Dark Divinity

Jacobi chuckled, the sound devoid of humour. "Bold words for a kid tied to a stump, besides what happened to your girlfriend." 

"Isolde was just an ally; she killed the beast while I ran," Omen admitted; it was her knife that was the main weapon of the creature's death after all.

Jacobi's eyes narrowed in surprise. "You mean the blind girl? That's surprising... You're lying, though." Omen's heart skipped a beat. Was Jacobi able to discern lies like him?

"You escaped, not ran. That's a remarkable skill to have in this place," Jacobi continued, his tone revealing a begrudging respect.

Omen's curiosity was piqued. "You're very strong. Why do you fear the river bird then?" He asked; it seemed like an innocent question from an inquisitive kid, but Omen wanted to fully gauge the man's strength to face him head-on later.

Jacobi turned towards him, his expression unreadable. "I fear nothing," he replied in a flat, emotionless tone that left Omen questioning the truth behind the words.

 Omen doubted Jacobi's claim of fearlessness, but he knew better than to provoke the dark giant further. Instead, he posed a seemingly harmless question. "Is this your first purge as well?"

Jacobi's laughter was a harsh, guttural sound. "As well? You were among the last batch? Sucks to be you; no wonder you're so weak," he sneered. "This is my second purge. My first one lasted about a week. The older ones said there were seven purges in total, and new batches come in at intervals...Your batch, however, is the last. If you survive this purge, then you'll only undertake about two more with the rest of us."

Omen digested this information. After a pause, he asked, "Then what happens after that?". Jacobi turned to him with a sad smile, a rare moment of vulnerability crossing his hardened features. "No one knows, kid. No one knows."

The weight of his remarks weighed heavily in the atmosphere. Omen witnessed for the first time the uncertainty and anxiety that lay beneath Jacobi's gruff façade. It was a sobering reminder that even the strongest among them were vulnerable to the catastrophes of this world.

Jacobi kept a watchful eye on Omen, wary but also contemplative. "You've got guts, kid," he said finally. "Most kids your age would have broken down by now."

Omen met his gaze, determination burning in his eyes. "I don't intend to break in any way...I intend to survive."

Jacobi nodded, a hint of respect in his eyes. "Good. You'll need that resolve. The purges get harder, and the enemies more cunning."

The silence was soon broken once more by Jacobi. "You know, kid, the only way to survive this realm is to strive to become a master. That's why I have a small team who helps me achieve my goal."

Omen wanted to retort that Jacobi's 'team' was more like slaves than allies and that the giant's indifference to Chenaira's death was telling of his true nature. But he held his tongue, knowing that provoking Jacobi anymore could be fatal. He hadn't reacted to his earlier threats, but it was better if he chose not to rile up the giant. A single punch from him could easily smash his skull; he had the advantage of speed, not strength. "Why am I still alive?" he finally asked, voicing the question he knew they both had been avoiding. Still, Jacobi's response shocked him.

Jacobi turned to him with an amused expression. "You're useless to me, but to Kan…you'd serve as an interesting specimen. He's going to gut you and perform his experiments. Honestly, I don't care. I'm just famished right now," he said with a final tone as if he hadn't just uttered the most dreadful things. Omen felt a chill run through him, not from fear but from the cold realisation of Jacobi's callousness.

"You don't even care about your men," Omen said, his voice low but steady. "They're just tools for you."

Jacobi shrugged, his massive shoulders shifting with the movement. "Everyone's a tool for someone. The sooner you learn that, the better your chances of surviving."

Omen didn't know what to say after that. His chances of escaping were growing extremely slim. He considered backflipping and using his [tree walker] ability to escape into the canopies, but he had neither the strength to rip off his bonds nor the skill necessary to land a successful flip. Besides, Jacobi was still beside him, and any slight muscular flinch could result in his immediate death, which was what he was trying to avoid.

He could try summoning a beast, but he wasn't willing to dabble with the possibility of an unknown malicious creature suddenly blasting through the trees with the intent to end him. Amid his thoughts, he felt a sudden chill and immediately glanced at Jacobi, who was staring at him equally in return, albeit more coldly.

"What did you summon?" Jacobi's voice was low, dangerous.

Omen's heart raced. He hadn't consciously summoned anything, but his weird summoning powers sometimes acted on their own accord, especially when he was under stress. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "I didn't summon anything," he said, his voice calm despite the fear gnawing at him, but one look at Jacobi made his stomach sink, and he rushed to complete his sentence, "...not intentionally though."

Jacobi's eyes narrowed. "Don't lie to me, kid. I felt it. Something shifted." Jacobi's eyes turned back to the shrubs as they both felt something walking slowly towards them. Omen sweated ominously, fearing the approach of some unknown beast.

Omen closed his eyes briefly, reaching out with his senses. There was something out there, humanoid and powerful, responding to his wordless plea. He could feel a destructive force lurking in the forest's shadows.

Jacobi rose and...vanished, leaving Omen to fend for himself. That scoundrel was both powerful and cowardly at the same time! Omen silently prayed to whatever deity was out there watching; he stared as the last shrub patted away. But there wasn't any beast or terror. Instead, standing there with an emotionless face was a… robot?

Omen blinked, briefly stunned. The robot's sleek metallic frame glinted in the filtered sunlight. It stood unmoving, its eyes gleaming with an eerie blue light, fixed on Omen.

"What are you?" Omen sputtered as his heart pounded in his chest.

The robot's head tilted slightly, and its stare remained unblinking. "I am designated as Unit A-17. I responded to the aberrant energy signature you emitted," it remarked in a mechanical yet strangely pleasant voice.

Omen's thoughts raced. An unusual energy signature? Was this what Jacobi sensed? He swallowed hard, attempting to restore his composure. "I did not mean to summon you. I am not even sure how I did."

Unit A-17 moved ahead, its movements smooth and accurate. "Your energy signature is unique. It matches the frequencies I was trained to monitor."

Omen looked about, hoping to spot Jacobi, but the giant was nowhere to be found. 'Typical!' Omen was on his own. "What do you want from me?" he questioned, his voice firm.

"I seek to understand the source of your power," the robot replied honestly. "My primary aim is to gather data on unique energy signatures and report my findings."

Omen frowned. "Report to whom?"

The robot's eyes flickered. "That information is classified."

Great, Omen thought. Not only was he dealing with a robot, but one with secrets. He needed to think fast. "If I help you gather this data, will you leave me alone?"

Unit A-17 seemed to process this for a moment. "Affirmative. Cooperation will ensure your safety." Omen nodded, relief washing over him. With a timid smile, Omen apologised and asked, "Um, before that, could you help me out of these ropes?"

The robot remained still while its eyes became crimson, and it used the heat to rapidly cut the rope in two with a sudden laser beam. Omen gave a startled gasp. This robot could kill him in an instant.

The robot extended a hand, a small device emerging from its palm. "Place your hand on the scanner. This will allow me to analyse your energy signature." Omen hesitated for a moment but then reached out and placed his hand on the scanner. A soft hum filled the air as the device activated. After a few seconds, the robot retracted the scanner, its eyes flickering again.

"Analysis complete," Unit A-17 said. "Your energy signature is indeed unique. It possesses qualities that are rare and potentially dangerous if not controlled."

Omen swallowed hard. "I know that. I'm trying to learn how to control it."

The robot seemed to contemplate this. "I can provide data and strategies that may assist you in mastering your abilities."

Omen's eyes widened. "Can you help me?"

"Affirmative. However, our cooperation must remain discreet. Others may seek to exploit your abilities for their gain."

Omen nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Thank you. I appreciate your help."

Unit A-17's eyes dimmed slightly. "Your gratitude is noted. I will continue to monitor your progress. If you require assistance, activate this beacon." The robot extended a small, metallic device towards Omen.

'What just happened?' Omen shrugged off the smouldering ropes as he pondered inwardly, then he looked in the direction where the strange robot had walked. What anomaly? Was he referring to my uncontrollable power to conjure malicious creatures or to my unique ability to steal potential? Omen had many thoughts, but it never occurred to him that the only reason he was still alive was because his ability to steal potential overshadowed his dormant powers as a darkling.

The robot was designed by celestials to hunt darklings, and Omen was the son of the emperor of the dark realm of Tenebris.