Miranda brought him back to Tingen street where she had bought an apartment complex, with two adjoining apartments made into one as her home. Sometimes when the employment agency gets overwhelming, Sage would crash here and in exchange he would make breakfast for two.
Once inside, Miranda smacked Sage on the back of the head.
"The fuck is that for?"
"The fuck were you thinking? Eating a beyonder characteristic raw?"
"A what?"
Sage recalled the laws of mysticism his Father taught him.
The Law of Beyonder Characteristics Indestructibility, all Beyonder Characteristics come from the Oldest One. They are like energy, it can transform from one shape to another but its value will remain the same and will not be destroyed. When a Beyonder is killed, it is naturally from them to expel beyonder characteristics of their level.
The Law of Beyonder Characteristics Convergence, since all emerge from the Oldest One, it is only natural it returns to the Oldest One. You're more likely to meet other Beyonders after becoming one and it becomes more obvious when you advance.
That would make sense to how he became a beyonder. He couldn't believe he forgot such important details. Sage was relaxed in the presence of Miranda, allowing her to see his emotions as it is.
"Sometimes I forget your brain is hardwired for food and fights. But you not being a monster is a miracle. Now tell me what's new with you."
Sage sat in a chair while Miranda took out a book and started flipping through the pages. "What's that?" Sage asked.
"My book on beyonders. I have a collection of sequences from different pathways but most stop at Sequence 7. I have both Beyonder sequences name and abilities so tell me what you know so I can narrow the pathway."
He wanted to ask how she got all those but he had a faint idea he knew. "Anyways, I can lockpick, read maps and blueprints. Control my face and heart. I am a lot stronger and lighter and I can use anything as a weapon."
Miranda sighed as she looked up from the book, "Bitch, The only new shit you said was: control your face and heart. Everything else is just you being you."
He frowned. Miranda was right, he had a criminal background thanks to King Oyster and combat experience thanks to his Father.
"I feel more entitled to my desires. I want to drink, I want to fight. I want to look at women, feel them even. Today, I noticed a lot more than usual. Did you know you have a small mole on your hip and another on-"
Miranda punched him in the arm, cursing under her breath while he giggled.
Still, he didn't tell her the whole truth. Beyond the desires to indulge himself like every common man, he had this drive. A need for violence and brutality. Ever since meeting King Oyster, he kept seeing glimpses of ways to kill him along with the painting.
"Is the stone you ate, reddish with black spots?" Miranda said, grabbing his attention.
Sage nodded as Miranda took a deep breath.
"Good news. I found your pathway. Bad news, you're a Sequence 9 Criminal of the Criminal pathway or the Abyss pathway. Although I am curious, how the fuck are you not a monster?"
He shrugged, unsure of the events that happened after his dive into the ocean. He didn't remember much from The Sun Strider except for two things for sure. The Sun Strider wasn't sunk and the sailor is alive with a scar. Why did Jacques betray them? Was the chest the true reason they were lost? So many questions but he had to handle matters at hand.
Tired from thinking, Sage took a small leap from the chair, using his new strength and agility to crash into Miranda's bed with minimal effort. He missed the softness of a proper bed.
"Are you not listening? Sage, there are consequences to every action you make. The churches are not friendly with the Abyss beyonders and your siblings will certainly beat the shit out of you." Miranda said, throwing the thick book at him. The book would strike him square in the back but he wouldn't move.
Her words made sense however. The Tenbrooks were a family of beyonders and adventurers, each walking a pathway of their choosing but the key theme had always been the same: Honour, glory and justice.
"It's been years since any of us talked, Shark. But I will write to them afterwards. King Oyster wants me in his warehouse in two days so I'm going to spend the next two days here."
He heard Miranda scoff from the living room, followed by the sound of liquid splashing into a glass. Wine to handle his bullshit probably.
"I guess I need to reschedule my men to the Red Theatre and for fuck sakes, change the sheets after you sleep. You sweat worse than a pig. Help yourself to the pantry, I have work."
"Bye!" Sage called out as he pulled the silk sheets over him. He may be an abyss beyonder that dealt with crime but as of now, he desired sleep and so he will sleep.
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The blackness folded infinitely over itself, rising into the shape of a man. The smell of sulfur burned Sage's nose as the thing cloaked in endless darkness stood before him once again.
It did not speak.
Instead, it turned and placed a rotting hand against the wall. Darkness spread from its touch, swallowing everything until Sage could see nothing but endless black. He did not dare move. He feared that if he took a step, he would fall into the void and descend forever.
Then the darkness shifted.
Nine towering pillars rose from the abyss. Eight remained silent and dim, but one glowed faintly, chains hanging from it with broken shackles. Did something break free? Before he could think further, the cloaked figure moved again. Its rotting hand pointed toward a distant mountain peak shaped like a monster, waiting in the darkness.
For a brief moment, behind the monstrous peak, Sage thought he saw countless faint eyes blinking within the darkness.
The figure said nothing yet Sage understood.
Find thyself.
He woke up, the sheets drenched in cold sweat. "Fuck me." he cursed, knowing Miranda would stab him if he dared to leave it as it is. He checked the time, noticing it was only 9:13pm. He had slept for roughly three hours before he was woken up by the dream. Dreams of beyonders often had a reason or meaning to them but he couldn't make sense of it. Instead of trying to interpret the dream, Sage decided to clean. Miranda was a messy woman with a lack of care where her stuff could be. "I'll know where it is," she would say. Sage could only laugh, knowing Miranda was going to put him in a headlock for touching her clothes.
After spending half an hour just cleaning, Sage found a slim steel dagger. Calling it a dagger was generous, if anything it was closer to an ice pick.
Still, it was a weapon.
Upon touching a proper weapon, he felt a strange warmth in his chest and a sudden realization that he could tell if he was being watched or not and if his target would be a danger to him.
Baffled by the delay of information, Sage could only conclude that it could be a side effect from eating the beyonder characteristic instead of drinking it as a potion. He also concluded he was going to need a drink and the best place for a drink? The seaweed bar.
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[A/N: meow]
Hewwo, I will be experimenting with scene dividers for a bit so do let me know of your thoughts on them. Personally? I like it. So here's a cat for y'all
へ ♡ ╱|,
૮ - ՛ ) (` - 7
/ ⁻ ៸| |,⁻〵
乀 (ˍ, ل ل じしˍ,)ノ
ps: if you have cat pics or cat art feel free to share them. (This is a threat. Gimme all the cats you have) :3