A soft light caught the smooth surface of a card, its edges sharp and firm, despite its use. On it, was detailed a figure, half stroked by a gloved thumb as a feeling of sad contemplation poured out from the figure's presence. That figure, that picture was not one of a friend, not of family, not of a compatriot. No, it had been an opponent, an enemy, someone intent upon ending its very existence, but now, now that wasn't quite the case.
It had been the first time the power had been triggered. The first time the spark had awoken inside, and changed everything. One battle, and everything had changed.
When the battle had been done, when the foe defeated, something had erupted from within. Something, that couldn't be controlled, something that couldn't be stopped. It had reached out, taking hold of that fallen foe, grasping it with an incomprehensible power, covering them in it, masking them in a brilliant, blinding display of light before curling back, pulling into the victor's hand and revealing a strange form of playing card, the foe's picture upon it. And when the figure had looked back at the vanquished foe, there was nothing where they body had once lain, with only the card in hand to serve as a reminder.
Since then, struggles had come, what was it that had been done, what had happened? This new, strange power, coursing through the body. Seemingly uncontrollable, the spark took any opponent he had defeated, and transformed them into their new state. And lessons were learned, as some stood as figures seemed even more pronounced than they'd been in life, some depicted as beings as they'd been, others, as concepts, powers, spells, enhancements. And control was learned, to summon them, bound by this spark to the figure's will, empowered and forced to their command.
The figure had been lucky the first time another with a spark had lain challenge. The opponent had taken pity on the figure, understanding the confusion of being newly awakened to their spark. Short lessons on control had followed, on the abilities to step between the worlds, to bind defeated creatures and creations to their will, and then summon them forth to aid in battle.
No one had been able to say why the spark manifested, or what was its purpose. For each individual, it seemed to differ, slight little variations in what they could do. Powers that came unique to them in addition to the abilites they all claimed in common. To each, their tokens appeared different, to some, they were keys, or gems, or pages in an ever growing book, unique to their original owner, though claimable by any with a spark. But, for all these things, there was one thing that seemed inevitable.
Battle. Spark called to spark, and those with greed and envy in their hearts struck out at others of their kind to take their powers, their summons, their tokens for their own. Friendships, rivalries, enmities, all grew, fostered by the powers they shared.
And now, the soft light of the moon shown down to highlight the face of...
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(Posted Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:14)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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