William Enskraft - History is Written

[Anthr4xus]

William threw himself at the teen, but the youth was able to easily juke out the way, taking enough time in his spin to flip William the bird before turning and pelting up the escalator. William noticed that the boy had a small knife or something similar in his free hand as he started to pick himself back up off the ground. A couple of others on the platform had started to move to the fallen woman, who William noticed was still screaming incoherently. A smear of red stained the platform tile beneath her, and similar streaks marred her hands, arms and coat.

[Thot]

 William H.Enskraft aka Pekaku | Health 7 / 7 | Willpower 3 / 6 | Mana 5 / 10

---

Acting out of reflex had proved fruitless, and now the teenager was out of reach. Perhaps Magic could still do something, but that kind of Willworking was still way beyond William's reach too.

The sight of the blade, and of the wounded woman, registered in the young man's mind and he checked himself for any sign of wound. Could he have been stabbed or slashed so quickly that it hadn't registered yet ?

It was a very sober reminder of his current status, no matter the fancy delusions he may have about his potential future.

If he found himself unwounded, he would rush to the woman's side to try and help her as best he could with his limited first-aid knowledge if it could be relevant.

OOCDid William notice anything special about the robber ? a distinguishable feature that could be helpful to track him down eventually ?

Did he see his face well enough to provide a description ?

Thanks !

[Anthr4xus]

William couldn't find any wounds on himself other than his pride so he quickly ran to the screaming woman. A few other people on the platform landing reached her at roughly the same time, while at least two others began obviously filming the situation. One turned and ran for the escalator, already yelling for the cops. William kneels next to the woman. Flailing, she grabs his arms, screaming practically full in his face. Her eyes were stretched wide and rolled from side to side in sheer unbridled fear and incolate panic. She flinched at William's touch, but regardless he was able to find where she had been stabbed in the hip. The wound was seeping blood steadily, especially when she kicked, but it didn't look like a vein or anything had been nicked.

With the help of one of the bystanders to help hold her, William was able to get a good grip, pressing her coat against the wound and slowing the bleeding. With no other materials at hand, it seemed the best choice. She began to calm down and stop screaming. Her eyes finally seemed to focus on William's face. "What? Why are you touching me?" Some alarm crept back into her voice. A breeze began to blow from the tunnel mouth, a herald of the approaching train.

[Thot]

  

 William H.Enskraft aka Pekaku | Health 7 / 7 | Willpower 3 / 6 | Mana 5 / 10

---

The robber now gone, William did the only thing he could that made some sense for the woman, and he started stemming the bleeding. But from her behaviour, it seemed the woman was in more shock than he had anticipated. Still, he could hardly not tell her...

"(English) You have been stabbed, Ma'am. You are bleeding. Please do not move as we keep the wound closed and slow down the bleeding. Help is already on the way. It is alright. (/English)" and while he said that he looked around to see whether anyone was actually calling 911 indeed. Only one way to make sure he got help...

"(English) YOU. KEEP ROOM AROUND US. YOU. CALL 911 AGAIN. (/English)" the Mastigos yelled at the onlookers filming the scene, directing them to help according to what seemed common sense to him.

[Anthr4xus]

The next several minutes pass in a blur for William. First the MTA police show up and then EMTs with a stretcher for the woman. William is asked at least a half a dozen times by as many police officers to describe the assailant he saw and what other details he can remember. Everyone on the platform is given much the same treatment, although perhaps a little less intently. And with each repetition William was more and more away for the minutes slipping away and the trains coming and going.

Finally, eventually, William is given leave to go. He was going to be late. Even if he didn't run into any issues and the trains all ran on time, there was just no way to get all the way to Brooklyn in time. At least not by mundane means. He couldn't help but think of the ease at which Nepungan could resolve this problem. Just a tracing of runes on the nearest bathroom door and he would be stepping out of a doorway across from the Antheneaum. As he waited on the now calm platform for the next train, he ruminated on possibilities.

OOC

Go ahead and give me an Int+Composure with a +2 for your memory to see how accurate the reporting you provide is.

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Anthr4xus (see edit history)

[Thot]

 

 William H.Enskraft aka Pekaku | Health 7 / 7 | Willpower 3 / 6 | Mana 5 / 10

---

Having shared what he could to the best of his abilities with NYC's finest, William wished he could have done more. He had been extremely powerless against a single teenager running away with a knife, and he wanted to reclaim Atlantis from the Abyss by himself, even though he knew next to nothing on both of those ! And he had nearly died a mere couple of days before... "Be realistic here, William !" he thought sourly. Perhaps someday he would be able to do great things, but for now, he needed to learn. Fast, preferentially. And being here stuck on the platform waiting for the next train wasn't going fast enough for him, dammit !

He did the least he could do, then, and texted his Mentor to warn her of his delay. "Got dragged into a mugging. All right now. Will be here with some delay. Sorry."

 

[Anthr4xus]

Almost immediately, William got a response from Nepungan. "Are you ok? Do I need to come to you? If you are fine, no rush, be safe."

William looked up from his phone. The whine and squeal of brakes echoed from the blackness of the subway tunnel, heralding the arrival, finally, of the train William was waiting on. After all the hubbub from the attack, a sizeable crowd of lookeloos had formed for awhile, but as William was interrogated it thinned and waned. Now there was roughly a dozen people scattered about the platform. They made up an interesting cross-section of New York, but nothing that wouldn't be replicated a thousand times over across the city.

That was until the trio descended the escalator. They were three old women, incredibly wrinkled, with strands of snow white hair peeking from under their berets. They were dressed nearly identically, wrapped in ankle-length fur-lined coats and matching fur-lined berets. The fur had a leopard pattern to it, and all three of them wore shiny black kitten heels and black hose. Only the colors of the coats and hats varied, red, deep emerald green, and dark blue. While there was an inch or two in height variation between them, not even the tallest of them could have broken five feet tall, even with the heels. They were hurrying as much as the elderly were able, obviously trying to get down to the platform in time to still catch the train.

They chattered at each other to hurry and stop slowing them down. William was somewhat surprised to hear them speaking in fluent German with distinct Austrian accent. Even more surprising was the smallish box carried by the one in emerald green. The box was made of dark wood, mahogany or ebony, and etched with a complex pattern that had been painted with a metallic blue. It took William a moment of looking at it to realize that the there were actually two or three shades of blue, and that one of those shades seemed to almost highlight certain portions of the pattern that William's recent training allowed him to instantly recognize as Atlantean arcane runes. The box was roughly eight inches on a side, and was held quite firmly by the old woman that carried it.

The three of them reached the bottom of the escalator just as the train pulls to the platform. William knew that he would lose sight of them once people started pouring off the train if he didn't move quickly. Where he had been sitting will put him in an entirely separate car from them, if his interest is piqued.

Edited October 30, 2023 by Anthr4xus (see edit history)

[Anthr4xus]

Eyeing the trio as they hurry toward the just arrived train, Williamed noted that their auras were muted, as were those of the crowd around them, but unlike the rest of the crowd, their auras bore the faintest sparkle. Otherwise their auras had the same hues of fuscia, violet and orangey-purple that many of the other passengers trying to fight through the press also had. He heard one of them call, "{German}Hurry Katerina! Hurry!{/German}" to the one with the box as all three of them hustled into the train. Trying to catch a glimpse of the box as the trio moves through the crowd is difficult as they are short and the platform is crowded as people pour off the train, but William is able to catch a glimpse of some kinda of arcane auric nimbus around the box unlike anything William had seen before, even the other Atlantean box owned by the Savant.

Edited November 6, 2023 by Anthr4xus (see edit history)

[Thot]

 

 William H.Enskraft aka Pekaku | Health 7 / 7 | Willpower 3 / 6 | Mana 5 / 10

---

Nepungan was already waiting for him, and William hated the prospect of making her wait even further. But now he just could not let slide the three ladies as if he had seen nothing. If he could see the threads of Fate, he was sure he would be seeing them right now.

So the young Mastigos strode calmly toward the three elderly ladies, his arms laying by his side calmly, and made sure to stand by them once they were inside the car. He crutched a bar, waited until the doors closed and the train started. Then, he leaned slightly toward the elderlies, and addressed them with as much respect as he could convey through his voice "(German) Good morning, Ma'ams. My name is Bill Pekaku. If you don't mind me intruding, may I please borrow but a short moment of your time ? (/German)"

Once again, he wished he could do more with Magic, but all he really got going for him was his wits and education for now, so hopefully it would do.

[Anthr4xus]

The three ladies looked up at him as he spoke. The one in red sneered at him and said, "{German}Get lost, beggar! We have no alms for you. Go away!{/German}" Her two sisters similarly stared you down. The disapproving gaze of these three women reminded William less of his Father and more of his paternal Grandmother. She was a native german, and the progeniator of many of his Father's most withering and caustic mannerisms and criticisms. The disdain and distaste evident in their expressions were surprisingly cutting.

[Thot]

 

 William H.Enskraft aka Pekaku | Health 7 / 7 | Willpower 3 / 6 | Mana 5 / 10

---

Now this wasn't quite what he had expected, but William didn't let them put him off just like that. "(German) Ma'ams, obviously there must be a mistake, as I am on the contrary quite interested to buy. This box is quite eye-catching, when you know how to look. And I know. Please try me. (/German)"

He spoke with a smile, and a tone that was extremely behaved, knowing from first-hand experience that it would either make or break the conversation they were having, if they were anything like his Grandmother. His body was also unmoving, lest he might induce some unwanted reaction in them.

[Anthr4xus]

The one in green, when William mentioned the box, turned slightly, as if to better hide it from view behind one of her sisters. The blue one, took a step forward and to her left, putting herself firmly between William and the box. The one in red remains as still as William, her narrowed eyes never leaving his. "{German}Bah! What do you know? Is this some new york hustle? Go bother someone else, rude child.{/German}" she said, venom dripping from her voice.

[Thot]

 

 William H.Enskraft aka Pekaku | Health 7 / 7 | Willpower 3 / 6 | Mana 5 / 10

---

They were protective of the box, as expected alas. He would not get it, that much was for sure. The best William could still hope for was to pique their curiosity and get in touch again at a later date.

"(German) I can see that there is more than meets the eye in this etching. Runes. Runes that I know of. I know where they come from. What they can be used for. How they can be used. Here is obviously not the proper place for a demonstration, though. If that can be of interest to you, I can give you my phone number, for you to use - or not - at your leisure. (/German)"

And to emphasize his innocuousness he took half a step away, and bowed slightly his head, waiting for their judgement.

[Anthr4xus]

The one in green looked to the one in red and said, "{German}Marta, do you think he could be...{/German}" before the one in red cuts her off with a look and a minute shake of her head. She looked up at William, and asked, "{German}What do you know of 'Runes', boy? And be warned, if this is a scam or a hustle, the only phone number we need is already dialed.{/German}". Her red painted fingernails, surprisingly long for the woman's small hands, punctuated air quotes around the word Runes. The one in green pulled a old-fashioned flip phone from her coat pocket and William saw her quickly press three numbers, dialing 911 most likely. Katerina, the one in blue, was shifting enough that she could see William a little better around her sisters.

Edited November 13, 2023 by Anthr4xus (see edit history)

[Thot]

 

 William H.Enskraft aka Pekaku | Health 7 / 7 | Willpower 3 / 6 | Mana 5 / 10

---

An opening ! It wasn't much, not by a long shot, but it was still much better than the straight rejection from a mere couple of sentences ago. William wasn't even hoping for that much at this point, so he couldn't hide a thin smile. He didn't move forward an inch, though, and on the contrary leaned slightly away from them. He looked left and right for people who could potentially be understanding them before answering the sister in red, looking at her in the eyes.

"(German) I know which City they come from, and the power contained within. I am no expert, to be honest, but nor am clueless about them. I visited the Realm of Pandemonium to earn that right. And again, it is no scam, I can leave you be with just a word from you. I was just expressing academical interest, as you can understand. Anything else would be entirely up to you. (/German)"

He didn't dare drop more explicit hints, though hopefully that would be plenty enough already. Would that she were interested !