13th of Autumn, 514
Tydus could not quite find words for what had begun to build in the heart of the Svefra. In the Summer he had begun to find enjoyment in the game of manipulation, but in the midst of the early days of Autumn, something... clicked. A realization, a budding awareness. A seizing of an opportunity to cast out the damnation within him entirely, and in it, Tydus had left the flask behind. It was left in his casinor, stuck in the chest with his light crossbow and his cutlass. Tydus had no need to put up a front of being armed. Shells, masks... shields. What was armour but something that hindered the body? What was a helmet but an obstruction that covered the eyes? Tydus was laid bare to the world.
And he didn't give a fuck who didn't want that to be.
Manipulation was something that the Tempest found that he was born to do. He found the subtle flaws in a person by watching them, discovered their habits by talking to them, impressed upon their mind by Hypnotizing them, and wrought adoration into their hearts to spite them. To spite them all, for the Tempest scion detested the camaraderie in every sense of the word. His pod had deserted him in death. The survivors had gone their separate ways, and Tydus Tempest had been left with a hole in his heart that could not be repaired. What was it now to tear that very heart from his chest and part with it? What was it to become the shark that the world had compelled him to become?
He saw his destination, he saw his desire, and he would take it. There was nothing simpler in essence, yet more difficult in concept. The Tempest scion grinned again, for freedom marked itself upon his features. Liberation was the reward for disillusionment. Breaking the chains of his own dismay finally taught him that to manipulate himself, however unconsciously, was despicable. It was a waste of time. A world existed outside of his own mind to coerce into sharing his mindset. It was then that Tydus had realized that what he had been in the past, what he had begun to grow out of and found that he could cast aside entirely, was nothing more than a pathetic child wishing to cling to what was gone.
The Tempest was better than that.
And he decided to show it. Tydus had cast aside the Svefra tradition in order to forget. But, it had eaten away at him on the inside that he no longer had Vesh to rely on. As things stood, the Tempest couldn't care less about the useless, sickly penguin, but the fact that he had forsaken a tavan since had gnawed at him. He wanted a tavan as things stood, and so, he prepared himself for the journey out to sea. The Tempest had taken care to make sure that his supply of rope, his sails, and his harpoons were in the proper condition to be utilized, and when that was sorted out, Tydus found himself lacking one last thing for the trip. He needed a compass. Whereas the Svefra had made his way to Kenash the first time by luck and a general direction, and the second by hugging the coast and remembering where to go, he needed certainty.
It's disgusting how unprepared I have been. If I am to press forward, then I require knowledge as to which direction I must go.
The Tempest spent several bells looking for the correct business to take his patronage to, and when he found it, he was upon the second tier. The Svefra was not quite used to being so far away from the docks, but he paid it no mind, bright blue eyes cast towards the Akalak proprietor. How he detested the bastards, but they had their use, and the Tempest decided to wear the smile that spited them as he was welcomed into the shop by Minous,
"Welcome! How may I help you?"
"I need a compass."
"Oh? I should have one or two in stock. It's a commonly requested item."
Tydus didn't care. He was quickly losing interest in the endeavor and while the smile he wore was real, the intention behind it was quickly turning malevolent. The smile expanded to a smirk as Tydus reached into the weave of his djed. The power of the soul thrust itself into his eyes, a rare usage for the Tempest now that he had become accustomed to using his voice, but Tydus had little intention of mincing words with an Akalak. It did not tailour to his desires, and the Tempest wove two emotional responses into his stare.
"I understand. I would certainly hope that you have at least one left. I've traveled quite far to leave with nothing to show for it."
Tydus wanted the Akalak to know that he had no intention to converse in depth. He wove urgency into the Akalak's thoughts, impressed the associated emotions into him. Panic. Nervousness. Both emotions would not lend to intimidation if Tydus used them correctly, but rather to obedience.
A moment passed as Minous looked to Tydus, then to his stock. Some sort of internal monologue seemed to transpire, and when it concluded, Tydus was astounded to see a very distinct change in demeanor. The Svefra found that he vastly preferred it,
"Yes, yes. We have a compass. The cost is 200 gold mizas."
"200? That is far too high, friend. I'll settle for 160."
"It's a very expensive item!"
"That's to be decided, isn't it? Let me see it."
Harevai pursed his lips but passed the box with the compass forward. Tydus opened it to reveal a gadget that nestled comfortably in his palm, the body made of what looked to be steel, painted over, though the paint was clearly chipping and scratched at the back.
"This is used. I stand by my price of 160."
"180?"
Tydus allowed the smile to dissipate at last, genuinely irritated, but impressed by the Akalak's desire to haggle.
But, Tydus needed it to end. A second suggestion layered into his words when he spoke again,
"170. That's my final offer."
On this Tydus was insistent, and the insistence pushed its way into Harevai's mind,
That's more than I deserve. It's used goods.
"Fine. 170 it is."
The Tempest's smile returned, then he quickly reached into his rucksack and drew from within it 17 stacks of 10 mizas, sorted carefully by the Tempest earlier in the day.
"That should do it."
And with that, the Tempest took his leave, but not before he impressed a piercing thought into the Akalak's mind. Tydus wanted to ruin his day for the bastard had wasted his time. And so, he would.
I've been swindled!
The Tempest would compel the thought to pour into the Akalak's mind, but before he could act upon it, Tydus was already out the door of Cavern Creations, satisfied with both his purchase and the chaos that would likely ensue for the next customer, though Tydus didn't quite know the extent, lacking knowledge of an Akalak's twin souls.
The bastard deserves it. Wasting my time with some nicked up compass that's obviously been used before...
Expenses :
Fratava | Hypnotic Fratava | Common | Hypnotic Common | Vani
