"…The Anansi Paragon you killed was little more than one of my body doubles." Anansi said with a twinge of sinister mirth in his voice.
"Body double?" I muttered. Anansi smirked devilishly.
"You might not know this young Sho'lajah but the life of a Paragon is rife with unwanted responsibility. Especially for one as vital to your country's military defense as I." Anansi said then sighed deeply. He crossed his arms and shook his head. "I quickly found myself without any time for experimenting and research. To combat this I decided that I needed to have others do all that work for me. So I created body doubles in order to handle the work I find tedious."
"How exactly do you create these body doubles?" I asked cautiously. My caution was proved warranted by the return of Anansi's devilish smile.
"Simple. Take a once very talented splicer and wipe every single memory from their minds then replace those memories with your own. Essentially making them you with the added help of a little body modification magic to chage their face and gender if need." Anansi said. I gritted my teeth and glared at Anansi as I felt my anger bubbling up again.
"You erased the minds of innocent people and forced them to be fucking doubles for you to pawn off all the work that you didn't want to do!" I snapped. Anansi chuckled and shook his head.
"They were hardly innocent in their previous lives." Anansi said with a shake of his head. "My doubles were serial killers, rapist, and thieves in their prior lives, sentenced to death for their crimes against the people of Niger. I simply repurposed their minds for the betterment of my country."
"And sent one of those bastards to kill the people of Tolapo village!" I barked.
"I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't reduce my carefully constructed plan down to simple mass murder. If anything you should refer to it as targeted genocide or well deserved revenge." Anansi said, sounding slightly insulted. Not that I cared.
"Whatever you call it, Dwarm'mond. I have more than enough reason to kill you where you stand." I growled. Anansi tensed at the mention of his real name. Anger flashing in his eyes for the briefest of moments before disappearing.
"If you know that name, Sho'lajah, then you know about all the pain and anger behind it." Anansi said. I nodded.
"I do, and I also know that level of hatred isn't just going to go away easily. I'm not going to let you attack the village again…those are my people…my great aunt, one of my last remaining connections to my grandmother lives there." I said, channeling incinerate attribute mana into the palm of my hand and letting a blue flame dance over my palm and fingertips.
"You realize a fight between us now would cause a great deal of casualties…" Anansi said with a excited smile then glanced at the crowd of people around the observatory deck watching our exchange. "…your people could be among them."
"Threatening my people is the quickest way to end up ashed." I growled, the flames on my hand burning brighter.
Anansi and I locked eyes, a silent contest of wills and resolve. I could see the anger and resentment that the older man had on full display in his eyes. They burned with a fury that was all to familiar. The fury of one that was abused and abandoned. Regardless I wasn't going to back down, I had too much to lose.
After several moments of silence with the two of us locked in a staring contest Anansi finally relented. Or rather it would be better to say saw what he wanted to see. He sighed and looked away, a slight smile tugging on his lips.
"Fear not, young Sho'lajah. I have no reason to attack the Tolapo village again. The main objective of sending my double was to kill or destroy my father and step-father's reputation. If you know of my true name and the pain it brings then that means that the truth is finally out. Dwarm'moo and Abra'bo are finally being seen as the hypocrites they are." Anansi said. I narrowed my eyes at him.
"I don't believe you." I stated plainly.
"And you're wiser not to." Anansi said with a chuckle. "But I am serious. My objectives have been accomplished and besides the loss of a double has increased the workload on myself. Sparing another double to try and destroy the village would only put more work on myself which means less time for research. A lesson in futility."
"So the village is only safe until you can replace your body double." I said. Anansi chuckled and shook his head.
"Creating another body double is long process. Plus I would need another death row inmate with decent enough magical talent to pass off as myself. Not something you come across everyday. Being satisfied with the results I have is much more efficient."
"Practical if not unfeeling…" I heard Grandpa Seamus say in Torapos from behind me.
I turned around and saw my Grandpa Seamus standing a few feet behind me. Colossus and Empress stood protectively at his side. Anansi regarded Grandpa with a inquisitive gaze.
"And you are?" Anansi demanded.
"Seamus MacClery of Sullivardic village. Grandpa ta Starlight here." Grandpa Seamus said. Anansi arched a eyebrow at Grandpa's introduction then bowed slightly.
"A child of the Sullivardic? Never thought I would see a fellow descendant of legend outside the safety of our ancestor's prisons." Anansi said. Grandpa narrowed his eyes at Anansi.
"Mind yer tongue child." Grandpa Seamus whispered, his voice dropping to a icy and dangerous tone I had only heard when he talked to my mother. I expected to see Anansi glare at my Grandpa for his tone except he didn't. In fact Anansi seemed to recoil at the tone then tilted his head down slightly.
"Thousand pardons…elder." Anansi replied.
'Okaaaaaaaaaaaay….' I thought. To say the sudden change in Anansi's behavior was strange was an understatment. Not that i could blame him, while Grandpa Seamus was more lienent of my two grandparents he had his scary moments. Grandpa Seamus looked to me then nodded his head towards Anansi.
"That Dwarm'moo boy? He has the same level of pomp that yer Gran oft talked bout him having." Grandpa asked, switching to Gaelic from Torapos.
"Step-son. He's really Abra'bo's son." I replied in Gaelic, in turn.
"Just because I can't understand the language, doesn't mean I can't recognize my parent and sperms donor's name." Anansi said, still speaking in Torapos. Grandpa Seamus shot him a look that made him; and me; shiver slightly.
"Starlight, he's not a threat. I can see the lad see's ya as more entertaining than whatever revenge he had planned." Grandpa Seamus said switching again back to Torapos.
"If you say so…" I said, not wanting to contradict him.
"I do laddie. I know the look of a man that craves vengeance more than anything else. He don't have it."
Anansi didn't say anything to that, rather he looked around at the collection of people that were eyeing us then frowned. He then turned to Grandpa Seamus and bowed respectively.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, esteemed elder. I never would have thought I would meet two people who could speak my mother tongue so far from the…comforts…of my home village." Anansi said, switching to Universal standard and speaking loud enough that everyone could hear him. He stood up then looked to me and smirked. "We will have to speak again, Sho'lajah. Our conversation was…stimulating. I will be keeping an eye on you."
With that Anansi turned and walked off, heading in the direction that the Divine emperor stood, talking to Turak'Kahn and Viola. They were on the other side of the deck near the railing that separated the deck from side of the mountain. Isolated thanks to the divine emperor's guards that created a perimeter around the rulers and kept people away.
"Chase!" Jane exclaimed urgently as she rushed over to me and Grandpa with Louie, Angie KC, Bo and Indy in tow. She stopped in front of me and had a concerned look on her face. "Are you two okay?"
Grandpa Seamus smiled sweetly at Jane and the others while waving at them calmly.
"Of course lassie! A rowdy little guttersnipe like that s'not a problem." Grandpa said confidently and cheerily, switching back to Universal standard. I looked at the group and noticed that there were two people missing.
"Where are Damon and Alberto?" I asked. Jane looked worried then glanced over at Louie. I narrowed my eyes at her and stepped closer. "Where are Damon and Alberto, Jane?"
"Talking to Loki." Jane replied hesitantly. My eyes hardened then scanned the deck around us.
"Where?" I asked harshly.
"Chase…" Jane started but I cut her off immediately.
"Where!" I demanded, my eyes snapping to hers. Jane relented then turned and pointed towards a set of refreshment tables to the western side of the deck.
I spotted them and immediately stormed over, I was vaguely aware of Grandpa Seamus, Colosuss, and Empress following after me. As I approached I could see Alberto and Damon's expressions clearly. Damon was tensed and uncomfortable while trying to act as a physical wall between Alberto and Loki, while Alberto looked absolutely furious. His eyes burning with rage and his jaw clenched, he looked like the only thing keeping him from swinging at his father was Damon.
"LOKI PARAGON! YA FUCKING LOSER! WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING TO MY DISCIPLE?!" I bellowed. Damon and Alberto both jumped at the volume and tone of my voice. Loki spun around and saw me barreling towards him and a scowl immediately stretched across his face.
"Kingston…loud and unrefined as always." Loki huffed. I stopped about eight feet away from Loki then turned my attention Damon and Alberto. Channeling mana into my manacite communication ring focused on the two of them.
I ordered them. Alberto shot me a glare then shook his head.
"Are you just going to stand there in silence or are you going to talk boy?" Loki demanded, obviously insulted by my further lack of talking.
"Why are you talking to my disciple Loki? You don't have any reason to." I asked with a huff. Loki scowled then narrowed his eyes at Alberto.
"Oh…Disciple…how disappointing." Loki grumbled.