[ He can. The height of his fear freshly purged, an external well of strength bolstering his own, he can tell this story. A nod, the smallest lean into that tender hand, and Stephen's eyes go a little distant as he searches for the best point of entry. Blows out a breath that puffs at his cheeks as he quietly recognises all the truly ridiculous things he's going to have to say out loud.
The hand at Takeshi's wrist shifts to curl fingers between those cradling his face, drawing their loosely tangled hands down between them so he can concentrate, pretend to be a sorcerer again. Twisting where he sits, he tucks one leg fully up onto the bed so he can face his audience, glass of water resting on opposite thigh. Then he takes a deep breath, fixes Takeshi with a look that says here we go, and begins somewhere that might as well be the beginning. ]
In my world, along with the universe the Big Bang created six elemental crystals. We call them the Infinity Stones. Each one represents, and can control, one key aspect of existence: space, reality, power, soul, mind and time.
[ Brows raised, all eyes on Takeshi, ready to slow or reiterate if anything needs times to land. ]
Anyone who wields one of these stones has total control over the aspect they represent - if they can survive the attempt. It's beyond the reach of most mortals. Humans, certainly, without some pretty intense mitigation. Which is for the best, given the power these things hold. Anybody with all six has essentially made themselves a god.
They were scattered at the inception of the universe. All across the galaxies. The time stone ended up on Earth, watched over by the Masters of the Mystic Arts, who kept it in an amulet heavily enough enchanted to harness the stone and allow its bearer to activate its power without coming to harm. If they could master the spellwork. I don't think you'll be surprised to learn I was playing around with it before I even really knew what it was - un-ate and re-ate an apple without ever taking more than a bite, it was pretty cool.
[ A hitch of the mouth, some injected humor, some parts of the story that aren't - the rest of it. ]
They tried to yell at me about it, but they were also pretty impressed that a newly minted novice was capable of using it at all, so I got out of that one okay. Flash forward a year or so and I'm responsible for its protection.
—alright. Infinity stones, six, all-powerful, at least one on Earth, hanging around my neck more often than not, all best kept out of the wrong hands. With me so far?
no subject
The hand at Takeshi's wrist shifts to curl fingers between those cradling his face, drawing their loosely tangled hands down between them so he can concentrate, pretend to be a sorcerer again. Twisting where he sits, he tucks one leg fully up onto the bed so he can face his audience, glass of water resting on opposite thigh. Then he takes a deep breath, fixes Takeshi with a look that says here we go, and begins somewhere that might as well be the beginning. ]
In my world, along with the universe the Big Bang created six elemental crystals. We call them the Infinity Stones. Each one represents, and can control, one key aspect of existence: space, reality, power, soul, mind and time.
[ Brows raised, all eyes on Takeshi, ready to slow or reiterate if anything needs times to land. ]
Anyone who wields one of these stones has total control over the aspect they represent - if they can survive the attempt. It's beyond the reach of most mortals. Humans, certainly, without some pretty intense mitigation. Which is for the best, given the power these things hold. Anybody with all six has essentially made themselves a god.
They were scattered at the inception of the universe. All across the galaxies. The time stone ended up on Earth, watched over by the Masters of the Mystic Arts, who kept it in an amulet heavily enough enchanted to harness the stone and allow its bearer to activate its power without coming to harm. If they could master the spellwork. I don't think you'll be surprised to learn I was playing around with it before I even really knew what it was - un-ate and re-ate an apple without ever taking more than a bite, it was pretty cool.
[ A hitch of the mouth, some injected humor, some parts of the story that aren't - the rest of it. ]
They tried to yell at me about it, but they were also pretty impressed that a newly minted novice was capable of using it at all, so I got out of that one okay. Flash forward a year or so and I'm responsible for its protection.
—alright. Infinity stones, six, all-powerful, at least one on Earth, hanging around my neck more often than not, all best kept out of the wrong hands. With me so far?