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In Paraasilan, Esmaar, a pair of roommates are about to break a rule that, compared to the one about running in the corridors or even the one about unlicensed teleportation, is there for a good reason.
In unison, they complete their shared spell.
Brilliance in Elcenia
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"I can only do that if you aren't dangerous," says the woman. "May I check? I'll see nothing else."
cardistry
"I'm a lot more dangerous in here than I would be a couple worlds away!" he says, just barely this side of terrified yelling.
There is a press of - enforced calm, smoothing over Brilliance's emotional world.
"I cannot let you out without checking. May I check?"
"I cannot let you out without checking. May I check?"
cardistry
"Don't - whatever you're doing - don't do that - don't mess with my mind," he says, calmer but still under significant strain, "I have seriously had enough of people messing with my mind - check whatever the hell you want to as long as it gets me out of here."
The calm dissipates.
Whatever else she's doing isn't visible.
"Not safe," she concludes. "Unless you'll let me fix your - mental accessory."
Whatever else she's doing isn't visible.
"Not safe," she concludes. "Unless you'll let me fix your - mental accessory."
cardistry
The tail end of the enormous freakout he was being prevented from having about her mental meddling flares, then fades. Brilliance remains in control of himself; he even calms down a little, relative to before she empathed him.
"Mental accessory?" he says incredulously. "Is that what you're calling it?"
"Mental accessory?" he says incredulously. "Is that what you're calling it?"
"I was being minimally invasive. I didn't look into what you'd call it. I can turn it off if you want to let me."
"She's Keo," says Saasnil.
"I can do a lot of things," says Keo levelly. "Yes, just like that."
"I can do a lot of things," says Keo levelly. "Yes, just like that."
cardistry
"That's not hugely reassuring!" he says. "What are you gonna do with it? Do you even know what it is?"
"I can find out," says Keo. "I'm not going to touch it without your permission, but we can't let you out of the ward without rendering you non-dangerous, and it is making you very dangerous."
cardistry
"...So tell me what you'd do to it," he says. "In more detail than just 'turn it off'. It's not just a function module, it's tapped into all my systems. A technician who didn't know what they were doing could seriously mess me up trying to take it out."
"I'm not a technician. I'm a unique jade dragon," says Keo, taking one of the room's chairs and sitting down. "I have your permission to examine it in more detail, then?"
Keo goes looking.
This doesn't feel like anything either.
This doesn't feel like anything either.
cardistry
So: the control program.
Brilliance is a magical device; his mind is not made of programs, exactly, but it's - built on them, intertwined with them. With the exception of a few subsystems, most of these various parts are under his control - movement, transformation, speech, the cosmetic details of his various forms, spellcasting, all of these things answer to his will.
Except that, in and under and around the connections that make that possible, another system has been grafted on. This one doesn't have his intelligence or autonomy; it follows preprogrammed instincts telling it to seek out planets and population centers that don't belong to the organization that created it, and destroy them utterly. It has access to all of the same systems and functions that Brilliance's mind does, and it is constantly pushing on them, trying to fulfill its orders. Brilliance is constantly pushing back. The contest is usually weighted in his favour, but it becomes more difficult under stress.
He is currently experiencing stress.
Brilliance is a magical device; his mind is not made of programs, exactly, but it's - built on them, intertwined with them. With the exception of a few subsystems, most of these various parts are under his control - movement, transformation, speech, the cosmetic details of his various forms, spellcasting, all of these things answer to his will.
Except that, in and under and around the connections that make that possible, another system has been grafted on. This one doesn't have his intelligence or autonomy; it follows preprogrammed instincts telling it to seek out planets and population centers that don't belong to the organization that created it, and destroy them utterly. It has access to all of the same systems and functions that Brilliance's mind does, and it is constantly pushing on them, trying to fulfill its orders. Brilliance is constantly pushing back. The contest is usually weighted in his favour, but it becomes more difficult under stress.
He is currently experiencing stress.
"Your accessory is an addition, not an integral feature. I don't think it will disrupt anything about you if I disconnect it, or remove its initiative, or delete it entirely," says Keo.
cardistry
He experiences a slight spike of nervousness. "And you can just delete it entirely, and not take out anything extra by accident?"
"I have more than enough finesse. It's very clearly marked."
cardistry
He hesitates.
But— they'll let him out. And he won't have to fight anymore.
If she's telling the truth, that is.
But what other choice does he have? If they leave him like this, if he lets himself think they'll leave him like this, he knows it'll only be a matter of time before he loses control.
"...Okay," he says. "Get rid of it."
It's instant.
It doesn't feel like anything.
It's gone.
It doesn't feel like anything.
It's gone.
cardistry
It's like—like the moment right after being tortured. A sudden absence, a release of pressure.
The little box on the floor sparkles with relief.
But not all his problems have been solved. Not yet. Not while he's still here. He stabilizes to be less tense, less afraid... but still plenty of both.
The little box on the floor sparkles with relief.
But not all his problems have been solved. Not yet. Not while he's still here. He stabilizes to be less tense, less afraid... but still plenty of both.
"I'll check you over again and if you're still fine we can let you out," soothes Keo.
It's only a moment, and then she steps forward and smudges the chalk.
It's only a moment, and then she steps forward and smudges the chalk.
cardistry
Brilliance teleports away, as far away as he can get, aiming for a minimum of the width of one medium-sized galaxy between himself and this room.
He lands in the middle of an extremely empty space which... seems to be mysteriously holding atmosphere, what's up with that, and regardless of his bizarre environment he takes a minute to just not do anything.
He lands in the middle of an extremely empty space which... seems to be mysteriously holding atmosphere, what's up with that, and regardless of his bizarre environment he takes a minute to just not do anything.
<They will be able to send you back in the future,> says Keo's voice.