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Post by Soprano on Apr 2, 2011 11:51:28 GMT -6
Dom sat in the main Library, slouched on one of the couches, staring at a bookshelf. He was running through the periodic table of elements in his head, half out of boredom, half trying to keep his mind sharp for plans on how to get out of here. The portals were ‘broken’ the one time he tried, he’d also got caught by that girl who he was half convinced was actually Marian, and there wasn’t a goddamn door any place in this building that led outside. He realized that he could literally be anywhere in the world because of portals, which was bad. If he were stuck somewhere in Antarctica, he wouldn’t last long in the cold…
He blew his green bangs out of his face with an exasperated sigh. Maybe this really was a cold-hearted training facility. He wasn’t sure what to think of mages fighting demons; that was what happened in the story… This whole business was confusing and horrible.
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lillium
Fatima's Sexophone
He Who Fights Monsters
just another dead composer
Posts: 1,682
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Post by lillium on Apr 2, 2011 12:15:32 GMT -6
Marian was bringing a pile of books back to the main library and was intent on bringing back some. He noticed Dom sitting there on a couch, and he frowned. He put his books back before walking back over to where Dom was, wondering if Dom still believed that ridiculous book that the pride demon had written.
From the sound of it, even Lucifer himself had hated that book, which meant that it hadn't been some conspiracy against the Order.
"Found the room where we keep the kidnapped babies yet?" Marian asked sarcastically, folding his arms. "Or have you witnessed anyone kicking little puppies?" This entire thing was ridiculous. It was a piece of propaganda, and what was worse was that Dom believed it. Oh well, at least Dom didn't have the legal knowledge to know that Marian had kidnapped Dom and was holding him at the Library against his will. That might make him seem pretty bad.
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Post by Soprano on Apr 2, 2011 12:23:56 GMT -6
Dom tensed up when he saw Marian. His shoulders sagged when Marian came at him pretty harshly. He shook his head and frowned.
“I haven’t found the exit either,” he muttered, chewing on his lip.
He didn’t honestly think that the Order was kidnapping children and kicking puppies. He sure as hell didn’t find anything similar any place, but the fact that he couldn’t leave was still hanging over his head. He might not suspect that the Order was so bad if he were treated a little better and he weren’t so bored and lonely. Regardless of legal knowledge, Dom knew he couldn’t leave and that seemed pretty bad to him anyway.
He opened his mouth again to ask how long before he could leave, but shut it again. He frowned deeper. At first he was bored, now he was just upset. He’d kind of hoped for some encouragement, but that was far from what he’d gotten.
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lillium
Fatima's Sexophone
He Who Fights Monsters
just another dead composer
Posts: 1,682
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Post by lillium on Apr 2, 2011 12:30:26 GMT -6
Well, if Dom couldn't find the exit, then that was good, because it meant no one else probably could either. And if no one could find the exit, then no one could probably find the entrance, either, which meant he didn't have to deal with anyone wandering in. Selene had the whole Library veiled, too, which meant that they didn't have to worry about the Library being bombed.
That was incredibly useful.
"You could try to learn to control your magic," Marian said, still frowning. It seemed to him that Dom was just wasting his time here instead of trying to do something productive, just like Zed had. Instead of attempting to learn to use their magic, they had both just tried to leave.
"So after staying here for a few months, do you still believe that we're evil?" Marian asked. "Because we really aren't. If you did research, you'd find that Lucifer is a sadistic son of a bitch and that the story you read was a piece of propaganda."
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Post by Soprano on Apr 2, 2011 12:37:04 GMT -6
Dom didn’t know that the place was purposefully set up to prevent anyone from finding it, or getting in or out. He might have taken a different approach to finding a way out if he’d known that.
He also wasn’t aware of Zed’s predicament either, but if he did, he’d note their situations were very different. Zed had wanted out of his magic; Dom didn’t mind his so much as he wanted out of the library. It might be different if it didn’t feel like a prison. Far as Dom was concerned, he had done a lot of productive things, like the potions and trying to go home.
He ignored Marian’s first comment. He had been, but by himself. He had learned he could control water, no matter what form it was it and then shift it from liquid, to solid, and back again. He wasn’t aware that usually a mage was coached through this.
“I don’t know about Lucifer or whoever else, but I really honestly don’t know what to think about the ‘Order’,” Dom said, louder than he meant to say, “It might be different if I didn’t feel like I was in an elaborate cage!
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lillium
Fatima's Sexophone
He Who Fights Monsters
just another dead composer
Posts: 1,682
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Post by lillium on Apr 2, 2011 12:42:29 GMT -6
Marian sighed. "It might be different if you weren't trying to run away all the time. Gisella told me about how sketchy you were acting," he said. "There's a lot of dangerous things in the world. If you promise you won't run away forever, then I'll show you how to use the portal machines."
Marian probably would have let Dom out sooner if he wasn't afraid that Dom would go and run away forever, and then attempt to go on about how horrible and evil the Order was. Granted, it wouldn't be hard to silence him, but if he gained any attention at all then Marian would have to deal with potential mages thinking that the Order was bad.
So, those mages wouldn't go to the Order, and they wouldn't have control of their powers and would kill themselves, and Marian would be knowingly leading people to their deaths. Yeah, he wasn't about to do that.
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Post by Soprano on Apr 2, 2011 12:52:58 GMT -6
Dom frowned. Gisella? He realized that must have been the girl who was trying to wheedle information out of him, but he’d thought she was Marian, not someone else. Unless it was the other woman there, but Dom didn’t really talk to her at all…
He briefly considered lying, just to get the knowledge of the portal machines so he could leave. Lying was wrong, so he quickly shoved that idea aside. If he knew how to work that portal machine, he wouldn’t come back. He didn’t say anything immediately. He didn’t know what to say now, other than the truth, which might get him more restrictions.
“If… I… never mind,” he stuttered, “Give me a reason why I shouldn’t leave.”
Dom felt really backwards right now. It was beginning to stress him out, more so than the fact that he couldn’t leave. Here Marian was telling him that he’d let him leave if he would come back, but Dom had no idea why he’d even want to come back. At the same time, he knew that being around magic and being useful was really cool… but…
“Grr, I don’t know,” he said, rubbing his forehead with his palm.
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lillium
Fatima's Sexophone
He Who Fights Monsters
just another dead composer
Posts: 1,682
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Post by lillium on Apr 2, 2011 13:04:15 GMT -6
"Because if you leave, then we're down one mage. If we don't have more mages, we can't hunt demons as effectively. If we can't hunt demons as effectively, more people die. If you run off for good, then you're leading people to their deaths," Marian explained. He figured it was a good enough argument. He didn't so much care about leading people to their deaths, although Upstairs would punish him if he did lead them to their deaths, but he did want the Order to be strong and he wanted Hell to be weak, and more mages meant that was more likely.
"I'm allowing you to leave, you know. Besides, you said it yourself: You're getting free room and board here. No more having to pay for the cost of living, and you don't have an annoying roommate to deal with. All you have to do is study magic and fight demons," Marian said, shrugging. "It's a pretty good deal."
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Post by Soprano on Apr 2, 2011 13:29:42 GMT -6
Dom blinked in surprise when Marian said there were lives at stake. He highly doubted his hand in this would help… but then he realized Marian said their potions master had died. That meant that Dom was it, there wasn’t anyone else for potions. Plus, Marian was right, Dom had said it himself that being here would be cheaper for him. Cheaper was good, considering he really wanted to invest in a couple of things…
“Alright,” he said, after pondering for several minutes of silence, “I promise; I won’t run away.”
He looked up at Marian, sitting up from slouching on the couch. He looked a lot less confused now and a whole lot more resolute. Right now, he was concerned with earning his keep now and perhaps going back to his classes. He already knew they didn’t have a stock of potions, so he’d have to start that, too.
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lillium
Fatima's Sexophone
He Who Fights Monsters
just another dead composer
Posts: 1,682
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Post by lillium on Apr 2, 2011 15:13:59 GMT -6
Good, so Marian had gauged Dom's morality correctly. Then again, he figured Dom was a rather moral person- After all, he hadn't wanted to be part of the Order until now because of some propaganda he'd read. Marian wondered if he was pretty gullible as well, but he supposed he could find out later some way or another. He didn't want more propaganda being forced into Dom's head.
Marian grinned when Dom said he'd stay. "Good," he said. "As for the portal machines, you just type in the coordinates of where you want to go, and you type in when you want the portal to come back. If you get stuck, there are emergency portals scattered around the world, or you can call one of the mages to go rescue you."
He waited for a second before continuing. "If you have any more questions, I'll be in my office." And with that, Marian began walking back to his little apartment.
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