Discover the Power

[Miss Mack]

A world in which magic and Steampunk collide. Wizardry is a common art, and, although not many possess the gift, the ones that do don’t have much power at all. They can cast a few illumination spells or cause a spark at their fingertips, but that’s it. Two teens, however, are particularly gifted, and the tyrannical government has gotten wind of them. In order to escape the grasp of the assassins dispatched to wipe them out, the pair must scramble across a Steampunk, post-apocalyptic world in search for freedom, liberty, and justice.

 

[Miss Mack]

Bliss bit her lip gently and sat in the corner of a dark alley, taking slow, deep breaths. She had been running for an hour straight now and thought she had outrun the officers once more. Bliss gasped and relaxed a bit, not seeing or hearing any human life for twenty minutes. Okay, calm down. Find somewhere to rest. She thought, nodding a bit at her silent words as she stood. She shakily began to walk, using her short stature to her advantage by being able to squeeze into small places. Bliss had managed to travel a few blocks but was so tired, she leaned against a wall and sank to her bum, sitting down and slowly falling asleep.

 

[Gospeller]

Damnit, damnit, damnit, damnit! Isaac grunted lowly to himself as he sprinted as quickly as he could. Why were they here? Had they been chasing someone else? The boy was unlucky enough to have caught the eye of Bliss' chasing Officers, leading their chase to a new twist. His neck twisting left and right, Isaac, naturally, looked into the many deep, dark alleys that he ran past. If anywhere, it would be the most appropriate place to hide, as these alleys were vast and numerous. After taking a sharp turn around a block, he darted into one of the alleys - as fate would have it, it would be that one of Bliss. Seeing the small figure leaning against the wall, Isaac rapidly skidded down to his knees next to her before throwing a cape-like blanket of thin, dark cloth over both of their heads. A hand shot out to cover her mouth. "Shhh!" he hissed, his heart pounding as he sat there in silence and heard the patrol sprinting past them. The very wind caused by the Officers' running caused the cloth to slightly waver. Luckily, he had managed to successfully camouflage the two of them momentarily. As the noise died down in the distance, Isaac let out a loud sigh, simply staying as he was in a sense of relief.

 

[Miss Mack]

Bliss had stayed there for several moments, catching her breath and trying to regain her thoughts. She looked around for somewhere, anywhere, else to go that wasn't so open. Just as Bliss began to get to her feet, she yelped as a male figure and running towards her. She felt cloth covering them both and his hand basically cutting off her yell like a knife cutting cheese. Bliss pressed herself against the wall behind her, as far away from the stranger as possible as she herd the officers run past. He's a guard. He's here to take me. I am going to die. Is all Bliss thought which added to her panic. She pushed him away from her after the officers had gone. Gasping for air, the girl doubled over and coughed several times, trying to regain her breath. "A simple... 'Keep quiet' would have... Suffices." Bliss said softly after her coughing had died down. She took one shaky, deep breath and sat up again, leaning against the wall.

 

[Gospeller]

Isaac gives Bliss somewhat of a dirty look at first, eyeing her up and down for a few seconds as he attempts to evaluate her. After a few moments of silence, he mutters lowly. "Y-...Yeah I guess ... but better safe than sorry, right?" He leans against the wall and yawns, still next to her. "Now, I am not all too educated or anything," he starts, a slight tint of suspicion dripping from his voice, "but you accepted hiding from the Officers far too easily. You in trouble as well?" An eyebrow perks at Bliss, as Isaac had especially noticed the shakiness of her breath. At the moment, the teenager came across as somewhat blunt and perhaps even aggressive, a commanding demeanour.

 

[Miss Mack]

Bliss used the palm of her hand to rub her eye and then try and wipe some of the dirt and grime off of her face. She couldn't help but feel like this boy was judging her as he looked at her. "Straight forward, are we?" Bliss said with a small smile before continuing, "But yes. I'm in trouble for something I didn't ask for. I could say the same about you. Why were you running from the officers?" She bit her lip and ran her fingers through her black hair as she glanced around every couple of seconds, expecting to see more officers turn up and take them away. He's working for them. I know it. Keep your cool, don't let him know that you know. Bliss thought as she put a fake smile on her lips. She was almost 100% sure that this other boy was working as an agent for the government to track her down.

 

[Gospeller]

The boy's rigid expression softened considerably, as he let out a loud sigh, his shoulders falling as the tension left his body. "Thank all that is holy, you had me worried there for a while." He shakes his head left and right, rubbing his eyes with his index finger and thumb. From the looks of it, he had spent a few sleepless nights, and was not all too used to the grimy environment; his otherwisely handsome-ish features had been obliterated by it. Isaac's clothes were slightly torn and dirtied, one of his wide shoulders poking out of the largest hole in his loose, linen shirt. By all appearances, were it not for the huge amount of wear-and-tear, one would imagine Isaac to have been someone from the middle-class of the post-apocalyptic society, some of the slightly more privileged that walked about the run-down towns and cities. "Me?" For a few seconds, he was caught off guard by her question. "I'm bein' chased because ... because ... " Struggling for an answer, he finally responds. "That shouldn't be any of your business - though I am not anymore guilty than anyone else. Simply because I was born a tad' different, doesn't mean I should be given different rights." Eyebrows knotted, he pouts momentarily before grabbing the cloth he had previously covered the two of them in and holding it by his side. Reaching into his large, torn pocket, he grabbed a piece of bread and broke it in two, offering one piece to Bliss before he even attempted to bite into his own. It's the last of my provisions - I might as well share it. Isaac had concluded that Bliss was in no better position than his own, and did not mind sharing. "If you're not gonna' have it, it just means more for me." He muttered somewhat carelessly, refusing to make eye-contact. The boy preferred to not show direct acts of kindness in an out-going fashion.

 

[Miss Mack]

Bliss watched him carefully, almost as if he was a child. She gently took the bread from him and nibbled a bit on the crust as she listened to him speak. Sounds like me... Born different... Bliss thought, swallowing and paying close attention to everything this boy did. She nodded and closed her eyes, pulling her knees to her chest when he finished speaking. "First off, thank you," she said, motioning to the bread, "Second," Bliss continued, "Being born a bit different is hard. Do not fear, I understand. You could say I was born with a few... How to say this... Mishaps." She bit her lip and took another bite of bread before speaking again, "However, if you're being chased because of something you cannot change or had no say in, why are you still running? Sounds like none of it was your fault anyways." Bliss pulled her navy blue denim jacket tightly around her, storing the bread she didn't eat in her pocket. Her black hair was tangled and matted in several places, but she still somehow managed to look mildly attractive. He's fairly good looking - No, I can't think like that. Bliss shook her head to herself and looked up at the polluted sky, biting the inside of her cheek roughly. Her emerald green eyes almost searching for an answer in the sluggish brown clouds as the moved across the horizon. "Why run if you can't hide?" Bliss said gently, almost speaking to herself rather than the boy.

 

[Gospeller]

Gives a simple nod as Bliss gives her thanks, though pauses momentarily as she continues speaking. Mishaps? Isaac stopped mid-bite, his light-blue eyes aimed directly into hers. "Because the world just ain't fair." He gives a light shrug as he finishes wolfing down the bread. "I'm not running because I am guilty, I am just running because ... well, it is the only thing I have thought of so far. What else is there really to do, unless you are planning on marching to the door-steps of the government itself and tear it down brick for brick." The idea itself was absolute ludicrous, and Isaac recognized this with a scoff. Stopping his borderline revolutionary speech, he eyes Bliss up and down again. What he was looking at or looking for was unknown, but his eyes seemed to constantly sway over her at times. Kind'a pre-... A cough interrupts his thoughts. "Who wants to hide?" He asks questioningly, a brow raising ever so slightly. "I'd rather run than hide - I mean, it has its perks ... sort'a. And when you run, you get stronger and stronger, and, maybe one day, you won't have to anymore." Another scoff escapes his throat. "I'd rather run than hide, but that's just me." A hand reaches to scratch the back of his neck, as he breaks eye contact again, a habit of his, looking away with a sense of humility. "You're awfully poetic for a stranger, y'know."

 

[Miss Mack]

Bliss played with the hem of her shirt as she listened to him silently. She had been running for two years now from the government and hiding just didn't seem like an option anymore because she would always be found. Brick by brick... She thought, her eyes narrowing on a small, loose cobblestone on the wall across the alley. Bliss was silent for a few moments after he had finished speaking, choosing out her next words carefully before she herself spoke, "I wouldn't call it poetic. I would call my words.... The truth." She sighed and brushed her hair with her fingers, flattening it a bit. Her hair was cut in a very choppy and disorganized fashion, with random layers here and there but her small, round face was easily framed by her black bangs that hung in front of her eyes, almost closing Bliss off from the world. "Look, thanks for the food and all, but I think we both have to keep moving." Bliss said, glancing up at the sky again and squinting her eyes. Our time will come. Eventually... Be patient. The words of her father rang through her ears as she nodded silently to them.

 

[Gospeller]

Isaac's head tilts to the side inquisitively. "Going? Where?" A wide smile forms on his face. "Y'wanna' continue running?" His knuckles punch his palm, and he squeezes them, a low crack escaping his hands. "Sure, sure - but if that is how you want it, then you will have to lead the way." Despite how unlikely her request of pairing up was, if it was made at all, Isaac simply rolled with it. Better with someone else than stuck alone, right? A strong arm reached down to her, hoping to help her up. However, this approach was careful; the young man had noticed that Bliss was a withdrawn person - it reflected in her speech and her mannerism, giving her a special kind of air. A rare kind of air. "So, where are we goin' ... -" He gave her a slow, waving nod, as if expecting her to introduce herself at some point.

 

[Miss Mack]

"Going somewhere without rule." She said gently, biting her lip and trying not to flinch a bit at his cracking bones. Bliss shivered a bit then took a deep breath, taking his hand in hers and using it to stand up. When she reached full height, the girl was clearly half a foot shorter than Isaac. A small smile danced on her lips as she considered the thought of traveling with him. Better than being alone, that's for sure. Bliss was thinking of where to go, but a dull sound rang in her ears. Then she panicked a bit, realizing that the ringing had been the boy speaking. Her panic subdued when she remembered what the boy said. "Bliss. My- my name is Bliss. But like I said, somewhere without rule. I'm leaving the city." She spoke softly, but her voice was firm and full of strength, proving that Bliss was not going to change her mind over this. "Are you going to come with me... Um...." She was searching for his name, biting her lip occasionally as te young girl awaited for him to reveal his name.

 

[Gospeller]

"Isaac - as in the books of the old. Parents had weird taste." He grins sheepishly at her. "Pleasure to meet you, Bliss." She was somewhat small, but that just added to her withdrawn personality - she seemed weak, if anything, and the young man could not help but be overwhelmed with a strange need to protect her. Shaking it aside, he continued speaking. "Yeah, for now. I mean, if we're both just sort'a wandering, then why not? Better two than alone. We can watch each other's backs n'the like." Nodding firmly, he spins on his heel and starts to walk out of the alley, a hand waving behind him in a gesture - asking her to follow. "Do you know this town by any chance? I come from ... quite far away. Not familiar at all around here." Turning around and looking Bliss square in the eye, he puts his hands on his hips, hoping that she had superior knowledge of the area.

 

[Miss Mack]

Bliss raised an eyebrow at him, dubious of the way he said her name. "Better two than alone, yes." The girl said simply. She had to almost jog to keep up with his long strides as she nodded and looked around, speaking softly as if only to be herd by Isaac, "I've been here for five weeks, so I know the layout of the city fairly well. We just need to keep away from the enforcement office," she pointed to a seemingly random building then turned and pointed to a slightly golden glowing building, "As well as steer clear of the training facility. I've gotten to the windows... They're doing horrid things in there to people... Trying to make them stronger, give them more magic." Bliss finished speaking, her voice almost inaudible. She took a shallow breath and looked down at her hands, almost as if they would explode. Like they could have been a time bomb, ready to be set off at any given moment. Bliss looked up at Isaac and couldn't help but feel like she needed to stay with him, like he could be a buoy in this dark sea of the government.

 

[Gospeller]

"M-magic?" Despite his attempt at hiding his stutter at the mention of the word, he could not help himself. He shook his head left and right, as if it would shake off the worries he was currently feeling. Isaac took special note of the way that Bliss spoke and behave herself. Is she ... alright? She was more than withdrawn - there was something almost off about her, as if she had seen things ... perhaps even done things that could have caused this. "...What do you know of magic?" He said, his tone heavy as cascading rocks. The young man's eyebrows knotted again, a signature facial expression for whenever he was either concerned or dubious. Crossing his arms across his chest, he eyed her up and down as he seemed to have a habit of doing. "Or rather, why have you highlighted them so specifically? To stay away from there?" Isaac's questions fired at her like bullets, and, though barely noticeable, he took a slight shuffle backwards as she looked upon her own hands.

 

[Miss Mack]

Bliss shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket and looked down at the ground. Each word he spoke hit her like a poision dipped arrow. She could tell he stepped backwards a bit, being able to hear his clothing move as he did so. She took a deep breath and nodded. "Magic, yes. I-I know... Or more of I have seen powerful magic. Far beyond simple illusion spells or small sparks from the fingers." Bliss bit her lip and ran her fingers through her hair, both of these actions clearly being nervous habits of hers. She took shallow and quick breaths, trying to explain herself. "The enforcement facility houses all of the officers and if you get caught they send you to the training center. Don't get caught and don't get tortured. Simple. They want me because I'm strange and something new. I'm running because I don't want to be tested. Okay? Okay." Her words were rushed and slurred together. Bliss didn't even stop for breath until she finished talking. "Just- don't ask any questions or you'll put yourself into danger." She said softly, looking down at the ground and shuffling her feet from side to side nervously.

 

[Gospeller]

Isaac fell silent for a while, his jaw slightly dropped as he attempted to process what had just happened. Hold up ... "What do you mean by 'strange'? What do you mean by 'new'?" He took a sudden step forwards and grabbed both of her hands, bringing them up as he stared right into the windows of her soul. "Are you ... more?" The way he said it - perhaps it was all that was needed to explain what he meant. The intensity in his light-blue eyes gave a sense of unknown companionship, as if he knew what she was talking about. "I'm already in bloody danger, so don't worry about that - now answer me, are you an anomaly?" An anomaly; something that is not supposed to be there, an abnormality, something peculiar.

 

[Miss Mack]

Bliss gasped and closed her eyes, dropping her head and shuffling her feet side to side again. The nerves were slowly getting to her and the way he spoke and loomed over her terrified Bliss. "I mean that I'm-" she started to say before stopping, taking a deep breath. "Wizardry is common. But not like how it is in me." She said softly, her voice low and gentle as if hiding something in between her words. Bliss took a shaky breath and gripped Isaac's hands, squeezing them once before pulling her hands away from his and opening her palms. She cupped her hands together and a small cherry tree began to grow in Bliss' palms. She then used one hand and waved it over the tree, shooting it with poerful sparks from her fingers. All that was left in the girl's hands was a small pile of ash.

 

[Gospeller]

The young man blinks a few times, before placing one hand in his pocket pointing at the pile of ash with his free finger. Twirling his finger lightly, the pile of ash spiraled into a tornado-like shape in Bliss' palms before scattering into the wind, leaving her with nothing. After a few seconds of silence, a wide, sheepish grin formed on Isaac's face. "Who would've guessed, eh?" Seemed that the two of them were on more of a similar ground than he could possibly have thought of. "For ... how long?" He nodded towards her empty palms, clearly suggesting a question about what he had just witnessed. His other hand also fits into his pocket shortly after, as he takes a few cautious looks around the street they were standing in. I doubt we are safe here ... at least for much longer. But his interest had been piqued, and he had to know more about this ... Bliss.

 

[Miss Mack]

Bliss' eyes grew wide at the small tornado in her hands, almost in sheer terror, excitement, or shock. It took the girl a few moments to recuperate her senses and fully realize what just happened. She bit her lip and slowly dropped the ash onto the ground, not looking at Isaac as she knelt down. "Ever since I was a young girl..." Bliss said gently, referring to how long she had been aware of her powers. "What are the chances of us meeting... The two teens gifted..." Her voice faded out and she finished the thought, or two lost souls who have been cursed. She shook her head a bit and stood back up. "We need to get moving. Soon. The officers will be back soon. This time with more of them..." Bliss bit her lip and leaned out from the alley, looking around before sighing in relief and walking out to the street. "Come on. Don't just stand there. We need to go." She whispered to him, almost clinging to the shadows as she walked. Or... The shadows clinging to her.

 

[Gospeller]

Gave her a few eager nods as he followed, as smoothly as he possibly could. However, unlike her, he was far taller and stockier, which made it a tad difficult to move about as stealthily. Much like her, he had known from a young age as well; they were different. Other's made light, they could manipulate elements. It was a gap in power that did not come with training, but with a natural talent. Anomaly. The word painfully rang in his head. It was the most educated way to put it. With a low hiss, Isaac whispered back to her. "Where are we going? What'cha got planned?" He constantly shot gazes behind him, ensuring that nothing, or no one, were following them. "Do you know the odds of this? It's mathematically ... impossible! W-...We need to organize! What if there are others? We wouldn't need to hide an-..." The young man quieted down, understanding that he was being over-ambitious.

 

[Miss Mack]

Bliss turned around and covered Isaac's mouth before he could say anything else. Her large green eyes met his and she gave him the look of "shut-up-or-we-die" and then stepped back, releasing his mouth. She placed her finger to her lips, the universal sign for shush. The young girl then motioned for him to follow, taking the easist route for the tall, stocky man. Bliss would have already been at her destination by now, using the small holes she dug out but Isaac clearly would not have fit. After a couple of minutes, she slowed down and came to an alley that seemed darker than the rest. Bliss blew on her fingertips and a small ball of light appeared, just like it was a flashlight. She walked down the alley then pulled aside a small, wooden board and climbed into the tunnel, praying that Isaac would fit. "Suck in your gut and hope for the best." Bliss whispered to him, climbing further into the tunnel.

 

[Gospeller]

Isaac is promptly hushed, a look of surprise on his face as Bliss seemed, for a few seconds, capable of a borderline act of violence. It was a strange switch in character; whilst before she was withdrawn and shy, she now seemed like a natural leader, taking complete control of the situation. "Guess we're even for shushin' then." He mutters lowly as he follows. Heaving and breathin', he manages to keep up with Bliss' pace - she was a sly one, a small one, a quick one. Giving a impressed nod to her make-shift flashlight magic, he looks at the tunnel. With little hope, he just manages to get his wide shoulders through, after which the rest of him comes through somewhat easily. The further and further they went into the tunnel, the more confident Isaac became as far as talking went. He now allowed himself to talk a bit above a whisper. "...Where are we going? Sheesh -... This tunnel is way too tight."

 

[Miss Mack]

Bliss smiled to herself then sighed as she kept crawling. Soon, she could smell fresh air and could practically taste it. The end of the tunnel emerged and she climbed out first, stepping onto a small platform that had a makeshift shelter made out of scrap metal and some of Bliss's things lying around. She turned around and offered her hand to Isaac, giving him help out of the tunnel. "You could say we are even. But sorry, about the tunnel being small. I made it just for my size. Didn't really expect somebody of your stature coming here. " The young girl said gently, her cheeks a bit flushed from being in a small space for so long and crawling the whole time. There was even more dirt and grime on her clothes and all over Bliss's fair skin, making her seem tanner and darker than she really was. She huffed a bit from the journey, but her breathing was slowing down and becoming more relaxed. Although being small, Bliss still hated tight spaces, she was incredibly claustrophobic.

 

[Gospeller]

He had no problem with taking any help he could get from the girl to escape this tight spot. Firmly grasping her hand, he managed to pull himself out with her help. Exhaling loudly, equally flustered, he eyed her up and down once more. Taking a deep breath in sync with her, he stood up straight and attempted to stretch to the best of his capabilities. Looking around, he took into account the mess of small things scattered about; scrap metals and all such kinds were made into a make-shift shelter. "So this is your safe zone?" He looked around, somewhat impressed. "Not all too bad - though for five weeks, you could've done better." Another sheepish grin forms on his face as he attempts to remember the way they took to get here. If he was ever to get into trouble again, he could simply skimp over here, right? "So what's the plan Blissy'?" Both of his arms crossed over his chest, puffing him up somewhat. "Should we sit here and make some tea and then -... yeah?" A slight chuckle escapes him as he talks in a joking tone, despite the fact that it might be a tad' inappropriate, considering their situation, and that they had just met. He felt oddly comfortable around her; it was most probably because of the instant bond that formed between them - or at least for him - when their abnormalities had fused. When they were both the same. It was such a comradeship that was usually only made in the heat of war or in true struggle.