Falx Glimpses

[Kelreth]

The funeral had disturbed Falx a great more than it had showed at the time. To him funerals were times when you moron the living and the dead. Even if it was the enemy. That is what pissed him off, who ever this was didn't hold to that ideal. Sure it was a tad outdated but it keeps things civilized. In the end he just accepted that those were his ideals and that most people wouldn't understand them. Still it pissed him off and he would make sure that who ever it was got the same thing to them. He couldn't hold onto it though he knew he couldn't. It wasn't healthy, that was somethign his mentor had taught him. He laughs. Taught wasn't the right word. His mentor had made him learn to deal with it. ~Can't do this just sitting around and being pissed.~

He gets off the coach and goes to look for Tug. He's not home. Falx smiles thinking about his brother, Tug helps him stay sane sometimes. After making sure that everything was in order, doors were locked etc. Falx leaves the house and starts to wander down the street. After an hour he finds himself in front of a cemetery. He wavers at the front gate wanting to go in but disliking cemeteries even before his friends were buried in them. Finally going in after what seems like waiting for minutes.

As he walks through the cemetary, careful to not disturb any gifts left by people or to step on graves, his mind goes back to when he was overseas. His friends, his squad the people he had served with for a year. Now most of them were like the people around him. Six feet under and part of what ever lays beyond life. Falx wasn't sure what lays beyond death, it didn't concern him. Once he was dead then he would find out or not. He had stopped fearing death soon after the first bullets started to slam past his head on his first mission. If it was his time then it was otherwise he would fight tooth and nail to remain in this world. He shakes his head trying to clear away images of his friends. He find himself at the center of the cemetery there stands a statue of an angel with its arms outstretched to the sky. Guiding the departed onto the next life maybe. Falx wasn't sure. It was comforting though, something he felt connected to.

He sits down at the feet of the angel his head hangs low as his friends return to him again. His right hand goes to his left upper arm where the names of his friends are tattooed. Tears start to slowly slide down his face. He lets them go, its maybe the third time hes cried for his friends. Keeping it bottled inside as his life suddenly became a lot more complicated and deadly. His normal appearance, that of a soldier falls, now he looks defeated as he cries quietly to himself.

A few minutes goes by and then a gentle breeze finds its way through the cemetery and caresses his face. He looks up as the breeze touches his cheek and sees the sun as the clouds blow past. It reminds him of the tower and his awakening. His new purpose in this world. He smiles remembering being told what he was after he woke up. Laughing at his friend partially in pain partially from the pain killers and partially because magic wasn't real. Ha his friend had the last laugh, healing him there on the spot and getting him out of the medical facility.

He chuckles to himself quietly looking out over the graves. Remembering what his mentor had told him about lose. That it is best to cry and accept it than to dwell on it and have it haunt you. He taps his left upper arm lightly smiling. He wouldn't let their sacrifices go in vane. The military made sure of that overseas and he would make sure of that back home. No more allowing the past to haunt him now it would motivate him. He would serve and protect those he had sworn to and make the world a safer place if only in Sacramento. His head falls back and he sees the angel upside down. "The path of the Mighty, chosen of the Aether." He murmurs quietly to himself. He grins. "Fine then" now with more conviction. "Path of the Mighty it is. Let us see where this path leads me shall we?" He looks at the angel addressing what ever may be paying attention.

Taking a knee he spins to face the angel and remains on one knee. "I swear to honor my fallen friends to protect the ones still in this world and to lead when no others will. So I have been chosen so I accept." He stands and bows slightly to the statue. A solemn smile fills his face as he makes his way out of the cemetery. He feels content with himself for the first time in a while, now at peace with his demons he is ready to face what ever it is that threatens this city.

[Kelreth]

Falx had seen the sign on the church one day during a run. “Help wanted. Any one with a high school diploma or better.” Interested he had gone in. A week had passed and now he was back. Expect today he was there to help some city kids with their math. Safer than handing out soccer balls he guessed….

“Class this is Mr. ..Falx he’s going to be helping us with today with math.” She glances at him and moves her hand forward a little from her side. He smiles and steps forward and looks at the kids. Junior and elementary school probably; here because their parents want them to get somewhere. “You can work over there with the junior high kids. They are working on long division and multiplication.” “Ok” he responds cheerfully ~shes cute~ he thinks to himself as he walks over.

After an hour or so Falx’s been able to get every kid he’s been working with to understand the assignment…except for one. The kid’s name was Mike and he didn’t look happy to be there. Falx could understand that, he was never really into church and what not before his awakening. Not that his awakening had made him suddenly go to church. No his awakening had made Falx respect those who would seek the Supernal in such a way even if he didn’t agree with it. “What’s wrong?” Falx ask as he kneels down by Mike. “Hmmf” came the response. Falx chuckles. “Hmmf? I don’t remember talking about using hmmf in equations.” Mike laughs a little. “That was a bad joke.” “Eh” Falx shrugs. “It worked” he grins. “So what’s wrong?” Mike looks down at his assignment, its covered in doodles and drawings Falx sees a tank in there. At least he thinks it’s a tank. “I..I can’t do math……” He looks away.

Falx leans in close and speaks in a quieter voice. “Why don’t you think you can?” Mike glances at him before looking at the paper again. “I’ve never been able to do math.” “You mean you’ve never tried?” Mikes shakes his head. “No…the other kids have made fun of me for it and my parents aren’t able to help me at home.” Falx sighs quietly. Mike suddenly looks right at him. “I did something wrong?” There is an edge in his voice Falx can’t place it though. “No not you…Its complicated…Lets work on your math.” Less than pleasant thoughts run through Falx’s mind about how fucked up the system can be at times. Especially with those who can’t afford to live in the right places. Half an hour later Falx has successfully coaxed Mike into doing his math and maybe even liking it. Along the way having also proven to Mike that to do something all you have to do is to try it and keep trying it until you succeed. Falx reflects on what he had told Mike and realizes himself that he wasn’t holding up to that ideal either. He had let some things slide when he should have been doing them instead. Glancing again at the teacher he writes his shadow name and number down on a small piece of paper.

“Ok that’s it for today every one. If you didn’t finish your assignment take it home and have your parents help you.” Calls the teacher as the clock strikes 5pm. Falx smiles as he looks at Mike’s paper it was done, completely and was right as far as Falx could tell. “See what happens when you put your mind to it.” He smiles “Just keep your head in the game and you can do this math and about anything else.” Mike grabs Falx’s arm before he has a chance to go to the teacher. “You gana be here next weekend?” Falx smiles. “Maybe, depends on what my schedule looks like.” Mike stands. “Ok have a good week!” He drops the paper off with the teacher and runs out the door. Falx waits until all of the other kids are gone then walks up to the teacher. “Thanks for your help Falx, its been rough doing this alone.” Ms. Erning says as he walks up. “Not a problem. It’s nice to be able to give back to the community when I can. Say can I get your..” “No” comes the reply before the question is even finished. Falx laughs. “Ok, well in case you want some more help at all here is my number.” He puts the paper with his shadow name and phone number on her desk. “Have a good day.” “You as well Falx.” He waves as he leaves the room.

~She is cute wonder if she will want some more help~ he thinks as he starts to walk home. He gradually breaks into a run and enjoys the run home.

[Kelreth]

Falx sat next to the hallow in his brother's and his house. Trying to do one of the meditation techniques his mentor had tried to teach him a few years back. It hadn't worked then and didn't work now. Inner peace was something he could only chase after when things weren't calm. Here in his home things were peaceful so it was impossible for him to find that inner peace his mentor had spoken of. Sure he was calm and all that. But that inner peace was something he only felt when things were going down hill and the adrenaline was pumping.

Never any of this inner peace that his mentor had rambled about on and on and on. Regardless Falx wanted to relax and not just sit in front of the TV and have a beer. So he mediated or tried at least.

~Ok calm calm calm~

a few minutes pass

~slow breathes....~

a few more minutes pass

~no thoughts no thoughts no...damn it....~

30 minutes later

~...~ *snorse* "wait...."

some time later

~........bored....i wonder...~

He wills his sight to see the supernal and grins when he sees the hallow a few feet away from him. It still amazed him, the supernal, an entire hidden world right there in front of people but they never saw it. Never felt it. He snorts. Ya feeling it is all nice until you get thrown through the air. Extending a hand he moves it through the air imaging the tapestry behind it. He didn't understand the concept of it very well but he knew what it was. His gaze goes to the hallow in front of him. The pointer finger on his hand points at the hallow then curls in a "come here" motion. To his surprise a trail of mana starts to flow from the hallow.

It floats in the air for a second as if deciding what to do. Then it continues across the gap and touches his pointer finger. He feels a rush as the mana melds into his pattern. Surprise and elation cross his face. He turns the hand over palm up and curls his hand. Focusing for a few moments on the aether above and the flames he had seen he pushes some of those flames into being above his hand. A grin opens up on his face as a pure white flame appears above his hand. Shaking his hand the flame disappears.

Standing up he wavers as his legs are numb from sitting there for almost an hour. As he steadies himself he smiles. Having finally gained more aptitude in something other than Forces.


exp expenditure: Prime 3 18 exp

[Kelreth]

Falx got home from the Circle surprised and happy that he didn't get volunteered to be a training dummy for West. Sitting down on the couch he reaches for the remote then stops. The book West had given him, The Tao of Pooh, was sitting were he had tossed it a few feet away on the coach. Sighing slightly he reaches over and picks up the book. Leaning back he opens the book and starts to read through it.

It was gibberish...well not actual gibberish but it might as well have been. This wasn't Falx's area of specialty. Though he wasn't sure what was anymore. Still West wanted him to read it so he would.

Several hours pass as Falx tries to wrap his head around what the book is saying. It's starting to make sense but that is marginal at best. Though that small bit of sense was making sense by not making sense.

"Ugh philosophy..." he puts the book down next to him and looks at the clock. It was past dinner, he had been reading for hours. Falx grumbles something about books taking away his food time and wanders into the kitchen to make a late dinner.

(side note, I'm thinking this will be a kick off for Falx to look inside more and try to push himself to becoming something better.)

[Kelreth]

An array of books lay around Falx on the couch. He had decided that he must be able to adapt which means he had to learn things...like stuff...or what ever the hell was in these books. Around him lay books, their titles all starting with "An idiots guide to..." followed by several different things. Science, literature, more literature, some other things.

He had been doing this for several nights. It was the night of the Ladder party at some placed called the Avalon. Sure Tug had dressed up all nice and stuff but that isn't really special. Falx had kept on reading the book he was on. West's copy of the Tao of Pooh had gotten Falx interested into Taoism and now he had the Tao te Ching in front of him and he would swear that it was gibberish. But not wanting to fail he reads on trying to make sense of something to which sense does not apply.

So the night begins to pass with Falx working his way through dense materials. His cellphone near by as always.

[Kelreth]

It'd been twenty minutes. Falx knew this because he was checking the clock in his car every 10 seconds. People had been going into the place for at least that long.

21 minutes. Falx looks down at his clothes, civilian, and wonders if he looks out of place. Too obvious maybe?

23 minutes. Some more people show up. Some younger guys like himself, some older and some women as well. Maybe other clothes would have been better for this...

25 minutes. More people. One of the old men looked at him and shook his head smiling. Falx almost bolted then but kept his cool.

27 minutes. A few more people, one notices him and waves but doesn't approach. Falx just watches, hard rock playing quietly in the car.

29 minutes. Falx turns off the car and gets out. Taking one more glance around he locks it and makes his way towards the building.

30 minutes. The door opens, an elderly man holding it open for Falx. "We were making a bet on how long it would take for you to come in. Always rough the first time. What's your name son?" The man's voice has an odd southern drawl that Falx knows all too well.

"Fa...Tom, Tom Briggs" Falx says with a mix of anxiety and relief.

The man smiles warmly. "Come on in Tom we are going to get started soon."

Tom walks through the door and into the building. The older man pushes the door and lets it close itself. The door has a symbol on it.

[Kelreth]

Falx open's his eyes and immediately knows both of his feet are numb as well as his legs. His back feels like someone drop kicked it.

That's what I get for improper posture he grumbles quietly.

The candles on the table and burned down half an inch or so. Long enough for wax to start pooling on the table itself. The hallow glistens in its own unique way. It had almost slipped away Falx can only hope he tended to it in time.

A white candle and a green candle burn on the table.

Hoping it is enough. Falx leaves the mana in the hallow where it is. He has enough for now.

Hope lends strength, I just need to find something to hope in to lend me strength.

[Kelreth]

Falx sighed as he sat down by the table. The white candle and green candle both stood where he had left them. Shaking his head sadly he removes both candles and replaces them with a red one. Red made more sense to him than white for the Aether. Sure there was a lot of light but red carries more power visually. And right now it was power that Falx needed, not to fight. But to keep himself together.

"Damn it Donny" he mutters to no one.

No one else was there and there was a freshly empty room to prove it. Lighting the candle Falx's hands fall to his lap. Closing his eyes he starts to recite some prayer mantra thing he had come across in one of the books he had picked up. It was supposed to help calm the mind. Ya right, calm the mind, more like go insane. But he was willing to try, rather, he had to try in his own mind.

Falx half sings a prayer/mantra for close to an hour. As he opens his eyes he feels mana flow into his pattern, more mana than before. His eye's widen for a moment as he feels it flow into him. Tom hadn't expected this to happen, there was no reason he knew of for it to happen.

He looks around the house and it feels so empty.

[Kelreth]

Help the Kids! Weekend exercise camp to show the youth the fun of being outdoors!

Sure that is what the sign had said. What it had failed to mention were the hoards of kids who didn't want to be there. The ones forced by their parents for one reason or another.

The wailing, screaming, crying, defecating...yes unfortunately, hiding, running. None of that had been mentioned and for some reason the organizer thought Tom would be good with kids.

Maybe it was the military experience or maybe it was the look of horror when Falx saw the manic'd kids.

Over the rest of the weekend a calm fell over Tom as he ran around chasing kids. Some decided he was fun to play with and an almost endless game of tag/chase ensued until the parents came for the kids. With a smile on his face Falx saw the kids off despite feeling like he had gone back to boot camp.