orc with you!" offered the human.
"That's a fucked up thing to say. We're traveling companions."
"I...I meant no offense. We have a variety of positions open, we need a new conjurer since our old one killed himself," they said, trying to act like everything was all hunky dory.
"No, thanks. We're good," said Kailin.
"The pay is good, and you get your room and board. Plus, we have a library with all sorts of ancient tomes. You could learn so much!" said the priest, getting more and more desperate.
"Blow it out your ugly ass and get away from us you fucking nerd," said Kailin. "Come on, Betta. Let's leave before this preacher gives us a disease."
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Later in their secluded office, Parent Nicola was deep into their cups of whiskey. All the while, Sibling Hadrian watched, unbothered by their superior’s newfound sadness.
“Well,” they began. “Were you being a fucking nerd, Parent?”
“I was not. I was being friendly,” said their superior.
“I can see the future. That’s a lie and a very stupid one, parent.”
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Their superior gave them an upset look. To the nun, the look brought to mind an unruly child who has been forced to eat a vegetable that they find to be distasteful.
“What the do you know, Hadrian? You’re just a nun! I-I Hadrian. I am a satanic priest! I hold whole audiences underway with my sonorous voice!”
Parent Nicola made a move to get up from their seat, only to slip and fall to the floor. Their body was so lousy with booze that you could wring them out like a towel and have a bottle’s worth of Suicide. The nun looked at the priest as they were sprawled out on the floor. Taking great care to cover their form with a blanket. The office of the church had a floor. If it didn't, that would be concerning, but the floor smelled like piss and Parent Nicola desperately hoped that it was not their own.
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