SoK Chapter 190

“So you’re gonna make a storm, and this time we’re actually going to go up there?“ Farid couldn’t keep the hint of humor from his voice as he asked. “You’re not going to… I don’t know, have another vision or decide that you need to go on some journey of self enlightenment really quick? Because if that’s what you’re gonna do, I was about to get some sleep and I wouldn’t mind getting the rest.”

“I would say I resent that, if it wasn’t all entirely accurate,” TJ laughed, “but this time, yes. I can guarantee I’m not about to get some enlightenment when I re-create this storm. I’m going to take six minutes to form it, then we’ll get moving just a couple minutes after that. Maybe 15 minutes before we’re in the air. Also, I know you don’t really need sleep that bad, none of us do.”

“Well that’s simple enough.” Farid answered, his joking tone melting away. “Is there anything you want me to tell the rest before we go? Again?”

TJ just waved off the last jab and instead met Sarah and Seth’s eyes. “You two should be able to keep everything under control here while we’re gone, right?”

“Aren’t you just asking if we can make sure that nobody gets lost trying to find a toilet? Yeah, I can manage that. It won’t take much from us since everybody’s going to sleep. Unless you're planning on that not being the case, I guess I can figure out however to deal with the new twists and turns you have to throw my way.“ Going off of how she leveled a gaze at Seth, TJ knew just who would be in charge of actually taking care of whatever difficulties arose that weren’t of the “kill the monster that appeared” nature. Even so, he was also well aware of who Sarah was, that she would be reliable in a crisis and would help whoever needed it. On the other hand, not much help when it came to the minutia of ruling.

“That’s all I really expected from you. Keep people safe if anything happens, we should be back without incident.“

“You know, TJ,” Seth said, “people call that raising flags.”

He squinted, no idea of what the younger man was saying. Seth seemed to think a little bit more about it and added, “It’s like saying you’re jinxing it. You know, you’re saying that nothing should go wrong, and because you said that, now something's going to go wrong.”

“So why didn’t you just say ‘you’re jinxing it’?”

“Don’t act like we didn’t say things that didn’t make any sense to our parents.” Sarah shook her head and backed up the teenager as Seth’s mouth opened for a second before he shrugged helplessly. “Kids are always making up new turns of phrase and new slang words. I don’t know why you’re acting like this is some huge surprise.”

TJ waved them off and said, “I’ll trust you have it in hand, then. I'll see you later.”

Without further ado, TJ activated a Stormcaller. It was mostly the same as before it had been integrated into Storm Serpent, but there was something qualitatively different now, something that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Fortunately, he supposed, Sarah was still nearby, and her gasp of surprise pulled him out of his Skill’s activation. As he opened his eyes, TJ saw the source of Sarah’s surprise. Behind him glimmered a representation of himself when he was a coatl. It was coiled in a concentric circle that had its head in the center, pointed up towards the sky. From its mouth flowed a constant cloud of pale blue mist, clouds that seemed to be turning into snow as they continued to do whatever they were doing.

“You get a new Skill or something? Fuuuuuuuck I need to catch up!” Sarah‘s words dripped with a certain measure of envy, though she didn’t seem to be upset at all. Instead, she grinned at TJ and shook her head.

“Something like that. Maybe it’ll even help you as my Valkyrie sometime.” TJ shrugged, and as Sarah‘s eyebrows widened and she went to ask a question, TJ said, “And I said I was gonna get this done, I don’t wanna make myself a liar. Don’t bother me. Talk to you later.”

He enjoyed having the opportunity to get one back on Sarah, given her constant teasing, though he almost felt like he couldn’t, or shouldn’t, allow himself to find any joy in this world. His son’s life was still in danger, he was still fighting against literal monsters from storybooks and people were dying every day. He shouldn’t allow himself any levity. That thought was poisonous, though, and TJ pushed it from his mind. Instead, he forced himself to enjoy the moment before going off to battle. He was joking with friends, friends who supported him and who wanted him to be happy. He and Farid were about to put their lives in danger, and allowing himself a small bit of relaxation, to loosen up, would benefit him in the long run.

Throwing himself once more into the usage of Stormcaller, TJ pushed his stamina most of all into the creation of this new, gentle snowstorm. His Stamina would be necessary in the upcoming fight, but more than his Stamina, his HP and MP would allow him to consume and stop every one of the thunderbirds’ attacks. He still didn’t even know how many of them were still up there, and if they were even in the sky still. The winds seemed to listen to his own concerns about the current location of the birds and sought them out. As, in his mind, the winds pulled moisture and pressure and frigid air into the air from all over, the winds also rustled through leaves, feathers, furs, and clouds to find the location of his next prey. The sight that the winds brought back was not visible, but he understood it just as easily. There, maybe 2 miles above them, was a cloud. At least, the winds told him it was a cloud, but it couldn’t be a cloud because the thunderbirds were nesting there. And, as he suspected, the monsters were proven not to be solitary creatures.

At least six nests were in this cloud, and one of the residents seemed to wake up as the storm–forming moisture swept in TJ‘s direction. Even so, what could it do? TJ’s storm was forming, and he deliberately pushed away all of the forces that would generate notable amounts of electricity. He wouldn’t be helping these thunderbirds to launch their attack on him. Instead, he would deprive them of everything they needed as he and his subordinate flew into the heavens and ripped them from their perches.

Something whispered in his head about how these birds didn’t deserve to die simply for their existence, but the rest of him demanded that they die because they would want to hunt him every time he entered into the skies, just as he had seen earlier today. Was that only today? Everything that had happened in so short of a time, flowed through his mind, and TJ grumbled to himself. Sure, it was going to be days like today that gave him levels more quickly, but he also needed to take a little bit of time to actually be in his town. If not, would he be able to retain any measure of his humanity when he finally hit Silver tier and brought Junior to the world again?

After taking a couple moments to enjoy the space and his opportunity to speak with other people he cared about, TJ was ready. He enjoyed the opportunity to listen to the wind for a couple minutes, but as the snow settled on his nose, it was finally, finally time for him to go out on the hunt. When he opened his eyes, Farid waited there, though TJ was pretty sure that he saw a measure of hope for rest in the Acolyte’s face. When TJ transformed, Farid stood tall and nodded. 

“Alright. I have an idea to make sure I don’t fall to my death while riding you, if you’re willing to give it a try.”

“Go ahead.”

“Do you know what a bridle is?”

***

Strangely, the improvised bridle that Michelle had made out of only partially cured monster leather wasn’t too uncomfortable. She’d mentioned something about using the metal from Asanbosam claws or some of the higher quality ores from the Golem’s body in creating a better bit to fit between his jaws, but TJ immediately shut it down. He didn’t mind the idea of being ridden by his followers into battle, but using high quality materials to create the bridle? Not worth it. While he’d been talking with her, though, he’d told her to keep every part of the thunderbirds he’d hunted whole, since he had a good feeling about 

“But you’ve got me?” Farid asked for the fourth time. “Like, if I fall?”

“That hasn’t changed. I don’t know what else I can say to prove that I don’t want you to die and will work to make sure you don’t turn into a pancake on the ground. I’d rather we both leave the fight without killing a single monster than wiping them out at the cost of your life.”

Farid nodded, and TJ watched as he psyched himself into getting on. Eventually, he stepped over TJ’s body and straddled the serpent while grasping the bridle tight in both hands. Despite fear apparent in his face, TJ couldn’t help but rib him, saying, “You know, you’ll need to let go with at least one hand before we get into the fight.”

He also didn’t give any more explanation as he rose up, effortlessly carrying Farid into the sky as the wind swept all around them. With a thought, TJ created some small clouds under himself that helped buoy him up. The clouds were thicker and more substantive than any cloud he’d ever come across before then, and he suddenly understood how it was that the thunderbirds were nesting in the sky. Food for thought, he supposed. Despite that, he continued on his path and went higher into the sky as Farid mumbled what sounded like a sutra behind him. TJ chuckled to himself, the sound somehow becoming the quiet rumble of thunder in the sky. 

“Should you be doing that? Given what we’re about to fight?” Farid’s words came out shaky, but the question was a genuine one.

“It’s not actually thunder.” TJ answered, somehow understanding it. “It’s just how it sounds when I laugh now, I guess.” 

“You couldn’t be like Santa, have the jiggling belly and rosy nose or whatever?”

“Well, do you think Santa could keep you safe in the apocalypse?”

“I did read a book once where he wore chain mail and fought alongside the faerie Queen of winter, so if it was him, yeah, I’d probably take him over you.”

“Over a god you’ve pledged yourself to?”

“When compared with a fictional character, yeah. I can imagine all sorts of things my apocalypse Santa friend could do for me.” 

The conversation continued for about a minute as the billowing clouds and whipping winds shrieked and carried them higher, though Farid did relax somewhat from his desperate whiteknuckling of the bridle, and that just in time. As TJ’s head poked out of the clouds and into the slightly cleared skies above, the keening cry of a thunderbird filled the air as TJ pushed lighting to his tongue and Farid summoned a spear in his hand. 

“It’s go time.”