Dwelling: LIX
Markos ran down the corridor. "Where are you going, Enah? Don't run from me!" he nearly tripped on his own cloak. The twisting paths of this maze felt like hell itself, though.. He had been there before. It wasn't really identical. "Come now Enah.. I just want to help you. You've misbehaved so much.. Let me make sure it doesn't happen again." Markos whimpered, his left shoulder slammed into a hotel corner when he rounded it.
"Mphpm!" he made a pathetic noise in his attempts to flee, all the while the familiar sound of clicking heels echoed behind him, like no matter how far he ran or how fast he fled. He could not escape the being behind him. Waves beat against the building somehow, dreams were.. Confusing places, their rules never made much sense. "No, no, no." Markos passed a hall of mirrors catching a flash of his green eyes desperate to see if.. She was still behind him. She was. He wished for nothing more than to turn around and face the demon head on. But fear froze him. "I have.. I have to.. I've got to.." he could feel his skin light up in pain like someone was slowly peeling back the layers, his gut pulsed with the sensation of knives. It didn't matter how far he ran, his pain was waiting for him. Markos clenched his eyes. 'Let it stop' he thought let it stop. He ran in darkness until the pounding sound of his heels against wood became stone. "What.." he opened his eyes and color slammed into them. Crackling fire could be heard all around him with the city of Waterdeep forming. He.. knew this image was nearly identical to the one Herod had described. The burning city blazing with different color fires, the ocean water looked red with blood lapping at the docks yet at the city center Markos found the culprit two silhouettes standing atop a mound of bodies blood drenched everywhere. The banners of various churches lay tattered, broken, singed, and destroyed at the mounds base. A horrible chuckle echoed through the city like someone was laughing at the misfortune. Markos came to a slow realization this was not a normal nightmare of his.. No instead.. This was caused by someone else. He slowly.. Smiled. "Heh.. I'm in danger." At the city's center atop the mound one figure descended a dark black energy enveloped him spilling almost from the knife in his hand. It was a dramatic entrance he would give it to the drow. A wicked grin spilled across the drows' unnatural face almost.. Menacingly.
"Why.. hello there. A second time for a night is always lovely." The drow spoke in a nasally tone full of a vocal fry in its attempt for power.
"Hello non-believer." Markos nearly gagged with the words coming out. A disgusting front, yet it felt necessary. The Drow frowned with a small grin on his lips.
"Your mind.. Is strange.. Clouded by.. Something I don't even understand.. So many others."
"Cthulhu.. Or Hastur?" He placed a hand behind his back and began to pace in front of the drow, showing no signs of his fear, he had faced worse looking entities. The drow looked confused for a second. 'Bite..'
"I.. know not these names.. Perhaps I'll learn." The drow regarded Markos coldly. "Apologies.. I almost forgot.. I am Ant'tran, Auvryrret Naïlo though the Naïlo is a.. Recent addition. It is nice to meet you, Markos Amanodel." The drow pronounced his name as Ah-men-oh-del.. He had grown so used to Ah-men-ee-deal it sounded almost foreign. Clearly this creature had only seen it in writing.
"Pleasure." Markos responded though he felt more interested in observing the sky dancing spined devils roamed. He recognized them from his time in hell. He was honestly kind of shocked to see them now, he didn't have many nightmares in hell.
"Is that.." Ant'tran paused smelling the air. "Is that the air of another death I smell on you? Heh.. who has taken over the domain of death since my creator left." Ant'tran spoke like he was reminiscent, he recognized the deities Markos had encountered. 'Oh no.' Markos thought. "It's been so long.. Since I've heard his name. It's hard for me to even remember it." Markos racked his mind who had taken over? Since a deity had left..
"Bones.. or murder?" Markos asked, he recalled how Myrkull and Bhal resided over their domains.. But this was different. Ant'tran chuckled.
"You speak of lesser beings.. To what I was created by. I'll admit It's been years since I heard his name.. So few even speak of him at all now. Tell me, who sits on the throne of death?"
"The raven queen." Markos spoke without thought, if those two domains were not what he referred to.. Then it could only be the goddess who dethroned.. Him. a god of death. Ant'tran sneered hissing angrily. 'So.. that's what this all meant.' he decided, a reaction like that to the raven queen..
"So.. the bitch succeeded.. She dethroned a worthy god and took his place?! Outrageous." Ant'tran cursed angrily. Markos shrugged his shoulders holding his hands up in a false sympathy.
"Well. that happens you know.. Things are always a mess. Sorry about that just the messenger." He joked. With alarming speed Ant'trans eyes darted over to him filled with anger. The drow didn't even seem to move before instantly being mere inches away from his face. Markos didn't flinch. "You're like her.. Aren't you?" Markos felt so curious, the speed this creature had displayed.. The.. sheer power he carried himself with. It was a match for god's he had seen before. Ant'tran looked puzzled like his display of power did nothing.
"Oh? And who is this.. Her, you speak of?"
"Ha.." Markos let out a nervous laugh. Fiddling with his fingers. "Careful.." Markos warned with a grin. "Names.. Have power, friend, there are elder gods.. Outer deities, beings even I am scared of." He turned around showing his back to this drow figure he took three steps away admiring the burning city. "This is all rather.. Draft isn't it? I propose a change in scenery." Markos held up his hand, his voice deeper like a growl far away from its near female touch on the regular.
"A change in..?" Ant'tran muttered behind him. Markos snapped his fingers. "I decided what this space-" Instantly the town folded around them the fires disappeared and the bodies as well. Instead, now they stood in the manor. TrollSkulls bar with all but one table cleared away. "How.." Ant'tran sounded confused, even outraged in a way, yet most of all curious. Markos smiled. Like he could stop this new power if he wished, but was too fascinated.
"Much better."
"What.." Ant'tran closed his eyes, and Markos stared at the drow intently. "You have lived.. An interesting life.. A worshipper of the dreamer.. A walker of planes.. And existence.. Seen the faces of so many gods.." An'tran stopped opening his purple eyes slowly. He held a half cocked grin. "You know very little about the planes don't you?" Markos frowned. He didn't like that question, what did it even mean? Was this thing searching his brain?
"Sure.." he started. "Why not."
"Feels almost like I'm talking to a child." Ant'tran groaned. "Though I guess everyone is a child compared to me."
"A child.. You.. looked through my mind and yet, still assume that of me? Do you wish a conversation Ant'tran? To understand this mindscape?"
"Hmm.. perhaps you have some intelligence afterall.. Tell me what are those noises?.. They are irritating.. Voices echoing in this head." Markos shrugged the beating cage somewhere near him and roared with the insanity that was his brain. Like a chained beast trying to get out. "No matter.. I doubt these.. Elder beings are as powerful as my creator.. Or even me." Ant'tran paced the bar like he was still upset by the venu change. Markos simply took a seat.
"Is that so? Your creator.. Heh. I know of power.. True greatness in the world. I have seen terrors." Ant'tran rolled his eyes.
"I will get to the point." The drow pulled the dagger forward. For the first time letting Markos see it. It seemed to have two blades arcing outwardly like a parabola before coming back in for a single point. The handle had a guard around the fingers similar to a rapier, yet the pommel itself resembled that of a spider's leg. "Why worship these pathetic beings.. When you could.. Worship me. Join me-" Ant'tran began.
"Can you kill a god?" Markos cutoff Ant'tran's monologue happy to avoid yet another powerful being droning on and on about his wishes. Fear escaped Markos's body floating elsewhere, another force.. Instinct. Took over happily ready to view plans. The drow began to chuckle his wicked grin returning like he hadn't expected such a quick and to the point question.
"I intend to." Ant'tran whispered leaning in over the table, his voice was like a dagger against stone grinding against it in the most uncomfortable horrid way, piercing his ears like a scream. Every word he spat, every syllable he uttered echoed power, Markos did well to hide his fear. He rolled his eyes.
"No.. like. Seriously. Can you kill a god? Can you resurrect a god.. And kill them?" Markos stood up from the table waving his hand dismissing the table and chairs. The vision around them shifted to the open waterdeep. Markos held his back to Ant'tran.
"I Intend to!" Ant'tran sneered even louder, this time with more reservation. More power and more force. Images flashed in his eyes, burned banners of churches, torn down buildings, dead deities on the ground, their bodies littering the streets of Waterdeep. Markos smirked, shifting a finger. The town around them morphed still, the buildings melted and the scenery changed, until they were suddenly.. In Rehfar. Markos's home village. A broken and disgusting mess of slime burned houses, stomped buildings and overgrown foliage.
"Can you.." Markos whispered. "Kill Cthulhu?" for a moment everything seemed to freeze.. The air held still all around him, and he held his breath. Time stopped. He knew damn well he was messing with an entity of strength far beyond his understanding but that didn't matter.
"Do you mean.. Your deity? The one you worship?" The drow's voice was slow and inquisitive. Markos turned.
"Heh.. you reall think I worship the squid faced fuck? That dreaming abomination of weakness? Do you even know what he is?" Markos's voice growled sounding more similar to a rake over gravel. He gazed at Ant'tran with determination, almost humour in his own eyes.
"Tell me of him.. And we'll find out together."
"He's. tall, green, has a squid for a face, giant claws and wings, a superiority complex, loves to sleep, hates stars, red eyes. Destroyed my home. Destroyed my life. And Killed my sister." He felt his own voice shake at these words, the trademark feminie pitch and this new low growl almost speaking in unison for those last lines. Markos shook with anger the village erupted with the creature, the being of Cthulhu emerging from the ground to destroy the place once again. "I have operated under him for so long.. He doesn't even know the true intentions.. He can't hear my thoughts when I sleep. He told me once.. Long ago, I would be the one to raise him to pull him back so he may awaken the great old ones! It was all he could see.. His rise at my hands. That is where his vision is flawed!" Markos snarled. "I will raise him.. Bring him here. And then I. Markos Ktugya Damor'syol Amanodel. Will end him." Ant'tran looked taken aback almost shocked at this revelation. This.. news. Like a wave of neusa, Markos felt a gripping sensation on the back of his brain as if someone wished to invade. He shook it off. Ant'tran looked even more surprised. 'He wants to play huh?' He thought.
"You.. resist.. So easily. Shocking. You don't not appear to be very wise." Markos grinned a little.
"While your offering is so.. Very nice. It would not do for me to display my plans so openly while my taps are still conscious.. First I will cure myself of my insanity. Then you may return."
"You have such little faith in my abilities. Fine, stay as you are for now.. You have been marked. I will return. Another day." Ant'tran replied with a chuckle. So fast. Like there was better things for this entity of strength to do.
"It's been fun." Markos added. "Thank you for offering me a knife without shit tons of.. Oh actually this is death and murder nevermind." He grumbled. Ant'tran turned to walk away disappearing into the nearby walls like a ghost. Laughter rose around Markos as did screams. For once.. He did not even hear the voices. Other than Ant'tran's. The vision shifted without ihs permission back to the image Herod had described.. The burning wailing hellhole of Waterdeep, any sense of power or control that Markos had was ripped away letting him know it was all at Ant'tran's permission.
He bolted awake his whole body drenched in a cold sweat.
"Hey Markos, how's it going man?" He turned to see Herod awake in his bed nearby. He was sitting with beads of sweat running down his neck, green eyes met purple. Markos frowned slowly, whispering voices began to set back in.
"Oh hi.. Can't sleep?" Markos asked.
"Something like that.. You also happen to be awake at three am?"
"Oh yeah!" Markos chuckled. "I have tons of nightmares so.. You know how it is.. Always waking up. You.. alright?" Herod was drenched in sweat looking worse for wear, Markos could tell. He received a visit as well. "First time with god's trying to punish you?" Herod began to laugh at that. He liked Herod, he was a good friend.
"Yeah, sure. Nothing in.. specific you wanna tell me Markos? You look like you've got something on your mind." Herod asked in a high pitched tone. Like he already knew the answer. A silent exchange occurred just through their meeting eyes. An understanding of what just happened.
"Nope. nothing at all. Goodnight Westwood." he whispered into the room, before pulling the covers up over him attempting to drift back to sleep.