With the beast dead, the fog that it created started to disappear once and for all. Allowing all those present to finally see the floor, as well as the countless bloodstains and remnants of flesh that littered it.
Seth didn't linger on the macabre sight for long as, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the journal pulse with light softly to tell him the download had been complete. However, he wasn't the only one who noticed.
Two others in their little makeshift group weren't focusing on the grisly sight of death and decay. One was the guard with the animalistic features. The other was one of the 'helpless' ones, a young man with scruffy, medium length brown hair and a round pair of glasses that were slipping down his nose.
While the scruffy one simply looked with curiosity, the beastly man reached down to pick up the book with an annoyed grimace on his face as if he was offended by the very concept of literature.
But before he could get his claws on it, Seth wrapped his threads around the book and, with a flick of his wrist, sent it flying from the ground into his open hand. It was a trick he had learned while experimenting with his powers during the night.
He had been trying to make his spear into a puppet, to see if he could use it at a distance without any risk to himself or his meat shield, but the results weren't what he hoped for. Although the threads passed through objects, when he wrapped them around things as if it was his hand holding them he found he was able to manipulate them in some ways.
He wasn't able to fully control them, at best he could make them slowly float. He was also able to pull them about as if they were physical strings, but that was the extent of his abilities.
While he could wrap the threads around larger objects, he was unable to produce any movement from them, not even a lift. He was restricted to objects he could physically lift with one hand.
The same went for any living creature, no matter the size. He couldn't influence them in the slightest, nor even get the threads to wrap around them like the objects. The only exception being ghostly or 'Spiritual' creatures such as the Wraiths and their cores.
"That isn't yours to touch."
Narrowing his eyes at the lizard man, he stuffed the book in the back of his pants. Unlike the weapons, these items couldn't be stored as tattoos on their skin.
"Telekinesis? So cool."
He heard the scruffy haired one mutter to himself while the bestial man simply growled, baring his jagged teeth, before standing up and acting like it never happened at all,
He had Coal collect up the corpse of the Fog Prowler before the group of warriors made their way back over, one of them spending the entire time chatting away to Coal, trying to prod him for more details about his ability and praising him for how cool he looked.
Although he could hear through Coal, he hadn't yet figured out how to talk through him or if it was even possible. Thankfully he had Cynthia on hand to tell the chatty man that Coal couldn't speak. Yet unfortunately that didn't stop him fan boying, in fact it seemed to incite him to talk more to make up for the lack of conversation.
Using the time honoured, service job skill, Seth immediately toned him out and made Coal merely pretend to be listening to whatever nonsense he was saying. Nodding along now and then. The best part was he didn't even have to use his industry fake smile.
Instead Seth focused on the golden eyed man that was walking up to him with a very wide and friendly, perfectly white smile as he spoke in a cheery tone despite the gory landscape they stood in. It was amazing how quickly humans adapted to such strange circumstances.
"So, I've spoken to your leader and we agreed that since your man was responsible for the kill that you'll keep the bounty."
"Our Leader?"
"Yeah, the blue one. Is that wrong? I just assumed that since the big guy is strong and silent, that she takes the leading role while you two tag along."
At first Seth was offended by the suggestion, even if the golden eyed man didn't mean anything negative about it. It wasn't the suggestion of Cynthia leading that offended him, but the suggestion that he was nothing more than a useless, helpless tag along. He had brushed it off at first, but it just kept hitting him in the face.
But before he could get out the words 'Um, actually' he stopped himself and considered his circumstances. He considered his powers.
When he first got them, he hid while someone else fought. Then he got a friend and fought with them, but this time he had hid once more. Only this time it nearly got him killed.
He was vulnerable when using his powers, but they were also powers that were, as far as he could tell, impossible to detect. The fact they assumed that Pebble Pinocchio over there was actually a real boy, just showed they didn't know.
He could pass for a weak telekinetic, focus on his skills and fight under the protection of others. Could it be seen as selfish? Perhaps… but what better way was there for him to use his abilities and fight the best he could?
It's not like he was being useless or would never fight as the telekinetic either.
A puppeteer like himself was not the star of the show. He was supposed to be the one behind the stage, literally pulling the strings. So if he had to pretend to be weak to become strong… so be it.
With a glance at Cynthia, who was standing to the side with an unreadable expression on her detail less face, he simply smirked and let out a chuckle.
"Nah, you got that right. She's the one in charge. My powers aren't that great in a fight. Not like the two of you."
"Don't be too hard on yourself bud, there are other ways you can be useful. Plus everyone has a little fight in them."
He gave Seth that winning, toothpaste commercial smile again as he patted his shoulder, squeezing it tight. Keeping his hand there, he turned his head to look back at Cynthia.
"So what do you say, leader, want to join our little group? Best way to survive is sticking together after all. I'd feel bad just leaving you guys behind now."
Cynthia thought for a few seconds, looking at Amy and how comfortable she seemed around the other 'normal' ones. She looked at Seth, knowing that despite the title she was no real leader. It was only when she got a subtle nod from him, did she breathe a sigh of relief.
"Sure, we'll join. The more the merrier, right?"
"Exactly! It'll be great to have you aboard."
The golden man let out a hearty laugh, patting Seth's shoulder again and pulling him closer. He turned his attention back to Seth, holding out his other hand.
"Well, it's nice to officially meet you. I'm Sirius, but not that serious!"
He laughed again at his own joke, patting Seth's shoulder so hard it felt more like smacks.
"I'm Seth."
He forced a smile and gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the throbbing in his shoulder as he shook hands with the cheery fellow. God it was hard dealing with extroverts sometimes.