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!
Here Jamie sat in his tiny fortress of snow, essentially a self-made barrier against the chilly grasp of both father winter and the countless sea of jaded souls haunting the boy with their mere presence. In front of him sat the kind, yet irresolute bespectacled man finally embracing the warmth of Jamie's castle, a makeshift and primitive castle... so to speak. The interior of an igloo traps more heat in correspondence to the amount of people lingering inside. A sharp pang of guilt harangued the despondent boy, feeling unworthy of Malakai's warmth considering the injustice thrust upon him due to Jamie's own lack of conviction. He of all people should have been cognizant to the field medic's inclination to falter under such dire circumstances. Perhaps he placed too much faith in his own intuition to trust his mentor when he should, in essence, not have been involved.
Jamie was accustomed to this looming sensation of emptiness threatening to swallow every last drop of self-worth left in his frail-looking body. The prospect of his ancestral spirits having planned to punish from the very beginning seemed a closer possibility than ever before. Comfortably huddling in an igloo before Malakai felt more like a sin each passing second. Jamie longed to be capable of entrusting his life to Malakai, yet he could no longer deny the sheer ambivalence surging through the depths of his heart and mind. Malakai desired to help, and Jamie subconsciously yearned for that aid despite his seemingly fatalistic approach. For too long has the boy been habituated into depending entirely on his own instincts. After all, only woe and misfortune awaited those closely associated with him... Jamie could not bear losing another companion yet again...
His grip around his knees tightened in trepidation, his languid face slightly emerging from its fetal position upon heeding Malakai's query. "Q-quite... recent-... recently I suppose. Noticed his presence... just after entering the ward... he knew we were heading towards the emergency room…" Jamie uttered in response. Afterwards, his head gradually lifted after perceiving Malakai's shift in aura. Having glanced at Malakai's stare, the boy instinctively felt the urge to expand on his account. "He... looked at me... I felt his malicious intent... he was... waiting for me... " he briefly recounted prior to straightening his back. At last, the bespectacled medic seems to have gained enough resolve to once again give Jamie a small semblance of hope. The suspect in question was harmless for now, that much Jamie is assured of, yet he knew better than to touch an aged dynamite.
Seeing that much courage well up within Malakai without the aid of empathic manipulation was rather refreshing, as diluted as it may seem for now. This in turn, rendered Jamie more confident in disclosing the next piece of data. "He was... willing to hurt those around him... just to get to me..." he then shifted his eyes to and fro, seemingly around nowhere in particular. "No one followed us here... closest person is in an ambulance around... 50 metres I think..." the boy explained to Malakai in an attempt to reassure him. To both their credit, Jamie was possibly the only individual peculiar enough to erect a temporary hideout amidst these nigh unbearable weather conditions.
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Hidden Assembly members lurking amidst a sea of TRS uniforms in search of a single individual was always an unnerving notion. Naivety was stolen from Malakai, thus listening to Jamie’s words failed to spark shock, most instilling a slight sense of fear. Evil encroaching on places where safety should be evident was constantly a frightening idea, however, the bespectacled man maintained some courage. Already, thoughts were motioning to immediately change plans and begin self-defence training earlier than Malakai would have expected. Alas, the field medic was uncertain if he could adequately train the young boy, especially considering his own skills required sharpening. The bespectacled man kept his knees close to his chest, his arms wrapping around them as thoughts entered his mind; he was clueless where to begin. However, pondering would be cut short by the information which was more significant; handling this intruder. Silently, Malakai listened to the words Jamie said, worry evident on his face throughout the explanation. Concern refused to dampen when his apprentice mentioned this individual’s stalking only being done recently, implying the individual in question had not been detected by TRS forces.
A frown crossed Malakai’s face, however, the young man attempted to maintain composure throughout their conversation. Admittedly, he worried about the potential danger Jamie was being subjected to on account of their hushed attitude towards the infiltrations in search of the empath. Perhaps a time would arrive where he could inform his apprentice about the Assembly’s attempts at capturing him, however, he feared to accomplish that objective too soon. Somehow, his hazel eyes managed to unlock more information about the current situation, the mentioned intentions being a concerning factor. Malice, it was always a negative emotion which could result in people getting seriously injured.
“Have… you noticed these presences a lot? Like… have there been more than one?” Malakai inquired, a slight anxiousness gracing his tone.
Discovering how many Assembly members could potentially following the young boy, although, Malakai worried about the answer he would receive. The notion of multiple members of the malicious organization stalking the young boy was disturbing. Thoughts about the now upcoming self-defence lingered in the bespectacled man’s mind, although, he feared to be unable to suitably teach his apprentice. Thus, the field medic’s thoughts delved until a familiar face crossed his mind, the lieutenant of unit one. Constantly, the man would support him and assist him, so perhaps he would be a willing assistant again? Evidently, the hunter would be more capable in teaching those skills opposed to him, at least, skills Jamie could actually use; tome magic was only accessible to witches/warlocks, unfortunately. Occasionally, Malakai would gaze at the entrance, fingers lightly wrapped around the tome’s spine, waiting for potential danger, however, calm would be discovered. Due to his obvious anxiousness about somebody following them, his apprentice had promptly explained there was nobody nearby. Slowly, Malakai nodded in response and released the tome, hand escaping his coat. When his eyes flitted towards Jamie, they softened, a quiet sigh leaving his mouth.
“With this happening… I think it is best I teach you some self-defence,” Malakai explained quietly. “Will that make you feel safer?”
There was hope to provide a veil of safety, even if it was only minuscule. At least with some defence skills, the bespectacled man hoped Jamie could fend off an attacker long enough to survive or not be taken.
The frigid weather conditions began to mitigate outside the cramped boundaries of Jamie's igloo. The accumulated snow is quite visible even from the small structure's narrow entrance. Interestingly enough, the young empath failed to discern any semblance of disorientation from Malakai. His typically nervous wreck of a mentor is not nearly as fearful as Jamie had initially anticipated. Perhaps Jamie has become too acquainted with Malakai's predictable behaviour within the confines of the HQ to even be cognizant of what the bespectacled medic is capable of when push comes to shove. As far as Jamie is concerned, it could simply be that Malakai is actually not as fainthearted as he had thought.
The shifts in Malakai's emotions became subtler and less predictable. Jamie merely relayed his current knowledge of the situation at hand along with the necessary information Malakai might need. It appears as though Jamie's intuition has not failed him yet, Malakai apparently does have something planned. His mentor subsequently asked about previous instances where he detected the presence of individuals possessing auras similar to the one who is currently after him. Little does Malakai know of the fact that Jamie is constantly exposed to countless different auras just by being inside the walls of the HQ. A person like Malakai would have lamented should he be bear the same empathic capabilities such as Jamie, after all, Lorsette City harbours its fair share of disgruntled and spiteful souls...
Just as Jamie began to dread answering that particular question, he began recalling what the suspicious man's aura felt like. This particular case is unique considering that Jamie observed the malefactor's intent firsthand through eye contact. "I only recognized the man's intent after he looked at me... my... abilities cannot predict someone's character at first glance... I am very sorry..." Jamie meekly declared before lowering his head in chagrin. Nonetheless, he has yet to answer Malakai's question wholeheartedly, his mentor might be on to something. It becomes more apparent that Jamie remained oblivious to the fact that this covert AP operation to abduct him has already been ongoing for over a year, and that Malakai was aware of this. "It may not be certain... yet I believe that I have felt similar auras a few times before." Jamie uttered prior to raising his head in curiosity after Malakai withdrew the tome from his coat.
Jamie knew that magical item, his mother and uncle once had those in their possession. Furthermore, he was made aware of its existence through the various lessons in the TRS training center. Almost immediately after curious words escaped the bespectacled medic's lips was Jamie compelled to slowly unwind from his fetal position. Once again surveying the nearby vicinity through his empathic radar, he ensured that not a single living soul but he and Malakai were around. To Malakai's credit, he did not require Jamie's empathic manipulation to bolster his courage enough to decide on this. Jamie's eyes widened in confusion and the slight concern on his face became somehow noticeable. Despite the boy’s seemingly frail appearance, he was actually an adept hunter and fisherman. Jamie is more concerned if Malakai is truly up to the task if anything. "Okay..." Jamie nervously stated.
Fortunately for them, the worst of the blizzard has just passed. It was now snowing lightly and the once howling winds have all but faded. Jamie took the liberty of casually crawling towards the narrow opening of the igloo in order to inspect the outside scenery, utilizing his water manipulation abilities in order to whisk inches of snow away from the entranceway.
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Improvements in the weather became unnoticeable to Malakai, he merely believed the constant howling of vicious winds was proof the blizzard raged on. However, his thoughts were somewhat preoccupied with consistent fretting of Assembly soldiers infiltrating the TRS. Nonetheless, the potential consequences of being unprepared to defend himself should things become hazy maintained acute bravery. These people were attempting to kidnap his apprentice, and the bespectacled man desired to better the situation. Self-defence skills were expected to be taught inside the TRS, all members risking their lives when the Assembly inevitably noticed their affiliation. The worrisome circumstances of these individuals with abhorrent intentions towards his apprentice. Somebody needed to assist the situation, something simple like self-defence skills could go miles to make Jamie feel slightly safer. At least then, there was a chance his apprentice could survive should these individuals decide to attack.
Enough time had passed since Malakai had joined the TRS and understood the importance of being capable of self-defence. In dangerous situations, he usually managed to use tome-based magic. The Latin words he studied extensively after discovering he was a warlock allowed him to unlock a treasure trove of power. Alas, he failed in offensive moves and instead focused his studies on defence and the creation of force fields. The apology provided about being unable to properly judge character based on empathic manipulation. Softness remained evident on Malakai’s expression, the field medic making it obvious he was not angry at his apprentice. While it was unfortunate that empathic manipulation was unable to provide Jamie with more hints on who followed him, Malakai understood the ability was incapable of doing everything.
“That’s fine… It is not your fault,” he responded quietly.
Silently and attentively, Malakai listened to his apprentice's statements of sensing similar auras, potentially suggesting the Assembly managed to get closer than previously expected. A worrisome sigh was released through the field medic's lips as the amount of time he possessed in terms of teaching Jamie self-defence appeared limited. These would possible meddle with future plans, however, the lesson became a necessity for his apprentice's safety. Even mentioning the notion to the frail, young boy resulted in a frown touching Malakai's expression. These were the requirements of war, people being forced to even teach adolescents in combat for defensive purposes. The Assembly of Phantoms were malicious people, thus, the warlock wished to properly prepare the gifted boy for the inevitable situation he could face. The nervous agreement was a concerning notion to the bespectacled man as he genuinely wished the circumstances did not come down to this.
"I'm sorry it has to come to this, Jamie," Malakai mumbled softly, his eyes briefly flitting away from his apprentice. "Also... I think I will ask a friend of mine to help... I mostly use my magic, so I'm not too familiar with other types of weapons."
The conversation between the pair became a distraction for Malakai, the field medic failing to notice as the one vicious winds subsided. Quietly, Malakai observed as his apprentice smoothly cut through the snow, surprise initially flaring before he remembered Jamie possessed other abilities; the overwhelming information on his empathic manipulation resulted in a moment of absent-mindedness. The frown the bespectacled man bore remained, although, there were more reasons for his displeasure. The pair failed to assist the medical ward staff as previously planned. An emptiness entered the pits of Malakai's stomach as worries about the future trouble with medical officials pressured the young man; he hated upsetting people. The bespectacled man was always a people-pleaser, his endless need for perfection and validation oftentimes manifesting anxieties over failure. Unfortunately, it appeared he would be forced to meet his worse enemy once he left the confines of the igloo or got proper reception.
Perhaps Malakai might have overlooked the circumstances which compelled Jamie to come to Lorsette. In the past, the boy and his small company of half-freezing survivors all carried rifles with them all the way to the TRS ward. The harsh conditions of their ancestral land coupled with the incessant threat of AP and terror attacks had practically necessitated the virtue of stoicism and resourcefulness within them. Jamie was all too accustomed to staring down the reticules of a hunting rifle while concurrently steadying himself by the back of his father's snowmobile in preparation for a killing shot, he was 9 years old when he shot his first seal. He was even younger when his seemingly frail hands hauled up a fresh catch of Arctic Char from an ice fishing hole for the first time. This is excluding the fact that Jamie was literally forced to travel and train with rebels for several months amidst the harsh Arctic winter at one point. Relatively speaking, the physical drills provided by the TRS paled in comparison.
Then again, surviving the threat of freezing and starvation is one thing, withstanding a terrorist attack is a different scenario altogether. As defenceless and faint-hearted as Malakai might seem, Jamie knew better than resorting to inconclusive assumptions. All his prior encounters involving terrors and the AP had so far ended in tragedy. The TRS was his best bet if he wished to combat the AP menace. Jamie, in his intuition, could not help but speculate that Malakai is more competent and capable than he appears... despite the persisting and damning evidence that proved otherwise. As such, Jamie steeled himself. He and Malakai were in this together. With the exception of them both, the young empath knew that the nearby vicinity was practically devoid of any other living beings.
Before exiting his snowhouse, Malakai stated that another party will be involved in his defensive training. "No no.... please, I have... troubled you so much already..." Jamie gingerly uttered. If Malakai's friend will indeed aid in his training in self-defence, the boy could only hope that they were less authoritarian and not as relentless as his drill instructor. "I will... be in your care..." Jamie meekly declared in the meanwhile. Malakai used a similar form of magic that his mother once used. Jamie always wondered why he was unable to draw out the power of these magical books yet had the ability innately percieve the emotions of other living creatures, that, in addition to altering the physics of water in both solid and liquid forms. He was genuinely curious as to what this bespectacled field medic is truly capable of.
Scrambling through the igloo's cramped opening, Jamie's outstretched hand essentially acted as an invisible snow blower as masses of snow were whisked out of sight via water manipulation. The boy then clambered to his feet and clumsily plodded over the gradual incline of snow, trudging further away from the igloo. Curiously enough, the snow underneath Jamie's feet conveyed the illusion of being rather stable and compacted as there were no signs of the boy's feet sinking several inches deep as per normal. Gawking up the white-dotted and increasingly vivid sky, Jamie hoisted both hands aloft in a most peculiar fashion. Mere seconds afterward, an ethereal dome encompassed the near 20 metre radius, practically sheltering both Malakai and Jamie from an otherwise light snowstorm. Both hands lazily collapsed to his sides soon after and the boy diverted his attention towards the snowy ground. He fumblingly knelt over and stuck both hands into the snow. Before too long, the wintry floor beneath them depressed a few inches as the snow compressed and amalgamated into sturdier ground.
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Forms of weaponry were limitless, Malakai desiring to provide Jamie a thorough lesson in self-defence of varying degrees. Alas, the bespectacled man strictly magic fighting style, his tome-based magic was furthermore geared towards mostly defensive spell-types. The young man forgetting the information about the potential fighting capable, but nonetheless, his failures in combat would not make him a favourable teacher. He supposed there were parts of him overloaded by the file information, focusing more on the concerning symptoms of empathic manipulation. The young warlock still preferred to have assistance with the self-defence training, his lack of experience inevitably resulting in difficulties in those practices. There were seemingly few options remaining to assure Jamie would receive the training he deserved. Admittedly, Malakai was insecure about his abilities in self-defence, thus he preferred to gain advice from his close friend. A lieutenant could easily assist in these situations, Malakai having faith in his closest friend.
The field medic's consistent concerns about being an inadequate teacher mingled in with the worries of his peer's opinions; they agreed to lend assistance, yet, they were instead hiding in the snow! Furthermore, they never reported the empathic disturbance Jamie felt when a mysterious man had passed by them. Surprise flared in Malakai's eyes as they widened slightly at his apprentice's declination of having another individual assist with the training procedures. He witnessed the dark-haired boy exit the igloo, the bespectacled man hesitantly inching his way towards the exit to proceed with their conversation. While the young empath was evidently shy, Malakai hardly held adeptness in non-tome related combat.
"B-but Jamie! I'm not much of a fighter. My friend can help us both," Malakai insisted as he slowly inched towards the exit.
Once Jamie cleared the piling snows, granting them freedom from the igloo's cozy confines. The howling winds had finally ceased, flakes of snow continuing to fall from the grey clouds above. The worse of the blizzard appeared to have passed, the frigid chills of a cold winter's day being fended off by the temperature regulation bracelet looped around Malakai's wrist. Briefly, the field medic's eyes flitted around the white landscape around them, the snow clinging to his clothes the longer he stood in the blizzard's aftermath. A few moments afterwards, his eyes returned to Jamie, a brief pause to his words.
"My friend is pretty friendly, he won't mind helping us... I'm... just worried I am unable to train you well enough," Malakai softly continued. "Tome magic is really the only defence I am familiar with. If you were a warlock, I would do it myself."
The explanation was filled with only mild-insecures, however, genuine concerns became evident in Malakai's words. Providing the best self-defence education for his apprentice was the bespectacled man's motivations. Intentions were focused on assisting Jamie, thus Malakai struggled to believe his capabilities in teaching the self-defence concepts his apprentice required. Slowly, the bespectacled man followed his apprentice, hoping he could help Jamie comprehend why he wished for assistance in these lessons.
Jamie withdrew his numbed hands from the once-deep layer of snow as it began solidifying into compacted ground. The boy ensured that not a single speck of snow or ice reached them both. Taking heed of his mentor's misinterpretation of his earlier remarks, the boy merely busied himself with pre-training measures lest his unease overwhelmed him. Although Jamie simply wished to express courtesies with his words, Malakai seems to have regarded it as an outright rejection on his part and was rather insistent on having this person assist with his training either way. It appears as if Jamie's meek attempt at showing deference to his mentor had invoked deep-seated uncertainties. Slightly dejected, Jamie listlessly uttered "It is okay... I'm sorry..." Henceforth, Jamie shall remain tight-lipped unless the situation warranted it. Making Malakai feel uncomfortable due to his own words would be unbecoming of him.
However, Jamie was still doubtful whether or not Dr. Rana will actually approve of Malakai's suggestion. Fortunately for them, the young empath could verify that this particular section of the HQ is practically devoid of cameras and possible places to hide them. Malakai seemed to be resolved in continuing with this training despite the emergency situation back at the medical ward. To that, Jamie could only acquiesce to what he has planned. Admittedly though, it seems that he made an error in expecting Malakai to opt for a more proactive approach in dealing with the saboteur, especially considering the vast numbers of ailing and injured inside the ward who might be at risk. Jamie would have to commit to his earlier empathic readings and assume that the suspicious man would react violently once confronted.
As for their current session, if that term should even be applicable in these circumstances, Jamie took extra measures in attempting to discern how Malakai truly felt. It appears as though the bespectacled medic is conflicted about the nature of this unplanned lesson amidst the wintry outdoors... in the middle of an emergency situation. Malakai's concerns about Jamie's perceived unwillingness in agreeing to this 'friend' lending support is just as misguided as his concerns over the snowy conditions hampering their activity. After all, Jamie already taken the initiative to arrange a suitable field and to shield them of any more oncoming snow. The young empath also continued to survey the vicinity for any nearby souls approaching. Hopefully they would not linger outside for too long unless they wished to attract any unwanted attention from the other TRS agents. Neither Jamie nor Malakai are capable of handling that can of pressure.
Jamie straightened his posture, faint dusts of white snow still staining his dark, frizzy hair and shoulders. His eyes flitted left and right in anticipation of Malakai's instructions. The boy was by no means, unaccustomed to the rigours of physical training, as insecure as he may seem. His face retained its usual weariness all throughout as he endeavoured to maintain the invisible dome around them while concurrently scouting the area empathically.
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Complete lack of self-confidence always clouded Malakai’s judgement of his own capabilities, furthermore, the endless worries of failure ravaging on his anxieties like opportunistic wolves. Insecurities surrounded him, suffocating the bespectacled man and withering his self-image. A perfectionist’s standards were seemingly unachievable, Malakai persistently believing he failed in accomplishing anything to perfection. There were endless worries about his own incapabilities rather than spotlights on the accomplishments he managed to make. Thus, the mere thought of attempting to train Jamie in a field he was hardly familiarized with frightened him. Combat training was something Malakai narrowly succeeded in, his defensive skills allowing him to scrape by and enter in field medicine as a full-fledged medic. Fears simply consumed him, ravaging him like a vicious carnivore searching for easy prey. Briefly, the bespectacled man glances around the snow-covered grounds of the TRS headquarters. Snow piled up high because of the storm, Malakai shuffling through the deep snow, however, did not venture far from Jamie.
Realization over his insecurities' effects was beyond Malakai, the young man constantly displaying a severe lack of confidence in his capabilities. Failure frightened away consideration and forethought, the endless anxieties leaving the field medic blind to the consequences, although, the apology made it slightly more obvious. The corners of Malakai's lips instantly dropped into a frown, a soft sigh escaping his lips. There was a silent pause as the bespectacled man mentally prepared his words.
"No... I'm sorry... I'm your mentor and... I should have prepared for combat training," Malakai explained softly. "It's just... if you're in danger right now, you need better help than me."
Thoughts scattered through Malakai's mind, the recent developments overwhelming the anxiety-ridden man. A breath was taken, a mere moment to clear his thoughts and think without his judgement being obscured. Handling the unknown intruder was a top priority, which meant contacting somebody who could safely carry out an investigation without risking Jamie’s well-being. There was a mild sense of fear stirring, the current circumstances alongside his natural nervousness making things oddly difficult.
"We better head inside... They need to know about that intruder. Come on," Malakai stated, gesturing for Jamie to follow. "Do you remember what he looks like?"
Silently, the bespectacled man was praying Jamie was correct and the assumed Assembly soldier merely desired to capture the young boy. Despite those thoughts being rather perturbing, reassurance about the patient’s safety would be established. Hustle was evident in Malakai’s steps as he desired to remove the concerning situation from his mind by adequately handling it; at least, he hoped to accomplish such a prestigious goal. Alas, he feared potential reprimanding because of their abrupt absence and lack of assistance throughout the duration of the blizzard. He was required to fight through it and explain the situation; to muster some attempt of social capability... Visibly, Malakai flinched at the demanding requirement would easily hamper achieving the goal. These were instances where he wished he possessed decent capability in conversation, however, the bashful field medic would be forced to make due.
Jamie had the faintest inkling that somehow, Malakai's insecurities only amplified when in his presence. For months since the commencement of their professional relationship as mentor and apprentice, Jamie had familiarized himself with Malakai's temperament. To be constantly invading the emotions of Malakai, the young empath had an obligation to adapt to his mentor's personality as is the usual routine. Perhaps due to their current dilemma, intrusive yet overwhelmingly depressive thoughts once again pestered Jamie, thoughts which he would usually have suppressed under normal circumstances.
At this point however, not a hint of bewilderment from Jamie as Malakai uttered his apologies. He had also anticipated that this unpremeditated self-defence lesson of Malakai was unlikely to persist under these ominous circumstances. The literal meaning behind Malakai words were nuanced by Jamie's own baseless conception that he was to blame in this scenario. The notion of him being the only one who appreciated their lessons together whereas Malakai was merely forcing himself to tolerate his presence became all the more conceivable to the boy. Jamie, as he has repeatedly stressed to those concerned, lacked the ability to read thoughts. When his gift compares to what other races or even some gifted humans are capable of, he paled in comparison. He remained oblivious to the reasoning behind some TRS official's curious investment in him, as well as the motives behind the AP's pursuit of him. With such facts beyond the reach of his empathic abilities, Jamie has little alternative but to assume... assume that perhaps... his alleged curse has finally caught up to him even here in Lorsette.
Staying true to his earlier resolve, his lips remained shut and he simply nodded in agreement to Malakai's question. His invisible shield visibly whisked away flurries of snow over both their heads. It appears that the longer the linger here, the more Malakai's anxieties will fester. Jamie lacked the resolve and the self-esteem to disclose to Malakai what he believes to be the optimal course of action. It appears as though he is now reluctant to further aggravate his mentor's volatile disposition by putting forth his unorthodox idea. After it became palpable that he has only managed to upset Malakai with his indecisiveness, the boy steeled himself began gradually mustering the resolve to diffuse this incident on his own. If that dangerous man's primary objective was him alone, then Jamie felt that the responsibility rested on him to do something. As calmly and discreetly as conceivably possible, he planned to utilize his empathic abilities to neutralize the threat as soon as he discerns the man's aura.
Jamie meekly strolled closer to his mentor, ambivalent thoughts churning within his already strained mind. The boy has finally gotten tired of agonizing over emotions he had little control over. Casting aside his earlier reservations, he once again altered the flow of Malakai's quivering aura in order to at least alleviate his mentor's uncertainties, as much as it pained him. Throughout their time together, Jamie was ridden with guilt over the relatively frequent usage of his emphatic manipulation towards Malakai. However, Jamie could not bear to see Malakai brooding because of him. As much as possible, Jamie would take extra measures in ensuring that Malakai nor anyone else should have anything to worry about. This was after all, his burden to carry, and as usual... he took it all in by himself... this is what he is used to... With his usual listless expression, he would follow Malakai, his emphatic radar on the watch for that man's particular aura.
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Anxiety was an emotion which was difficult for Malakai to avoid because of his inept social standing and fear-inducing history. Worrisome thoughts would enter his head, his perfectionist side manifesting feelings of self-consciousness even when a job was accomplished with outstanding results. He was never a particularly positive person, this he allowed those thoughts to consume him and the nervousness to proceed with its vicious cycle. It was a miracle he performed excellently on the field where frightful sounds of combat and abhorrent scenes ruled his surroundings. Alas, medicine was his only confidence and everything else somehow became more difficult in comparison. Even as he listened to the soft crunches of snow beneath his feet, he anxiously contemplated how he would explain the intruder incident, despite Jamie likely being required to provide a majority of the information. The bespectacled man was simply a worrywart, concerning himself with his ineptness opposed to the pressure placed on his apprentice.
As they rounded the corner, the front doors of the TRS were open, which was somewhat a pleasant sight for the field medic. Warmth and comfort would be beyond the threshold, but he feared the words, stares and, eventually, allegations thrown at a mysterious individual. The guards glanced at them, eyebrows raised because of their peculiar return after the foolish departure into the blizzard. Naturally, they were unaware of the mentor and his apprentice spent the storm in a safe igloo. Both guards observed their entrance, cautiously analyzing them as they entered the tiled grounds of the TRS medical ward. The bespectacled man paused briefly, initially planning on asking where the higher-ups were presently, but failed. Hard eyes staring at him, perhaps accomplishing a thorough inspection of his soul resulted in Malakai shying away from the smarter choice. Awkwardly, the full-fledged field medic accomplished a few hasty steps forward to escape the situation. Fortunate for the anxious adult, the guard’s initial analysis was adequate to satisfy their observations.
Head down and feet a quiet shuffle, Malakai entered the hallways of the medical ward. Everything quieted down since the blizzard’s brutal winds ceased. Medics were settling into their stations, periodically checking their patients before returning to their original duties. Things moved similar to clockwork with only certain rooms carrying the anxious, fast-paced movements of worried medical staff. The hallways were quieter, most ward medics being delegated their tasks and expected to accomplish them with the utmost skill and capability they could muster. Meanwhile, Malakai found himself wandering down the hallways and quickly considering heading to one of the secretary desks to have somebody summoned. As he walked concerns dissipated, creating a subtle air of calm despite the dire circumstances. Foolishly, the field medic never questioned the soothing, his familiarity with Jamie's empathic manipulation still not providing the knowledge required to recognize it consistently. If anything, Malakai thought his deep, calm breaths and mental pep talks were working. Gradually, the hallways were getting navigated, bringing them closer to the front desk.
Malakai and Jamie trudged through the vast expanse of compacted snow as every ground from within a 10 metre radius from the boy automatically sank. In addition to utilizing his water manipulation abilities as an invisible umbrella to whisk off snowfall, Jamie devoted much of his energy in ensuring that Malakai was comfortable in this short trek. It was after all, his indiscretion which he believed to have distressed Malakai this much, Jamie felt obliged to amend the situation to the best of his abilities. Before too long, the frantic and anguished souls confined within the TRS ward's walls entered Jamie's emphatic radar, causing the looming sense of uneasiness from within the boy to resurface. Even then, the young empath stoically endured as usual, retaining the usual blank expression and persisting with the emotional manipulation of Malakai in order to alleviate his anxieties.
The striking red dot from within Jamie's conceptual radar shone much earlier than expected as the ward's entrance came into sight. Jamie could well discern the man's coordinates, lying in wait, adjacent to the security personnel inside the building. The mere presence of that man's aura was strenuous enough to generate a near palpable fear inside the young empath. Every step is now taken with increasingly trembling legs as they approached the entrance platform. Jamie's similarly shaky hand almost instinctively grasped Malakai's coat from behind, to tug at it so as to signal his distress. The seemingly logical decision would have been to disclose this vital information to his mentor, thereby quickly resolving this situation as TRS superiors would be alerted and the suspect quickly apprehended. Nevertheless, Jamie's intuition warned him against such an act. Much to the boy's torment, his trembling hand stopped halfway from reaching out to Malakai's coat... there was no turning back from this point. It is now clear to Jamie that such a course of action would only serve to induce hardship for the bespectacled medic and in time, potentially endanger the lives of the patients inside... The now overwrought and tense Jamie resolved to stop the malefactor through his own means, whether he liked it or not...
The security personnel had already opened the ward's doors in anticipation of more patients to stream inside from the oncoming ambulances arriving in the distance. Malakai and Jamie stepped inside the opening, almost instantly feeling the surge of warmth radiated by the ward's sophisticated central heating system. In the meanwhile, Jamie's palpitations reached its climax as he gingerly turned left in order to face his tormentor. The relatively harmless looking, scrawny man sported a simple buzz-cut, the lower half of his sullen-looking face concealed by a surgical mask. The man's reddish eyes then widened upon eye contact with his intended target. It appears as though he positioned himself there, in anticipation of Jamie's return, insinuating the increasing possibility of informants feeding this man information and instructions. The gleeful smile the emanated from underneath the man's mask was all too tangible for Jamie, who merely hid under the veil of his listless expression. Fear surged through the deepest recesses of Jamie's soul, and his pursuer's delight only intensified, almost as if able to perceive the boy's fear and actually indulging in it.
A few metres forward and Malakai paused, compelling the internally frightened Jamie to do the same. The young empath briefly eyed Malakai, who seemed to be awkwardly eyeing the TRS guard by their front. The young empath ascertained the medic's intentions, only adding to the overwhelming trepidation threatened to implode from within him. Although tempted to try a hand at fully manipulating Malakai's intent to inform the guard for a fleeting moment, his concerns proved unfounded as Malakai just as quickly resumed his steps and they soon escaped the guards' scrutinizing gazes. In the meanwhile, Jamie could also feel the man revel in both their discomfort. The pursuer seemingly disappeared into the crowd yet the young empath immediately detected that he was in fact, trailing them amidst the sea of people. Already, Jamie's focus shifted away from maintaining his emotional manipulation on Malakai and the medic would have slowly felt his usual anxieties re-emerge as they began traversing the hallways, distancing themselves from the main lobby. Malakai remained at the front whilst the now clearly weary Jamie trailed closely behind, taking into account his pursuer gradually approaching from behind.
Before Jamie passed further into the hallways, he steeled himself and executed his plan. Whilst there was still a considerable distance between him and his pursuer, whom Jamie perceptively classified as a boogeyman, the young empath began to subtly infiltrate the man's psyche via emotional manipulation. Jamie's pace slackened and Malakai continued to lead on. With what remained of his energy, Jamie solely focused on placating the sheer anger which the boogeyman from behind felt. Jamie detected the confusion his pursuer experienced and a moment of pause followed as the boogeyman collected his thoughts. Suddenly the man began shaking and gave Jamie a hard glare. At this point, Jamie felt compelled to stop and look back at his opponent... only to be met with a harrowing illusion that would not have felt out of place in a nightmare. Whar Jamie saw was pure blackness, with neither Malakai nor the others in sight. All that remained was the illusion of the boogeyman slowly shifting into a wretched form, reminiscent of a fear terror. Jamie froze in place, eyes widened as the boogeyman closed in. In Jamie's eyes, the monster, with its fleshless cadaver for a face approached. Nevertheless, the boy held on... exhausting what little energy he had left in placating his enemy's mental state... both the man and the boy stood in place, and a most peculiar standstill occurred. Jamie began feeling faint... it became clear that he would fall under enemy hands if nothing is done...
[attr="class","hearmenand2"]Medical staff had long abandoned the hallways in favour of treating the citizens inside their assigned rooms, meanwhile, anybody merely seeking shelter from the brutal winds were safely stowed away in the training center's gymnasium. Guardless and wandering through mostly empty hallways after his apprentice mentioned being followed was beyond a stupid decision. Regrets flooded through Malakai's mind, the bespectacled man chiding himself for displaying his timidness in a crucial moment. Alas, social interaction conquered necessity and manifested a stupid decision. While they proceeded down the hallways, anxious and self-critical throughout the weaving. Meagre comfort was provided with the notion of the medical ward still having many people. Nobody would strike in this crowded location, right? The dark-haired man fed the belief, although, hesitance still marked his steps as endless worries fluttered through his mind. Pacifying concerns was never an easy task for Malakai, especially when fretting over his own decisions. A soft sigh escaped Malakai's lips as they continued down the hallway.
Casually, the bespectacled man glanced over his shoulder to check on his apprentice, however, his eyes promptly widened as he realized the gravity of his decision. There, somebody stood, closing in on his motionless apprentice, farther than expected. The danger was emanate, cards revealed in a single move, the bespectacled man believing he discovered the individual Jamie mentioned.
Hastily, Malakai's hand darted into the depths of his coat, fingers touching the smooth, hardcover spine of his tome. Steps drove him closer as his fingers wrapped around the back of his tome. Without even fully revealing the magical book, words escaped the fully-fledged field medic's lips, quickly pronounced as commands were made. Negative emotions were abandoned, the bashful man's on-field nature displaying itself in these dire moments. The shift was sudden, not promoted by anybody pulling a string, but rather, the necessities of duty.
"Wind, push back the enemy, exclude Jamie!" Commands were provided in Latin by Malakai to the surrounding air.
Mere words commanded the wind in the hallway to rush forward, avoiding Jamie and heading straight towards the individual Malakai considered an enemy. The words made the air move in a manner designed to push rather than tear into flesh. The powerful shot of air would force the man back unless he discovered a method to defend himself. The book was tugged out of his coat as the bespectacled medic rushed forward, softly grabbing Jamie's arm. A subtle glow transcended over the book's design to display the magic coursing through the tome. The faint blue glow remained for seconds before fading, tome waiting for further use from the warlock. Worry was obvious on his expression as he closed in, his duty to protect others coaxing courage. Despite his regularly timid personality, Malakai refused to allow others to get injured if there was something he could do to counter the situation. There was only one individual who would frighten him down to his core; the person who tormented him when he lived in New Brunswick.
"Jamie?! Are you okay?!" He questioned, somewhat panicked.
Quickly, the field medic glanced around, noticing the sudden ruckus had caught the attention of other medics in the area. Some were already speaking into radios about the situation in the medical ward, which was a relief to Malakai. However, his concerns were aimed at Jamie and the possibility of the mysterious man returning. Temporarily, the bespectacled man's magic could push the man away, however, his ineptness in battle summoned some concerns. Despite these fretful thoughts, the full-fledged medic was determined to protect his apprentice further if it was required of him. The tight grip around the tome's spin was maintained as Malakai's eyes flitted between Jamie and the hallway. Should the man decide to make another attempt, Malakai was mentally preparing to manifest a shield.
[ DISCLAIMER* I tried using Google Translate to get the Latin phrasing, but when I double checked to see if it was correct (AKA: translated the Latin back to English) the phrase was completely different and kept changing, so I will just leave the English equivalent with bold/italic. ]
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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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