Welcome to The Duality of Man, an original animanga role-play that features numerous supernatural creatures. Unfortunately, these various species have distanced themselves because of the war that occurred thousands of years ago, plaguing some with eyes that only see their dualism. While others meddle themself with their differences, two groups fight, each attempting to eliminate the other in for their definition of worldly peace. These two groups of the Terror Response Syndicate (TRS) and the Assembly of Phantoms (AP). With individuals fighting merely over their differences, it brings uncertainty to the outcome of this war.
We happily accept all role-players as long as they obey the rules and are capable of meeting our word count of 50. This does include those who are unfamiliar with this style of role-playing. The staff of The Duality of Man are willing to happily help those who are new to the role-playing world so they feel comfortable on site. Feel free to message the staff if you need help, they can be found here or in the site Discord and will gladly answer questions alongside calm concerns. If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them; guests may use the support board as a suggestion area as well. Should you decide to join, may I say welcome to the site and we all hope you enjoy your time here.
Yours Truely,
The Staff
season
Summer 2024
Heat has broken through into a glorious summer. The snow has entirely dried through the spring, leaving to the brilliance of the warmer months. Terror activity has risen as people are brought out of their homes, leaving the TRS in a position of consistent work. Each are attempting to maintain victory in the endless struggle for power.
Since the wonderful members of TDOM enjoy the site enough to play around on it, this thread is to assist with the site's tidying! Functionality is important and we want to make the site functional even if its activity will be minimal at best!
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Howling wind echoed through the small home as gradually Malakai proceeded to dress in his work attire. Subtle creaks were easily heard as the field medic tugged on the green and navy coat of his TRS uniform. The incoming blizzard resulted in horrendous and frigid temperatures, a frightful motion for anybody being unfortunate enough to enter the field. Admittedly, the bespectacled man was lucky considering the opportunity would be used to train Jamie in the varying functions of the ward. There were desperate prayers he could persuade the young teen into preferring the safety of the TRS medical ward opposed to the field where Assembly members perpetually lurked. After Dr. Rana provided him crucial information about Jamie and Assembly, Malakai was hesitant to proceed with field-based training; he feared his young apprentice would be kidnapped. The risks were frightening, the bashful man willing to go against his apprentice’s wishes to assure his safety. The solution manifested from those consist concerns over what the Assembly would do should they capture his apprentice; the conclusions were thoughts which made Malakai tremble. Items were gathered hastily, the warlock’s potion case being freshly stocked in case of emergencies.
When everything significant was gathered, Malakai grabbed his tome, heading into the basement where the teleportation laid dormant. The driving conditions would naturally be horrendous, the field medic deciding to cooperate with another TRS member to teleport to the medical ward. On his waist remained the TRS radio, the bespectacled man bringing it to his lips to verify the progress; fortunately, everything was completed. The Latin words were memorized, the page turning merely becoming a habit from when he trained in magic. Each word was spoken smoothly, the bashful man standing in the centre of the teleportation circle, invoking the magic. Gradually, lightly gathered around the teleportation circle, the lines taking a bright, white glow on both sides until finally covering the warlock. Teleportation was an instantaneous form of transportation, Malakai hastily materializing in the TRS headquarters, fully clothed and with all items in hand. There would be a mild drain on his magic, but the bespectacled man hoped he would not be required to use it extensively. A quick survey of the surrounding area allowed the bashful medic to notice the lack of people prepared to organize him alongside the chaotic shuffling of footsteps outside the small room where his circle was drawn.
Slowly, he opened the door, discovering the chaos of the medical ward as they struggled to create more room for the incoming influx of citizens. A frown graced Malakai's lips, his worry evident after a mere glance out the door. Instead of remaining in the small room, the field medic left, radioing in to explain he decided to head towards the medical ward entrance, the location he planned on meeting Jamie. Gradually, the bashful man managed to weave through the people being organized, carefully making certain to avoid obstructing any groups of moving people. Nerves were running high because of the numerous people in the medical ward, Malakai wondering if the gymnasium was overrun with citizens; Lorsette was a fairly large city after all. Eventually, the bespectacled man managed to reach the entrance, stepping to the side of the propped open to allow people inside. Quietly, the bashful man stationed himself against the wall by the doorway, patiently waiting for Jamie to arrive.
There were hopes his apprentice could handle the crowding and assist with organizing the ward enough to handle the citizens and furthermore that he would not discover his intentions quite yet. Procrastinating the explanation for the mild change in training was a mistake, but Malakai's lack of social ability resulted in hesitance in attempting to proceed with persuading Jamie or at least explaining his reasoning. The field medic constantly feared about his apprentice's safety, and it was unlikely to cease.
Currents of grey clouded Jamie's vision. What were once statics of white, signifying the anguished presence of living soul, now all but subsided. All hints of audible sound, trifled in the midst of the vast sombre landscape. Even Jamie was aware that his eyes were deceiving him yet again, the obscure imagery presented before him merely a simulacrum of his current psyche. The surrounding area was relatively warm despite the onslaught of the cold front, at least for the Southerner's standards. The boy was quite accustomed to such freezing weather after all. Several weeks had passed since his latest bout of the flu and his condition appeared to have stabilized for now, with his cold-resistance re-emerging in its rawest form.
Following his first lesson with Malakai, it did not take long for the young empath to become cognizant of the larger scheme in the picture. It was quite the endeavour on his part, passively acquiescing to his predetermined schedules in spite of his looming uncertainties regarding some undisclosed information being hidden from him. How very typical of Southern adults, placing such high emphasis on confidentiality yet perpetually preaching the virtue of honesty to the younger generation. Jamie has of course, familiarized himself with such findings and sympathized with their sentiments. The young empath has connected enough dots to perceive the driving force behind such ambiguous behaviour. He did well to overlook the hypocrisy behind his circumstances and instead accommodate the machinations of adults, he deemed himself unworthy to object to their demands... Nonetheless, he did learn one thing from the calculating nature of his superiors; lying is sometimes the lesser of two evils depending on the situation.
In fact, Jamie has Malakai to thank for unwittingly bringing light to certain information that Dr. Rana and his subordinates cautiously concealed from him. It may not be a concise, factual testimony considering Malakai's palpable stance on the issue yet it provided the boy something. No wonder Dr. Rana was constantly dismissive to requests for field work despite other apprentices, even those his age, were permitted to do so. Initially, he merely assumed his skills to be unworthy for field work yet Malakai's lessons suggested otherwise. Jamie could understand the reasoning behind confiscating the hunting rifle given to him by his former companions and limiting his usage of empathic healing yet confining him within the HQ since summer last month was something even he found excessive. Unfortunately, he lacked concrete evidence to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion so for now.
... The vastness of the grey plain suddenly distorted in a most turbulent manner, obscuring the boy's astral vision with a barrage of bizarre, static-like waves along with a rather clamourous noise ringing in his ears. Before long, his eyes fluttered as his consciousness returned to the plane of reality, which interestingly enough was not too divergent from his astral vision prior. This time, it was white instead of grey. The raucous noise emanating from his right pocket vibrated vigorously, prompting Jamie to hastily pull out his new phone, courtesy of Gurinder Rana. Lying still in a blanket of white, Jamie appeared to be situated within a compacted enclosure of snow save for a narrow perforation, allowing what little sunlight was left to illuminate this makeshift chamber of snow. Jamie hastily sat up and tapped the screen of the phone with his numb, slightly shaking fingers only immediately noticed the time; 9:02 AM.
It all came back to him, being woken up by the dorm staff; 6:00 AM. This was followed by his fruitless, and admittedly, pathetic attempts at requesting Dr. Rana for permission to assist with the relief efforts while being escorted to the cafeteria a couple hours ago. Then... we stood in wait an hour prior to lesson time by the entrance... in the midst of a multitude of stretchers carrying unconscious or injured civilians, some displaying clear signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Of course, he had to escape the scene lest his uncontrollable empathy urged him to perform empathic healing. At that point, Jamie disregarded the fact that the higher-ups were probably observing him somehow and promptly secluded himself by a corner nearby sparring fields, which was naturally closed down for the time being. Ah of course... the pained feelings exhibited by the numerous patients distressed him immensely. In fact, the unnerving sensation lasted ever since last night, the boy barely got enough sleep just being within the empathic radar of some patients.
Immediately, Jamie crawled closer towards the small hole which he swore was much larger before. Knowing Malakai, he would have arrived 15 minutes early at the latest. Jamie hurriedly began burrowing out of his narrow makeshift entrance until he managed to slide himself out to the snowstorm. It was clear that the weather has intensified, the ground now being a foot thicker than before as he directed his attention to his now partly blanketed small igloo. Although the snow began accumulating in his shoulder and frizzy hair, he remained unusually composed despite only being clad with his TRS uniform amidst such weather. He merely waved a hand after which the igloo crumbled, destroying evidence of his makeshift shelter and promptly proceeded closer towards the medical ward at a steady pace. Before long, the aura of pained individuals entered his empathic radar, signalling his near proximity to the ward.
He could well discern where Malakai was from the throng of busy souls... upon reaching the entrance an agent on security duty widened his eyes and hastily escorted the boy inside. He then finally remembered… the fact that people here in the city considered this weather to be an extreme of sorts.
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]There was a constant buzz of activity filling the medical ward as rooms were hastily organized, patients were treated and accounted for. Anybody allegedly lost in the snow would be reported to the hunters and scouts as they braved the dastardly weather. Fear, anxiety, sorrow and varying other concerned emotions filled the medical ward, resulting in a frown touching Malakai’s lips. Consoled people would pass, TRS members assuring them that their lost loved ones would be found and brought to headquarters as soon as possible. The entire situation maintained the frown while the bespectacled man observed the movements, waiting for Jamie to arrive. Beyond the chatter of people, the steady whistling of the intense winds accompanied by the subtle breaks could easily be heard by Malakai. The noises made it evident the weather beyond the TRS headquarters was gradually worsening in severity. The thick snow falling from the heavens would definitely become a hassle through the following days. Plenty of time would be spent clearing snow to allow proper movement.
A mild nervousness gripped Malakai the longer he observed citizens flow through the front doors of the medical ward, symptoms manifesting from the extreme cold front. Citizens were shivering, covered in snow as they walked through the doorway, being marched into the medical ward and properly sorted. Small groupings were led further into the corridors, those who needed medical attention being accepted into the wards while any who managed to be unscathed by the horrendous conditions were given a brief moment to warm before being escorted to the training center. Blankets and pillows were being taken into the gymnasium, making it the primary location for citizens to remain until eventually, the wind soothed; it remained one of the few rooms large enough to house the massive influx. There were even rumours about the cafeteria receiving similar treatment, the tables and chairs being pushes and stacked to the side to create ample room. A soft sigh escaped Malakai’s lips as he observed the patients being sorted; this would be a long, tiring evening.
Chances were, medics would be expected to work in frightfully close quarters because of the individuals displaying symptoms of hyperthermia and frostbite. Injuries from citizens or potential hunters would need to be carefully and quickly tended to, the use of magical healing possibly being invoked to make room. A soft sigh escaped Malakai’s lips as he observed, already assuming the work hours would be extensive and rough. The cold wind rushed through the doors as security handled hurrying citizens inside, the bespectacled man’s glasses briefly fogging, somewhat blinding him. The weather was viciously cold was absolutely horrendous, leaving Malakai concerned for those left to face the ill-favourable conditions. With power outages potentially happening across the city, anybody could become the victim of freezing to death or other fates based on the hunter’s report. Large footprints were believed to be the obvious signs of Assembly involvement, suggesting there were terrors on the prowl. A frown remained evident on Malakai face as he plucked his glasses off, using the shirt beneath to wipe away the fog and other debris.
The tedious cleaning distraction resulted in a failure to notice Jamie’s arrival to the medical ward; his fixation was on making himself capable of seeing again. While the notification of arrival came in the form of wind bursting through the doors, Malakai did not bother raising his head; his vision would be a blurry, useless mess at even this distance. Thus as the young boy was ushered in or even approached, the full-fledged medic did not provide a glance until his glasses were cleaned and placed over his eyes.
The agent on security duty swiftly pushed forth the medical ward's entrance prior to ushering a wide-eyed Jamie inside. The moment Jamie entered the perimeter, a surge of distressing emotions infiltrated the young empath's psyche. It only took a mere couple steps before the boy's knees trembled, compelling him to stop despite the security agent's attempt to escort him further. "You okay girlie?" the agent heedlessly asked, inadvertently distressing Jamie even more. The boy lowered his head, to at least spare his kind escort the trouble of further examining his facial features, and of course to hide his embarrassment. Unable to utter a sound, the tight-lipped empath simply followed.
The presence of cold, injured and sickly people presented an element of chaos within the boy's cognition. Jamie was cognizant to the inevitability of this dilemma nonetheless, he had little choice but to endure such discomfort for now, at least until Malakai was ready for the lesson. Unfortunately for Jamie, he could well discern the fact that his mentor was understandably engrossed with more pressing matters at the moment. At this rate, the cancellation of today's lesson is quite likely. Even then, Jamie felt obliged to at least consult his mentor prior to making premature conclusions. As much as Jamie showered Malakai with his gaze, the bespectacled medic's thought were clearly preoccupied by something else.
While Jamie's escort continued to accompany him, it became apparent the fact that he was being escorted somewhere else as they passed Malakai by. Reluctantly, Jamie stopped in his tracks and glanced over to Malakai once before redirecting it towards the ill-informed agent. "Girl what's the matter, you know that apprentices are supposed to go this way right?" the guide explained, much to Jamie's chagrin. The boy certainly was not in the condition to communicate with a stranger, yet clarifying the situation at hand took priority. "I...." Jamie softly muttered before his words regrettably muddled into an inaudible mess. A moment of silence between the two elapsed, preceding the young empath hastily facing Malakai's general direction. Hopefully, the raven-haired medic would resolve this misunderstand accordingly.
It did not take long before fingers began ruffling through Jamie's frizzy hair from behind, clearing away dusts of snow in the meanwhile. "Not that way silly, what you feeling sick or something?" the security agent smoothly inquired. Nevertheless, Jamie saw through the facade, for they were actually beginning to become somewhat irritated on the inside. Assuming that attempting to articulate his concerns will backfire once more, Jamie opted to utilize body language instead. Inhaling deeply, the boy lowered his head prior to pointing towards Malakai’s direction. Ideally, Jamie's message could finally be conveyed at least partially. Instead the security agent was rendered more puzzled than before. "Erm... ah, the washroom eh?" the clueless agent answered after which Jamie could take it no longer.
A now red-faced Jamie nervously shook his head and only now noticed the restrooms on the far side of the ward. At this moment, the sheer pressure clouded the boy's better judgement and he resorted to his own intuition. Jamie abruptly dashed towards Malakai and gently tugged at the lower-half of his coat whilst unwittingly utilizing the field medic's body as a platform for hiding. Needless to say, the boy's message had finally been heeded correctly, at the expense of what little pride he still held onto.
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Briefly, Malakai checked his phone, curious about the time considering his apprentice tended to be punctual. The time featured on the screen in large white text caused the field medic's browse to raise slightly. Similarly to himself, Jamie tended to arrive earlier, seemingly becoming knowledgeable to Malakai's schedule. Hastily, the bespectacled man tapped his phone, opening the messages to double check for any emergency changes in the training session. According to the lack of notifications, there were no unexpected changes, which confused the field medic further. Usually, he received no announcements about the lesson requiring cancellation, thus Malakai glanced around again. The phone remained in his hand, the anxious medic debating on whether or not he should text Jamie to inquire about arriving at the lesson, however, the time remained early. Opinions conflicted as the bespectacled man nervously debated. Communication to his apprentice was a few quick clicks away, alas, Malakai merely shoved the device back into the depths of his pocket, opting to wait.
During the previous lesson and meetings, Jamie's attendance was timely, thus Malakai believes the young teen would manage to arrive when expected. A nervous expression remained evident on the bespectacled man's face as he watched everything proceed, even noticing the guards escort another individual in from the wild snow. The wind rushed through the door, resulting in a series of shivers as the cold embraced him, and for moment he glanced away, keeping the wind from freezing his already rosy cheeks. One of the guards proceeded to escort a form, difficult to see as snow rushed through the large double doors. Eventually, they were closed, trapping the warmth inside with those who required it for survival. A soft sigh escaped Malakai's lips, the field medic lacking an affinity for cold weather. Footsteps were evident, the field medic's gaze drifting to the guard as he escorted a young "girl", narrowly missing the pointing action the young kid made. For a few moments, the bespectacled man watched them, until finally watching as the child stranger turned, only to realize the face was familiar. It appeared his apprentice was not tarty, but rather, was desperately trying to escape a guard.
Suddenly, his apprentice had lowered his coat and hastily hid behind him, Malakai's eyes widening in surprise by the action; at least he found Jamie.
"Hi, Jamie," he greeted, not bothered by his shy apprentice's hiding.
Afterwards, Malakai nervously glanced in the direction the guard would be, wondering if security would return for an explanation. While the bespectacled man would inevitably struggle to explain, he hoped the entire incident would be sorted to allow plenty of time for work; Jamie needed his training after all.
Predicting Malakai's intentions and behaviour was as uncomplicated a task as ever. That is a genuine relief considering the sheer clutter generated by the alarming state of affairs the young empath was exposed to. It appears as though Southerners are inherently ill-equipped for such atmospheric conditions, despite the fact that they apparently possessed an abundance of temperature regulating charms at their disposal, if his lessons at the training centre were accurate that is. Only as Jamie was being mistakenly ushered away to another post did Malakai's mind redirect its attention towards the lesson as planned. Jamie could only wish that Malakai was more quick-witted in these types of scenarios, it was honestly one of the main factors Jamie became accustomed to performing empathic manipulation on him.
The very moment Jamie was absolutely certain that Malakai took note of his presence, he frantically seized the lower part of the field medic's coat. In fact, Jamie was surprisingly hasty in this alternative course of action, darting as if pouncing on prey. With both his still numb, but sweaty hands clutching the hems of Malakai's coat in a vice-grip, Jamie took this opportunity to temporarily conceal his face from the TRS agent's line of sight. It was admittedly a futile strategy, the notion of Malakai smoothly resolving the issue being almost inconceivable based on the young apprentice's experience with him so far. Although the bespectacled man was thankfully unperturbed by Jamie's sudden charge, the anticipated uneasiness resurfaced as soon as he spared Jamie's earlier escort a nervous glance.
Jamie peeked his head out slightly, glancing at the now bewildered TRS agent who then forced out a smile upon noticing the boy's meek gesture. It was an absolute relief that the agent in question had no interest in prolonging the issue more than is necessary and appeared to have come to a rational conclusion. With one clap, they simply asked a question after examining Malakai's facial features and uniform "Ah, she must be your apprentice eh?". After hearing that, the even more sheepish Jamie nodded vigorously before yanking his reddened face behind the safety of Malakai's back. The young apprentice was obviously disconcerted by the misjudgement on the security agent's part. Before long, Jamie ultimately resorted to straightening the jittery disposition of Malakai's aura as is usual. In doing so, Malakai would have likely gained at least enough courage to answer back.
In the meantime, a looming and inexplicable sense of dread emerged from the depths of the young empath's psyche causing him to rest his now sweaty forehead against the fabric of Malakai's coat. As his mentor would have probably been preoccupied with conversing with the other agent, Jamie could not help but ponder the origins behind this eerie sensation. Shutting his eyes, Jamie attempted to track the source, tracing it to a particular individual lingering amongst the patients. They were not a terror, yet the young empath perceived their intents and disposition to be just as bad... So much spite, so much resentment… The indignant soul, as they appeared on the empathic radar, was situated on the opposite site of the ward. They were searching for something... or someone...
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]An impending social confrontation was evidently nerve-wracking to Malakai considering there was a period of time where he could imagine the horrible conversational atrocities he could commit in a single interaction. These situations were rather uncommon for the bespectacled man, especially since Jamie was his first experience having an apprentice, thus he never thought about random guards attempting to lead his apprentice to gather with the citizens. Development in Malakai’s mentoring abilities was a slow process, especially considering his uncertainty in the social pursuits associated with training an apprentice. Eventually, the progress could perhaps allow for the field medic to become more aware of the possibility of people leading his apprentice elsewhere, although, he prayed these instances would cease on their own accord. There was a soft tug on Malakai’s jacket as his apprentice tugged in the hem, essentially clinging to his TRS uniform. The child-like action was not expected, the bespectacled man curiously glancing back at Jamie. It became obvious his apprentice wished to avoid being escorted away for a second time. From the organized throng of citizens entering the building arrived one of the entrance guards, the man naturally perplexed by Jamie’s sudden escape.
The agent approached, resulting in anxiety clouding Malakai’s mind, alas, he stood firm, attempting to reassure himself. Progress to gaining more social capability remained extremely slow despite the bespectacled man’s efforts; it was apparent only the battlefield could naturally rouse courage hidden beneath. A deep breath was taken, nervousness settling in as the bespectacled medic observed the approach of the TRS guard, a forced grin stretched across his lips. The smile was reciprocated by Malakai, albeit, with an anxious largeness to it; it appeared he was trying too hard. When the TRS agent spoke, the field medic paused, smile fading as he attempted to organize his words, but fortunately received a crutch to assist his poor social abilities.
“Yes, he is my apprentice,” he answered, a polite, soft tone to his voice.
Empathic manipulation proceeded to prove its usefulness for the bashful adult, his appreciation for Jamie’s assistance becoming evident as relief finally embraced him. Conversation under the influences of the ability tended to be rather useful to allow for smoothness in these social situations, although, Malakai worried he would become dependent on the ability. While the TRS lieutenant of unit 1 tended to show endless support by stating he was enjoyable to socialize with, the bespectacled medic still struggled to believe the notion. As the conversation would potentially proceed, the soft feeling of Jamie’s forehead against his coat earned Malakai’s attention, the warlock glancing back to check on his apprentice. Admittedly, the field medic desired to leave considering there was plenty to get done, it was merely a matter of stating farewells. A gentle sigh escaped Malakai's lips as he attempted to cease ay speech to allow him to speak.
"My apprentice and I should be heading into the medical ward to help out. We promised to help after all," Malakai explained, his voice surprising smooth.
The perfectionist believed arriving punctually was crucial, especially considering the influx of people being welcomed into the TRS headquarters for shelter from the ill-favourable conditions. Based on a mere glance, the TRS medical ward could use any possible hands to allow for success.
As anticipated, Malakai remained oblivious to Jamie's dilemma. In addition to complications regarding unforeseeable social quandaries, the young empath's innate gift rendered his attention to scatter across a broad spectrum of ailing individuals and a perceived threat looming by the distance. Then again, despite being conscious about the instability of the boy's empathy, Malakai's human insight could only go so far. It was almost improbable for him to fully comprehend the magnitude of the boy's anxieties at the moment. Furthermore, Jamie could not help but internally berate himself in self-reproach for the trouble he was causing both Malakai and the agent before them. Resorting to such childlike behaviour due to sheer pressure was a new low, even for him
Jamie's grip tightened, the longer his emotional manipulation lasted, perceptive of the bespectacled medic at least possessing enough intuition to discern his course of action. In the meanwhile, the conspicuous crimson red aura of the peculiar individual by the distance stood out from amongst the sea of unsaturated pink, purple and greyish hues of the crowd. Its very presence was indeed agitating, for reasons Jamie himself was unfamiliar with. Before long, the boy felt compelled to covertly shift his gaze towards the one who possessed such a distressing aura only to be met with a horde of taller bodies and stretchers obstructing his line of sight. "Well, sorry bout' that, hehe... go on ahead", in the meantime, Jamie's previous escort merely nodded and waved heartily before returning to their post.
The moment the misinformed agent took their leave, a most unnerving sensation ran down Jamie's spine as he perceived the gaze from the aforementioned ominous individual being directed straight towards him. Jamie immediately diverted his eyes towards the general direction of this anomaly within his empathic radar. He appeared to be an ordinary-looking man with a surgical mask obscuring the lower half of his face. Mere milliseconds afterwards, visuals of this man were once again obstructed by the hectic crowd. Nevertheless, Jamie perceived the flow of his menacing aura shifting towards the emergency room the very moment their eyes met. It soon became palpable to the empath that the man's target... was none other than Jamie himself.
Why and for what reason, would a relatively unremarkable boy like him attract the attention of an apparent stranger, enough to urge them to search for him amidst a horde of people? In fact, looking back, Jamie did encounter a few other individuals possessing similarly perturbing auras within the HQ, also searching for something. This was perhaps the first instance of Jamie coming into contact with one of them, and the implications behind the emotions and intents he perceived from this man were truly unsettling. Could it be possible that... as remote and absurd as it may be, those previous instances were them observing him as well? Were such individuals harbouring dubious intents truly a part of the TRS? Although Jamie knew better than to disregard such a prospect, especially considering the officially sanctioned surveillance of his daily routine, the intent he had successfully discerned from the suspicious individual was noticeably different from those exuded by the TRS officials he is familiar with.
Suddenly, the distraught Jamie once again tugged at Malakai's coat, in fact, he was pulling on it. He dropped his previously reserved demeanour and flashed Malakai one of his typically listless stares. One glance and it would have been near impossible to notice the sheer trepidation that overwhelmed the boy, lest his slightly shaking limbs gave it away. No longer being able to stomach the ward's oppressive atmosphere, Jamie flatly pointed towards the exit in a rather surprising turn of events. "Malakai...follow... p-p-please..." Jamie nervously uttered before finally releasing his grip from Malakai's coat. "Out...side..." Jamie further added before wordlessly walking towards the exit that led to an frigid expanse of snow as far as the eye can see.
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Dependability on Jamie’s empathic manipulation during these instances was oftentimes noticeable. The contrast between Malakai’s regular one and the courage-influence one was immense. Stutters were nonexistent and his voice became cleaner instead of a quiet, mumbling of words. Trepidation had disappeared, although, the full-fledged medic was aware he would be unable to converse afterwards. Calmly, the bespectacled man presented himself, managing a profession visage because of the influences created by Jamie; the entire display was artificial. These emotions were fake support designed to properly accomplish a social interaction because of Malakai’s failings in the art of conversation. While social dependence was a consequence, the field medic required assistance because of his horrible skills. Unfortunately, the bespectacled man was left to assume that his apprentice could only manipulate his emotional state and was unable to accomplish the action on himself. This state of conversation-based dependence was inescapable unless his apprentice learned social skills; or if Malakai managed to gain enough social grace to make dependence unnecessary. Currently, both options appeared improbable considering their endless shyness; Jamie more so as he clung to the edges of Malakai’s coat, hiding from the guard.
The guard’s realization was followed by a sense of relief despite the empathic manipulation’s grasp on him. An apology followed by a statement that they could proceed was easily handled with a small nod instead of further speech. The wave was reciprocated, mostly to avoid being impolite. Currently, there were influences allowing for proper speech performance, however, Malakai maintained a hesitancy to speak. A soft sigh left his lips, the warlock’s hazel eyes following the guard as he returned to his position at the door. Gradually, his gaze drifted to Jamie, the young adolescent still clinging to the edges of his coat.
"Thanks, Jamie," Malakai murmured softly, appreciation evident in his voice.
After providing a mere glance, thought churned about where exactly they should go to assist the current situation. There was a brief survey of the area, Malakai unfazed by the mysterious doctor with his face obscured by a surgical mask. Distinguishing the identities of the various ward medics was impossible under the conditions of hidden under the masks handed out by their own staff team. Briefly, the bespectacled man observed the passing before suddenly flitting his gaze towards the floor to avoid the frightful sensation manifested by eye contact. Anxieties were an average amount for Malakai, the bashful man merely avoiding any eye contact because of his nervousness. A deep breath was taken, slowly exhaled as the field medic attempted to clear his mind of these stressful thoughts. Despite occasionally assisting in the ward, few things managed to assist the bespectacled man's endless shyness and awkwardness. There was a slight tremble detected from the fringe of his coat, Malakai glancing back at his apprentice who seemed extremely nervous based off of body language alone. As he spoke, worry touched the medic's face until finally, his apprentice released his coat, stating a single word which momentarily froze Malakai.
Outside the winds were howling as the snow was blown wildly through the air, the signs of a blizzard. Briefly, the field medic glanced at the door and looked himself over, already knowing his clothes were inadequate for these conditions. He arrived with intentions of assisting the ward, and while he still had a temperature regulating bracelet, there would still be an endless torrent of shivers because of his failures to adhere to the outside dress code.
"J-jamie, wait! I don't have a thick jacket, I t-teleported here!" The field medic spoke quickly.
Was heading out those doors into the freezing cold truly a requirement at this current moment?! Despite his ill-favourable clothing, the bespectacled man slowly followed, hesitant as he listened to the wind through the building. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he inched closer to the door, preparing for the inevitable side effects of having glasses in freezing cold temperatures and a mere temperature regulation bracelet for warmth.
Considering that the medical ward was already a metaphorical field of headache, the stunning revelation of ill-intent directed against him proved too overwhelming. It was one atypical situation that rendered the burden of social anxiety trivial in comparison, this much is evident when observing Jamie's seemingly odd course of action. For a brief moment, it slipped from his memory the fact that exposing oneself to a blizzard was almost unthinkable to people here. It also became palpable to the young empath Malakai's qualms regarding his erratic behaviour. By that time though, Jamie was already in the process of opening the exit whilst in the presence of a bewildered security agent. The boy diverted his perceptibly weary gaze back towards Malakai.
There was a reason behind Jamie's earlier decision to lounge about the frigid weather while waiting for his mentor, preferring the cold grasp of Father Winter to that of the perpetual distress exuded by the aura of countless anguished patients. The fact that his stalker somehow predicted and is now en route to the assigned location for his lesson once again compelled Jamie to retreat to the relative comforts of the snowy landscape. Nonetheless, the fretful Malakai at least deserved an apt explanation. As the guard stared at Jamie wide-eyed, the boy opened his mouth to clarify the situation... he ended up tongue-tied, the guard's apprehensive gaze was too much to bear. As such, Jamie was reduced to wordlessly stepping before the automatic sliding doors, allowing a freezing rush of air to engulf the near vicinity of the ward's entrance.
Needless to say, the sheer mortification Jamie felt at that moment would have been paralyzing under normal circumstances. The further the sinister aura went, the more burdens relieved from Jamie's overwrought psyche. The boy trotted towards the entrance platform's edge and leaped past the three steps of stairs, his boots pressing down a deep chuck of accumulated snow from the impact. From there, he awaited the understandably nonplussed Malakai to come, after which the languid young boy could only declare, "Over here..." Curiously enough, the flurries of snow seemingly buffeting everything in sight left the boy untouched as Jamie deftly maneuvered the frozen ice crystals to bypass him, essentially generating an invisible barrier against the snow.
In the meanwhile, the raucous sound emanating from the speeding ambulance in the distance urged Jamie to press onward. Nearby was a neat row of tall shrubs almost entirely enveloped in snow, artificially arranged to form a makeshift fence. Jamie took extra measures in ensuring that Malakai followed after which the boy inserted himself through the narrow gap in the snow-covered shrubs. Mere moments ago, he lounged about in his makeshift igloo in the same place. Before the biting cold snap numbed their senses, Jamie took the liberty of hastily reforming the aforementioned igloo, although considerably more sizable than the last. In mere seconds, blocks of snow coalesced to form compressed blocks making up the igloo's framework. The end result was a snowy dome possessing a diameter of 3 meters and height of 9 feet. "Erm... please...make yourself... at home?..." Jamie announced in the most awkward manner prior to dropping suddenly down to his knees and wriggling inside the short, narrow entrance.
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Cold breached the lobby area of the medical ward, resulting in a slight shiver entering Malakai's body as his black-rimmed glasses fogged over from the sudden cold. Everything blurred through the fog covered lenses, the bespectacled man frowning as his apprentice merely proceeded instead of deciding to remain indoors where warmth embraced them. The howling wind could easily be heard when the threshold opened. Hesitation reached Malakai as he watched Jamie head into the blizzard, seemingly unaffected by the extreme weather conditions. A nervous, inaudible squeak left the field medic's throat as he kept his lips shut tight. The guards were surprised by the sudden action of his young apprentice, a majority considering the weather situation something which would bar travel, resulting in people remaining indoors. The bespectacled man hugged himself, feet moving in a slow shuffle as the winds proceeded to blow through the opened doors. A final concerned sigh escaped the bashful man's lips as he hugged himself, rubbing his upper arms as he approached the doors.
Slowly, Malakai moved to exit the medical ward, cold wrapping around him as he was provided surprised stares as he passed. The thinner TRS edition jacket was definitely not designed for these harsh conditions, the temperature regulation bracelet being unlikely to provide overwhelming support. Immediately, the intense cold resulted in the bespectacled man shivering, his glasses maintaining a thick fog, making it nearly impossible to see Jamie and his tracks. The guards were watching with bewildered expressions as Malakai struggled through the snow. The snow stuck to the black pants he wore, clinging tightly and freezing onto the fabric. The frozen wasteland outside resulted in numerous shivers, one of the bespectacled man's arms were raised as he attempted to see through the fog and snowflakes, the lenses gradually adjusting and allowing for proper sight to return to him. There was a quiet voice, Malakai glancing up and following the small adolescent he was following through the snowbanks. As he waded through the thick snow, the field medic heard the blaring sounds of an ambulance as more patients were being brought in for treatment.
A large frown graced the field medic's face as he remembered they were expected to assist inside the medical ward, however, they were instead walking through the snow. Despite the thoughts which entered Malakai's mind, he kept following his apprentice to an igloo. The announcement made Malakai raise a brow as he watched his apprentice wriggle inside the snow building. A shaky sigh escaped his lips as the cold man wriggled through the entrance, finding a place to sit quickly. Instantly, the field medic brought his knees close and tucked his numbing fingers beneath his armpits for warmth.
"W-why?" He asked in a shaky voice.
The temperature was better inside the igloo, Malakai's temperature regulating charm assisting in warming up the cold field medic. Fingers were wiggled while they remained embraced in the slight warmth of his armpit area, toes curling from the cold. Snow clung to Malakai's pants and jacket, the field medic sighing as he became aware his clothing will become soaked from snow once it melted. Cold proceeded to embrace him, the bespectacled man was attempting to comprehend why Jamie wished to lead him outside of the medical ward.
Needless to say, Jamie had anticipated such a reaction from Malakai. It was far too late when the young empath perceived the vivid sense of discomfort that he has meted out to his unknowing mentor. Indeed, the suspected saboteur's ill will is directed solely at Jamie and him alone. Whether or not other people are vulnerable to that man's crosshairs remained ambiguous. Even in the midst of traversing the frozen landscape, the empathic boy weighed his options. His reasons to doubt TRS ignorance of the matter were yet indefinite, although instances of dubious individuals with similar auras and intent lingering in the HQ have already been detected through the boy's empathic lens. Jamie of all people knew better than to comply with the schemes of such individuals, reliving his experience 3 years ago was the last thing on his mind.
Jamie took extra measures to conceal both their heavy footprints imprinted onto the snow to prevent unnecessary tracking from the suspected foe... or... anyone else for that matter. Jamie was but a hare marked by the crosshairs of a hunter's rifle, compelled to burrow its way to sanctuary. The only question that remained was how the fearful hare shall interpret his dilemma to his similarly anxious human companion. Additionally, Malakai's easily agitated disposition was as close as Jamie could get to the truth. No longer could Jamie bear the burden of overlooking his nebulous conception of Dr. Rana and his associates' objectives if it has come to this. For that reason, Jamie struggled to curb his social phobia despite the countless quizzical stares wrought upon him back at the ward, and by Malakai of course, whom he had already troubled by being a mediocre apprentice, or at least he thought so.
The makeshift igloos were his "secret winter base"... well, not exactly. A few people had actually spotted them before, with one particularly curious TRS agent even taking the liberty of inspecting it whilst Jamie was lounging about inside. Nonetheless, all of them did not pay much heed to its presence. Some of them actually welcomed it as strange decorative ornament of sorts. Jamie's force of habit borne out by his proclivity to seclude himself from other distressed individuals has apparently made its way to Lorsette from back at the Arctic wastelands during his exodus. Before long, the idiosyncratic shelter's insulation took effect, providing both Jamie and Malakai relative warmth hovering a little above the freezing point despite being composed entirely out of snow.
In the 'happy place' of his, Malakai would have noticed a curled up Jamie, his initially trembling body gradually alleviating. He was finally liberated from the overwhelming auras of that uncanny individual and countless distressed patients, that in addition to the mistrustful glares of those who saw him rushing out the ward. Unfortunately for Jamie, he had clearly inflicted suffering onto the discomposed man now staring at him, the air of dismay very much perceivable for the young empath. Under such pressure, Jamie took about 10 seconds of rocking in place and shifting his gaze erratically before finally regaining enough composure to respond to the simple question. "Forgive me... M-mr. Moors... I believe I am being followed..." Jamie uttered softly, after the brief episode of regulated breathing and rocking back and forth.
With the lower half of the troubled boy's face concealed by his folded knees, Jamie's listless blue eyes finally locked onto Malakai's face, taking extra measures to examine the bespectacled medic's emotional output. More than anything, Jamie wanted to trust Malakai... he had no one else to turn to. Exposing the man's intent to TRS officials might generate unneeded discord within the medical ward. Either way, the strange man seemed only intent on tracking Jamie down, and that alone. The boy... knew well how an aura of malicious intent felt. "Wh-why... wh-what does...he want... w-with me?" a perturbed Jamie asked.
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Subtle warmth began flooding through Malakai’s body, the temperature regulation charm finally accomplishing its goal because of snow brick walls which surrounded him. The wind proceeded to whistle loudly outside, reminding the human medic of the dreaded cold beyond the snowy walls. A frown was evident on the bespectacled man's lips as he remembered the frantic situation in the medical ward, but now, they were officially down two more people who confirmed they would assist with the problems transpiring. The influx of patients and the requirement to create room inside the TRS headquarters was high, and Malakai could only imagine how the problem worsened without the presence of a mere two people. The entire reason for planning this training session was to assist with the intense situation, not hide outside in an igloo. There was a soft sigh which escaped the full-fledged medic's lips as he brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Worries about the opinions of other medics from their sudden absence brought a hollow feeling of nervousness into the pits of Malakai's stomach.
The self-conscious man attempted to avoid any activities which could potentially worsen the opinions of others; he was constantly nervous about their thoughts. Alas, he cared enough about his apprentice to follow him through the despicable cold and risk those negative thoughts. Anxieties were building inside Malakai as he fixated on the possible negatives people may hold towards the actions he had recently taken, however, it appeared his apprentice was discovering a calmness inside the snow walls. Trembling dissipated, the curled up figure appearing to have soothed after exposure to this environment. The rocking motions accomplished by his apprentice kept Malakai's attention. The request for forgiveness resulted in Malakai raising his brows, the man promptly stiffening when Jamie mentioned potentially being followed. Shock settled on the bespectacled man's face, notes a fear invading his expression as he attempted to maintain an air of calmness, although, the action was futile considering the boy's empathic manipulation. Silence consumed Malakai at the thought of Jamie essentially be stalked since the medic was clueless on how he could provide comfort.
"... Um... I... I wouldn't know... Do the h-higher ups know about this?" Malakai asked nervously.
There were few calming words which could reach Malakai's mind. Under most circumstances, the bespectacled man was placed on the receiving end of comforting words because of the nature of his past. Plenty of instances existed where he woke from a nightmare and required his father to soothe him.
Stoicism was a virtue for the Inuit, an inevitable outcome for having hailed from the frozen Arctic tundra, a land deemed uninhabitable by all others. Little by little, the fading vestige of the once proud Northern peoples lingered atop a floating iceberg, gradually thawing its place into the annals of history. They smiled in the midst of extreme blizzards, encroachment of colonizers, subjugation by the AP and continued resentment from the international community alike. The caribou may feed the wolf, yet it is the wolf that keeps the caribou strong... Jamie compelled his stiffened lips to smile despite sheer injustices done onto him, his family and his people, burying his woes underneath the ceaseless snow.... for he shall endure another blizzard alone.
Next spring shall be his 14th spring, yet the Qallunaat remain insistent on treating him as one would an infant. Jamie maintained his weak smile that concealed the veil of consternation once again plaguing his psyche. The presence of an anomalous individual with malicious intent had been disclosed, resulting in a maelstrom of confusion that jolted both Malakai and the young empath in a most taciturn fashion. The igloo's cramped interior rendered the interpretation of the Malakai's emotion more manageable considering the lack of other cluttering auras. Much to Jamie's dismay, his question had inadvertently uncovered the field medic's prior knowledge of a broader scheme. Dr. Rana exhibited a similar aura once asked a specific set of questions pertaining to similar cases.
Perhaps Jamie should have expected such a response. Dr. Rana and his aides certainly executed their plans splendidly by managing to withhold this information from an empath. Indeed, they have been simulating this facade of an ordinary TRS routine the very moment they acquired custody of the boy. These Qallunaat possessed values that vastly differed from his people, consequently bringing to light the manipulative undertones of his empathic gift. In addition to invaluable knowledge regarding medicine and TRS work ethics, Jamie should be thanking Malakai for unwittingly enhancing his command of other people's emotion, as well as providing him an avenue to uncover the truth. Nevertheless, it was his mentor's seemingly cautious response that discomfited the boy.
Malakai's question felt dubious at best, considering what he could empathically read from him. Jamie merely shook his head in disagreement, having decided to conceal certain information as well. After all, he was merely emulating the values instilled onto him. Disheartened by Malakai's misleading remarks and the immense sensation of dread overpowering the field medic's senses, it soon dawned on Jamie his error in relying on the man. He could no longer depend on Malakai in this situation... "He... only wants me and no one else... yet he is still a dangerous man..." Jamie languidly stated whilst resting his face onto his knees. The empathic boy is now conscious to the fact that Malakai, Dr. Rana and many others probably knew what that man wanted from him, yet they leave the him no other option but to guess...
Jamie's smile soon faltered as he was no longer just alone, but also afraid this time. In the end, this particular blizzard proved to be too much to bear.
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Age could occasionally lead to foolish decision making, those older desiring to protect those classified as children; it was instinctual. Unfortunately, concern grabbed their hand, leading them down a misguided road instead of teaching them to cease the procrastination and explain crucial aspects in an appropriate manner. White lies escaped their lips, the light of truth being shrouded by deceptive clouds. A mixture of procrastination and fear silenced the truth from Malakai’s mouth as his gaze nervously shifted at the igloo's entrance. This is the part where I inform you that three AP agents have already been apprehended attempting to sneak into the HQ this year alone, all of them apparently sent to abduct Jamie. Those eerie words entered the field medic’s head, the young man tightening the grip around his knees, ears listening to the howling wind. Frightening the adolescent boy worried Malakai, especially since he was familiar with danger encroaching on a location which expected to hold safety.
Throughout the later years living with his mother, the woman transformed the safe walls of the house into a living hell. Fear became evident around every corner and disobeying the desires of the malicious tyrant resulted in gruesome punishment. Sanctuaries from danger only existed if blissful ignorance and blind trust were provided and despite the illusion being somewhat shattered, the bashful field medic wanted Jamie to be veiled in a sense of safety. Genuinely, the bespectacled man's intentions were well-meaning, but rather misguided considering he failed to prepare the youth for the worse possible outcome. Thus, blinded by the past which haunted him, Malakai remained tight-lipped, allowing the guilt to manifest an aching feeling in the pits of his stomach. The nod brought a frown to the field medic's face, his mild paranoia spiking since he became informed about the Assembly of Phantoms wishing to capture the empathic manipulator.
"I think you should Jamie... They can find him," Malakai explained softly. "It would be s-safer after all... but it c-could be n-nothing..."
There were genuine attempts to avoid elaborating on what the potential danger could be, Malakai still remaining tight-lipped on the notion. The mere thought of an Assembly member presently searching out Jamie was frightful and unfortunately confirmed they could not return to the pleasant warmth of the TRS headquarters. The field medic's hazel eyes watched his apprentice, listening to those words and learning the gifted child possessed more information than expected. The faltering smile and statements only increased the restless guilt. Heat bared down hard on the back of Malakai's neck as he tightened the grip on his knees, bringing them closer. Nervously, the bespectacled man tapped on his arms and legs while thoughts proceeded to whirl endlessly inside his head. Unconsciously, his hazel eyes would flit towards the igloo's opening, concerns about the dangerous individual noticing their escape from the TRS headquarters. Chances were, the invader gathered information, becoming aware of those affiliated with Jamie, at least, Malakai would assume. Tucked inside his jacket was the bulky tome, the field medic originally planning on stowing the book in the safety of his locker, however, he was thankful to have it close.
"... Jamie? How long has he been following you for?" Malakai inquired.
Worry lingered in his hazel eyes as they flitted, carefully watching the reaction of his apprentice. Nervousness churned in Malakai's gut, the bespectacled man wondering if this infiltration had been a long-term endeavour. There was concern it was an ongoing pursuit, and ultimately, resulted in a change of scheduling... If these issues were going to proceed, the field medic desired to prepare his apprentice for the worse possible scenario. Self-defense training was an expectation given to those who worked in the TRS, thus Malakai would be forced to teach the section he struggled in.
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The skin is created by Wolf of Adoxography and Gangnam Style. The thread and conversation remodels are by Kagney. The Strange Reality board list, Heal My Soul info center, I Remember Now mini profile and Electric Requiem profile remodel is made by Pharoah Leap. The Who's That Member member list remodel was made by Tictactoe. The Cbox.ws Shoutbox remodel was made by Trinity Blair. All templates used for claims, information sheets, applications, etc are credited to their owners; credits for these can be found in the threads the templates are use on. Images that are used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners, however, they have been edited by Zac with a few being edited by Chibi Magician. The plot, rules and various other information pieces for The Duality of Man are written by Chibi Magician with the assistence of her co-admins, Finnegan and Dremulf, alongside other unlisted people who were kind enough to give their input. The TRS, AP and face claim were all created by Fleur for specifically the use of TDOM. All plugins used on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners. The templates my members use are credited to their maker, if you find a template that belongs to you, but is uncredited, please speak to Chibi Magician or the member themself. Characters created on The Duality of Man are credited to their owners and should not be used elsewhere without the creator's permission.
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