Karmic Weaver {mik3la & Sosuke0549}

[Sosuke0549]

PLOT: A cynical young man who can see the "karmic strings" of others—and profitably manipulate them—meets his match when his next target is not only a powerful priest, but "stringless," forcing him to confront the true cost of his powers and the terrifying possibility of a love that is truly, magically, free.

 

CHARACTER SHEET

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Name: ALISTAIR GRAVES

Age: Unknown 

Traits: Charismatic, mysterious, well dressed. 

Background: He operates out of a sleek high-end lounge, treating his powers like a business transaction. He's a transactional romantic, believing every relationship is an exchange. No siblings or parents to speak of. 

Supernatural Abilities: Alastair is a Karmic Weaver. He sees the world as a tapestry of invisible "strings" that connects people. Every string can very in colors, sizes, and condtions. Shimmery rainbow strings for love, red for hatred, silver for debts, gold for potential, etc. He can't create strings, but he can expertly snip, tighten, or (most lucratively) tangle them. He helps a client "accidentally" meet their soulmate (for a hefty fee) or ensures a rival's business deal falls apart. In his mind, he believes he's providing a service. Love is a transaction, luck is a commodity. He's emotionally detached, using his wealth and charm as a shield....but deep down Alastair is extremely lonely. 

 

 [ Beginning Post: ]

 

The air in the Axiom Lounge was as curated as the clientele, the smell of wealth and discreet power. It was something that Alistair knew all too well. From his usual booth, he observed the tapestry of today's elite. To anyone else, they would see a sea of designer dresses and sharp suits. Men and women with too much time on their hands, spending money without a care in the world. A place for the super rich and beautiful. Most of them were probably cut throat business men or inspiring entrepreneurs who cracked the code. To Alistair, it was a sea of color and connections. He watched closely as a silver thread ( a new business deal ) wove between two executives at the bar. A fragile, shimmering pink strand connected a couple on their third date, a crush. His eyes moved across the room and near the entrance, he saw a throbbing, venomous crimson cord of hatred pulsating from a woman toward her oblivious business partner. 

It was all just… business. Nothing unusual or special. Today was just like any other day. 

He held a small and sleek stylus pen with ancient runes engraved in the metal. It wasnt actually a pen, tho thats what it looked like. It was a tool that he twirled between his fingers. It helped him maneuver through strings, tango them, snip them. However he wasn't working; he was auditing. Taking notes. Searching for clients. 

A man across the room, most likely a tech-brocker was trying to close a venture capital deal. A golden string of potential was there, but it was frayed, thin. The only reason he was able to gain so much information from random strangers was because of the colorful strings that connected everyone but by touching it, he'd get little snip bits of the humans memories. A tatse of their dreams, goals, aspirations, feelings. 

( hmmm...)

He leaned back in his seat, and debated on whather or not he should intervene. After a few seconds of mulling over his options, out of sheer boradom, he reached out his hand, and tapped the strand, tightening the connection. He didn't create the connection, he merely… optimized it.

 

A moment later, the investor smacked Marcus's back, laughing, the deal secured and now this young new tech broker had a promising future. Another transaction, invisible to everyone but him, complete.

 

He sighed under his breath. ( Am I getting soft? )

He wondered, as a smile pulled at the corner of his lips. 

 

Suddenly his phone lit up with a priority alert. His eyes widended ever so slightly. 

( A new client?)

 

He opened his phone and reviewed the text message. It wasn't just a new clinet but a high-profile client at that. 

 

The message was brief: 

 

[ Asset requires karmic disentanglement. Substantial retainer. Sending details.]

 

Alastair took a slow sip of his twenty-year-old Scotch, he was curious but expressionless. 'Substantial retainer' was the only part of the message that truly interested him. He continued to read. The client was anonymous but the payment would be routed through SHELL corporations. Untraceable. His favorite kind.

 

This would be a simple job. He took another sip of his scotch before receiving a second message. This one containing further details and the information of his target. 

 

His target was a man named Alexander Sato. A young priest that came from a wealthy family. 

( I spoke to soon...)

 

Him being a priest might be a problem. It made this job alot more bothersome. If he got too close, this kid could kill him. ( So much for being easy...)

His thumb scrolled down, seeing a picture of the young man. To his suprise the human was abnormally beautiful. With blonde hair and mesmerizing warm blue eyes. In the photo he wore a soft and genuine smile, dressed in a morden style cassock. Which was a long robe that many persists and monks wear daily. However his was a mix between white and gold. As if he was something special. 

How could anyone have a problem with this kid?

Another message followed. 

The problem. The client who needed his services was bitter and involved in some sort of legal dispute with the boys father. 

 

( He wants a karmic advantage...)

They wanted him to manipulate Alexander to give him support and perhaps convince his father to drop whatever this legal issue was. 

 

( Figures...)

Manipulating strings was easier then killing a man like that.

If he could get the guys son on his side, support would wither, his arguments falter, and his luck might turn. They wanted the strings of his life gently, irrevocably, frayed from the family. 

 

Standard procedure. Alistair's fingers danced over his phone, accepting the request. Since he'd be dealing with a presit he'd could charge more. 

 

The price? 2 million. 

His anonymous client informed him that it was impossible to get near the Sato families temple, but...the boy was known to occasionally sneak out and vist the city once every two to three months, and he'd most likely have an opportunity to leave the temple this weekend since his family would be away. 

 

( Alright....at least this job won't be boring. )

Alistair hadn't had a challenge request in decades, and if his new client couldn't pay after the job was complete, he do what he always did, kill them for wasting his time.

He finished his scotch before standing to leave, slipping a single hundred dollar bill underneath the empty glass. 

 

____________________________

 

[ A few days later. ] 

 

Alastair stood outside the train station, finding a nice spot across the street and in the shade. He didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention to himself today, so he was wearing a matching jean set. A dark blue jean jacket and pants with a plain black t-shirt underneath. He also hide behind some dark shade, keeping his eyes on the people coming and going from the station. There was no telling if his target would show up today...but he had nothing else better to do. 

He sighed under his breath, taking a moment to rub his temple. He hated being in the ccity and crowded places. Too many sounds. Too many karmic strings. Too many colors. It was giving him a headache.  You think you'd be used to it by now.

He checked his phone again, taking a moment to look over the picture of his target. The guy was young, and definitely looked like a priest. He wondered what kind of karmic strings he'd have. All humans were flawed. He would be no different. 

 

He slipped his phone into his pocket again, scanning the crowd of people moving in and out of the station.....he'd spend the next two hours mindlessly watching people until his eyes got a glimpse of goldish yellow hair. He blinked, straighting his posture and started to make his way closer...however, he found himself stopping dead in his tracks when the human stopped, waiting at the cross walk. Now he was fully in view, and this was indeed his target, Alastair had no doubts about that but...

 

( what the...) 

 

There was nothing...

 

No green strings of friendship. No fiery reds for conflict or anger. No silver of debt or gold of potential. Not purples, pinks, greys, blacks, oranges...Not a single, solitary thread. This kid... was Karmicless!

 

This human wasn't a knot of connections but a complete void. A stunning, impossible blank space in the middle of the world’s noisy, interconnected tapestry.

A "Null."

Alistair had only heard about such humans, he had heard the theories, the myths among the few others of his kind but he’d never seen one. They were supposed to be ghosts, anomalies. They shouldn't be....real!

They couldn't be manipulated, their fate couldn't be read. They were utterly, completely free and...untouchable. 

 

A cold, unfamiliar sensation trickled down his spine. It took him a moment to recognize what it was.

Dread.

And beneath it, a spark of something even more dangerous, something he hadn't felt in years: curiosity.

 

He stared at the man from across the street. This wasn't a simple job. This was an anomaly. A problem. Or perhaps, the most fascinating opportunity of his career-no, of his life!

 

He wanted to meet Alexander, had to understand the silence. What kind of person was he?

 

He took a step forward only to find himself stopping, hesitation gripping him, that moment of excitement and curiosity quickly fading as reality began to sink in. Alexander is a priest...if he got too close...he'd kill him. Or worse, imprison him..

( For now...I'll just follow him...)

He'd stay far enough away to not draw attention and suppress his demonic engery.