Detached

## Summary

Detached are human beings who can manipulate and channel Quantum Energy. More specifically, they are human beings who manipulate and channel quantum energy in order to travel between universes in three-dimensional space. However, since there are no recorded incidences of human beings who can manipulate and channel quantum energy, but *can not* travel between universes, most people don't use the more stringent definition.

A Detached differs from a Quantum Irregularity only in that it is a conscious being, while most quantum irregularities are either not living or ostensibly unthinking creatures.

## Combat

Some Detached use quantum energy in combat. While there has never been a recorded incidence of someone using quantum energy to revive a person from death or heal an energy, it has proven to be trivial for talented Detached to use their powers to deal serious damage to any person or thing they target. Below are a list of the combat-specific abilities that have been demonstrated by Detached.

### Whip

One executes a whipping technique by channeling quantum energy into their hand without concentrating on containing it. Then, once enough energy has been channeled, one must lift their arm up and throw it forward as if cracking a whip. The result, if practiced well enough, is an elongated, craggy jet of blue energy firing from one's hands and fluttering with the motion of one's arms the way a rope might. This technique requires caution, though: It is nearly impossible to control how far out the beam of quantum energy will extend before dissipating, and the damage this technique deals to the human body can very easily be lethal. Imagine a thin strip of metal hitting you at the speed of light.

### Blade

Similar to the whip technique, with a keener intuition for controlling quantum energy one can form what is called a blade, but what is more similar to holding a bundle of sticks. A great degree of control over quantum energy is required. Any lost concentration could cause the bundle of quantum energy in your hand to shoot out in all direction like beams of light, tearing through solid walls, large buildings and concrete roads like bullets tearing through a notebook. The blade is exceptionally dangerous, but also exceptionally powerful because if you can control it you wield controlled raw power. You make a transient energy source constant.

### Grenade

Well, more like a firecracker. This simple technique just requires an ability to channel quantum energy into a small area for a short period of time, and then give it some momentum. Typically you want to concentrate it into the palm of your hand and then flick it at at someone the way a ninja flicks his throwing star. It's a short range technique, so it shouldn't be used to stop someone trying to escape from you. The ball of energy travels incredibly far, but bursts in less than a second, sending a spray of sparkling energy and burning heat that looks colorful and intricate like a magic trick.

### Chop

The chop is one of the very few long-range techniques you can reliably use, but it takes incredible amounts of talent and understand of how to manipulate quantum energy. You start by concentrating a huge amount of quantum energy into a small ball in your hands, and then you simply chop at it in the direction you want a small slice of it to go. If you're not good enough, the sudden impact of your hand hitting it could cause the energy levels to spike, which would make you lose control--and now you have basically the grenade, but a much bigger version, and it's still in your hand. Many have died attempting to master this technique. If you can do it, you probably don't need to be reading any instructions on manipulating quantum energy.

## Defense

There are also defensive techniques that Detached use to protect themselves and others.

### Shield

A short-lived, small wall of quantum energy. Must be timed fairly well, and generally isn't good at handling multiple impacts of quantum energy. Excellent at absorbing impacts from things like bullets and swords.

### Splash

An even shorter-lived version of the shield that must be timed perfectly. It takes up an extremely tiny amount of quantum energy, and requires very little concentration, but it's exceptionally dangerous. Imagine if you had a shield, but you could only use it by raising it up at the exact moment your opponent swung his sword down. You would probably get a new shield, right? This technique causes a sudden burst of quantum energy from your hands, which is certainly pretty, but doesn't handle rapid-fire threats like automatic rifles very well.

## Misc.

There are plenty of other techniques some Detached are good at which have no direct combat applications, but can certainly be useful.

### Conjuring

When you conjure, you create a quantum irregularity from a normal object. Conjurers somehow have the intuitive ability to warp the very essence of something or someone, causing them to react to quantum energy even if they never did before. This is great for creating strange creatures which might defend you in times of danger, but it certainly can't be used to create fellow Detached. When a conjurer forces a normal human to react to quantum energy, it warps them into mindless beasts.

### Blink

Exactly as it sounds, some Detached have the ability to teleport. Their range, however, is limited to where ever they sense a strong concentration of Quantum Energy nearby. If none exist, or none are close enough, their ability is utterly useless.

### Pulse

Quantum pulses simply don't happen. Only very rare individuals are unaffected by a pulse, and even rarer are the ones who can cause a pulse themselves. A quantum pulse is a bubble of quantum energy that stops everything inside of it. It's not clear whether a quantum pulse stops time, only stops motion, or pauses the laws of physics themselves for everything within its control, but it's clear the technique is extremely powerful and dangerous. If you could make everything around you stop whenever you wanted to, what would you be able to get away with?