Because I want you to enjoy the idea of an actual story! God it irritated me, the way she cleaned her nails. The soft scratching noise from her knife at her nail bed. Every day she would do that and its not only disgusting but unbelievably annoying. He was not much better. That stupid oaf, more muscle than brain. He snores so loudly I haven’t gotten a good night’s rest in days. I hate them and I wish they would just die. They don’t know what its like, the search. Arcane power, ancient forces, the vast knowledge of what could be out there. They trample on it like dirt and then scrape it off their feet oblivious to the heresy they committed. Titans and Hunters will never understand Warlocks. But I had a plan, oh I had a plan. Fumbling through my pocket I ran my fingers over the smooth bone. A relic I… borrowed from the cryptarchy. Hell, they won’t miss it. The bone spoke to me believe it or not. One night during our travels it whispered to me. It told me of unparalleled power, the immortals, Ahamkara. Demons, dragons, djinn; they were all names for these godlike creatures. Thumbing the relic in my pocket, I grinned at the thought of what I was about to do. Life and knowledge came with the traveler. Hisperonauts reported discovering a new species of dragon on Venus. Newly born Ahamkara were brought to Earth and studied. This was all relatively recent, no one knew much about these things. But I did, I knew their secret. The power of promises. It was the other day, she was picking at her nails and he was grunting over something. It set me off, I was beyond restraint. I pulled the bone, which, I wanted to study on my own. You could never kill one of these creatures, I said. I honestly didn’t know what came over me but I was fed up with their utter disregard to the basic pleasantry of silence. I had to have it, I needed that power. And these idiots are going to find me an Ahamkara. Venus was just the first step. We hunted the dense jungle for days. Foliage overgrown on ancient ruins had me watering at the mouth but I couldn’t lose focus on my objective. They just breezed passed not even asking if I wanted to stop and study the ruins. Something once lived on Venus, an ancient warrior tribe I think, even older than the ones the Hisperonauts found. But that got me thinking as we traversed the jungles. Why were there jungles on Venus when conventional knowledge told only of storms and acid rain? Were there Ahamkara even before we reached Venus? Were we neighbors with sentient life and didn’t even know it! All this was petrifyingly fascinating I almost couldn’t contain it. I will have to research more at a later time. She picked up the trail and headed us after the Ahamkara. By the looks of it, it was probably a young one. I wonder how large these creatures could grow. I wonder what they are like? Are there family units? Scientific questions flooded my mind and I needed a break. I signaled the others. They turned and, of course, scolded me before they stopped. Their incessant need to put me down through some idiotic, misplaced, and foolish, sense of superiority was another thing I hate. Needing to clear my head I meditated through the night. It wasn’t much in terms of restfulness but it was better than suffering those two through the night. I awoke, the crisp air brushing against my skin. The other two had already packed their things, probably planning to leave me behind as usual. I quickly gathered my things and fell in behind them. She said she had found the trail once more, and it was fresh. She gave me that grin she always does when she was about to prove me wrong. Slowly cutting through the jungle, we finally came into a clearing. A large creature unlike any I had ever seen was lying in the grass. Its mythical body resembling that of a dragon, it had a pair of large feathery wings with boney claws at the joints. It had four eyes all of which were as big as we were. Its enormous body was plated with a boney exoskeleton armor. Its beaklike mouth curled into a sinister grin. Five-foot tall, razor like, teeth were stained a dark orange. The foul odor, its breath, would make even the strongest stomach churn. Even after witnessing all of this, he thought it best to poke the creature. Of course waking to a start and feeling threatened the creature jumped up and puffed it body. Bearing its teeth, it roared loudly and swung its enormous tail at the oaf. Why are you here it questioned with a deep and commanding voice? And that is where I stepped in. We request you give us power through your promise, I exclaimed. Both she and he looked at me. I quickly manipulated their thoughts, it was easy. She wants glory I said the Ahamkara could give it to her. He wanted strength and I explained, slowly, the Ahamkara could give that as well. They didn’t even ask basic questions and accepted everything I said. This settled the creature and I could see its white-green eyes narrow with its sinister grin. All knowledge is power. It is found in the fire, the void, and the spark, the Ahamkara started. It reached out and with its talon tapped her on the forehead. She fell back shaking violently clutching her eyes. For you, young huntress, no enemy will see you coming. You will quell them with your blade, but as the terms of equivalent exchange dictate, you must not see them either. You will never revel in your kill. Barbarian you shall forever be the strongest man in history. But as you shall want to tell your story I will not allow you. The Ahamkara tapped him in the jaw and dropped to a knee. Silently screaming he struggled against the obvious bodily changes which ripped and bent his armor. Finally, it was my turn. The creature raised both arms and tapped my ears. Knowledge as you seek it and desire is yours. Powerful is the mind, however, you will now forever be trapped by your own racing thoughts. The sound of birds disappeared, the wind vanished, everything fell into a dark silence. I could not hear. At the same time everything flooded my mind, I knew everything about solar, void, and arc energy. I could bend the light to my will and around the elements that made the basics of life. The Traveler gave me the power and now the Ahamkara refined it. The tower must have this, I thought. The answer was simple, my ghost. I signaled it and wrote the information into nine separate codices. I took our refined power and sent it to the City. Guardians would never be the same, but I conveniently altered the description of equivalent exchange. With more knowledge than I could possibly contain, my plan is now set in motion. Night fell as we finally adjusted to our missing senses. I kneeled before our fire and warmed my hands. The flames danced sending small sparks and smoke into the air. The aroma of sap filled the air around us calming the nerves. She talked with him about how to deal with their new power. A pathetic way of communication, one tap for yes two for no. Infinitely asking yes or no questions get you going in circles. Her blindness and his muteness would be their undoing. Picking up my canteen I left the grounds and searched nearby plant life. I knew everything about the local fauna. That’s when I saw it, a flowering plant, a deadly poison. I crushed a few of the flowers in my hand and let the oils drip into the canteen. Shaking it and mixing the contents I grinned. He drank first unable to yell for help as the poison ran its course, then it was her and she never saw it coming. I won. I returned the next morning to the Ahamkara. I thanked it over and over for the power it bestowed upon me. But it looked at me quizzically. Narrowing its eyes, it lowered its head. I know what you have done it said. My heart dropped and my body froze. The creature raised its talons and closed its eyes in sorrow. I could only feel a brief pain as it struck me. It was right though; I am forever trapped in the prison of my own mind. Ghost Report to Tower /Voice Only/ <Warlock> Advise, power comes at great cost. Ahamkara can grant wishes at the cost of something great. Legal and moral imperatives dictate me to share these codices with the people so future guardians will have access to immeasurable power, but the cost was much too dire. At the cost of human life, the Ahamkara will grant you anything you want. The titan and hunter were both taken as payment for this knowledge. I have exiled myself in anticipation for this clear disregard of the basic tenant: preserve human life. All Ahamkara must be eradicated before this knowledge becomes wide spread. They claim equivalent exchange however there is nothing more precious and valuable than human life. Simple power, no matter how great is never worth a human life, much less two. Please, I implore the Great Council to rule on this matter as quickly as possible. <Unknown 1> Great council, we have received great power in the form of these codices. But the price for them remains much too high. <Unknown 2> Agreed. Motion to deliberate on the fate of creatures determined to be Ahamkara. <Unknown 1> Seconded. <Unknown 3> This council recognizes the motion and debate will begin at the start of next session tomorrow. This Council is now adjourned.