A Deal: LXXIX
By now, Markos had grown accustomed to the same old dream. Unlike his usual nightmares that spread themselves out indifferently horrifying detail this dream was.. So much more lackluster. Almost lazy. Burning wood filled his nostrils with clouds of smoke covering his eyes Markos nearly chuckled as the sight of a burning waterdeep filled his retinas.
"Had a little trouble getting in today. Getting to you tonight was difficult." His attention moved to his immediate left where on one of the many statues in Waterdeep was the figure of Ant'tran leaning against some holy relic flipping through the pages of a book.
"Really?" Markos replied in stride. He spun around the smoking crater pushing pieces of it aside. "Starting to get real uncreative here.." He modified his dreamscape to make the ground level once more.
"I didn't expect a.. Greeting party downstairs.. That wouldn't have been you who asked for that, would it?" Markos tried his hardest to ignore the blade against stone like the sound Ant'trans voice made when he spoke it was very much unnerving in a more traditional sense.
"I.. ok.." he felt slightly confused frowning his eyes. "Hold on.. A greeting party? Like down stairs in our house? Who the fuck is up at.. Well I assume it's night." Markos felt a moment of awkwardness while Ant'tran seemingly tried to not break from his serious tone. "Who, is awake at like one in the morning. Who is not asleep?" Ant'tran made a visible expression almost like facepalming without the hand.
"I.. don't know the personal lives of your little.. Group" Ant'tran interjected almost bearing a similar tone of awkwardness.
"And I don't ask the group to do anything for me.. Besides maybe buy some books but that's really all-'' as he mentioned books Ant'tran shut his own. He slipped his right hand upward, placing the book on a non-existent shelf of sorts. Reading the spine Markos recognized it as the book he had just finished. It bemused him.
"So.." Ant'tran started.
"Hold up." Markos quickly interrupted. "You said you were greeted? Are you telling me every time you've tried to talk to me you've had to physically sneak into the house?" He was so very confused by this requirement, freaking weak warlocks could have psychic powers for gosh sake. But he didn't?
"Heh.. don't you feel that pressure?" Ant'tran inquired.
"I'm insane!" Markos protested. However as he cried a far more real sensation burned into his palm cold steel with odd angles.. The handle of a dagger. "Oh... oh. That." A mutual understanding was met as red eyes met green. This was a new form, Markos hadn't seen before, long silver hair and an unscarred face with two deep red eyes similar to Kaylea.
"So. reconsidered our.. Offer?" Ant'tran walked about the burning city still populated by the screams of its victims. The drow was seemingly admiring his work that would come to pass. Markos grit his teeth.
"I have actually.." He didn't truly recognize his voice.. So much more hateful and angry. "I have a problem." Markos's yellow cloak was pushed aside flapping in a new wind indicative of his turbulent mind no doubt.
"Oh?"
"I'm.. pretty sure one of my friends is dead." He waved a hand summoning the image of Asher into the dream. Ant'tran frowned and nodded clearly recognizing the masked figure. Ant'tran snapped his fingers as a set of chairs and a table clearly from the Trollskull tavern appeared in front of them. The drow took a seat.
"Why do tell." Ant'tran pointed to a chair on the other side of the table. Markos sat down with a heavy sigh.
"Asher.. He was.. Clearly investigating the Gralhunds, monsters nobles who aren't the best.. But now he's gone missing... and we, I failed.. To tell him something about them. Now he's probably dead.. And.." Markos paused, trying to avoid letting his voice crack. "It's my fault." he took a deep breath trying to prepare himself for this mental blame. "I don't know what else to do.. Besides raze hell. I don't have the power to get in there.. To destroy them, and we aren't.. Relying on her.." he admitted bitterly.
"Yes.. I see."
"My original plan.." Markos found it odd that Ant'tran was allowing him to do all the talking but he didn't complain. "Was to become fully sane.. Before requesting your help. A clear consciousness.. A clear mind. But those plans.. Have been.. Obviously made difficult. Our plans have shifted haven't they?" Ant'tran frowned seemingly confused who it was Markos was talking to. Markos didn't elaborate; simply listening to the air he got the message he needed.
"Perhaps.. It seems your plans have shifted dramatically Amanodel. What ever will you do?" Ant'tran had a sadistic grin, knowing the corner he was in. Markos studied Ant'tran's new form, sunken cheeks and green tips in his silver hair, this figure looked far more... injured.
"Everytime I see you, you're reminding me more and more of her. Kinda odd.."
"And who might you be talking about?"
"Hah." Markos let out a fake forced laugh placing a hand on the table he willed the surroundings to change the city snapped apart and reformed. "Amor Artis." The words rolled off his tongue like a native speech. The location stopped shifting with new dirt roads and bustling shops nearby in a small walled off city now around them. There Markos saw it. Only a few feet away from where both he and Ant'tran were sitting was the memory.. The day he entered Amor Artis. "My god of course.." Markos finally replied to the question. "Her.. she is my god." The open town showed off the trembling figure of Markos.. His past self leveling a long trident against that.. Entity.. Enwrapped in tentacles staring him down.
"Your... god?" Ant'tran sounded confused while he watched the image, Markos was thrown backwards before tossing his own trident at the terrifying entity. "Good toss-" Ant'tran started. In the middle of the air the creature.. Shifted transforming from an unholy abomination to an elven looking woman with tattered ears and deep purple eyes, dressed in silk robes befit for a queen. She had an odd tiny barely one inch scar on her left bottom lip. The memory captured the terror in all its glory, as the entity caught the trident out of the air without effort. "I may have spoken too soon." Markos grit his teeth and waved the image away, not wanting to see what happened next.
"My god." Markos admitted bitterly, the two of them now sitting in an abyss. "M-Mine.." he hated sounding possessive. But.. that caged thing behind him roared with those words.
"I thought your god was Cthulhu? Though I guess our first conversation did put that into question.."
"Ha!" he let out a genuine laugh for once grinning. "You think I worship that squid faced fuck? Don't make me laugh.. Everyone in this house... even ol rubber lips himself thinks I worship Cthulhu.. Works out for me, Hastur and him are locked in a struggle for my mind.. So I'm in ways.. Grateful." He flinched as memories began pouring through. He waved a hand again to reveal that image once again. They sat directly over the past Markos now, his.. Red eyes, so clear for sight. "When I was abducted for.. A time. Who knows how long.. By the crawling chaos itself. I've come to worship something older.. Something.. Greater.. Or at least.. That's not really important." Markos shook his head and waved off the memory once again. Green eyes once again met the red spectacles of Ant'tran while he tried to calm himself. "There are trade offs of course.. I can't.. Kill myself, and oh she just loves to interfere with my life. She's stopped my death.. And countless other things. But a price.. Always a price." He thought back on his insanity and the ways his mind had been so very damaged all those times.. "I doubt I'm going to get any help with this.."
"Oh is that so?" Ant'tran certainly sounded more condescending now, yet Markos held no fear he gave the creature a scornful look. The tension in the air was so strong Markos swore he could slice it if given his weapons. "You interest me.. Markos. Tell me, what does this.. God see you as hm? Her servant, a future champion of sort-" he cut Ant'tran off there.
"A source of entertainment." His words were bitter and cold, each syllable stung in the air like a wound recalling the various ways she would.. Entertain herself. "A blind child to watch bumble into walls." He paused and gave the creature a grin. "That's what she sees us as you know.. That's how to describe her. Uheo would scoop out your eyes.. And watch you blindly slam into walls until the only safe ground.. Were at her feet.. I know she would.. She has."
"That.. sounds so very unfair." Ant'tran taunted. Markos agreed.
*Rumble*
The distant city that had begun reforming around himself and Ant'tran began to encompass the area Markos let out a sorrowful sigh realizing his overall instability was impossible to always control. The cage behind him beat for an opening. "This world is crumbling.. You're putting too much strain on the balance." He admitted as he turned around a little. Standing up to face an empty abyss which was slowly forming. In the far off distance Markos spotted the enormous metal cage holding a pulsating purple chaotic energy. He took a deep breath ignoring it. Focus on this..
"Well then.. You seem to be out of time.. So Markos. What is it you will do?" Ant'tran stood up now the chair and table disappeared. Markos grinned. Turning around he held his back to Ant'tran the question was out there.. "Do it.. For yourself Markos.. Do it." An audible sound of a dagger being drawn could be heard he knew without even turning around. Ant'tran was handing it out to him.
"Myself.." He jested and stared into the abyss. "No.. what I do next I do not for myself.. Not for greed, or out of a lust for power.. I do this not for money, not wealth or fame.. I do nothing for me. I don't simply do this for myself.." He whispered "No.. what I do next, I do for Kaelya.. Whom I promised to find a cure.. I do for Thomius.. The one who followed me blindly, for Anastaxia.. Who only wanted a life. For Ryul.. the most insane of us all and the one who needed us the most." Markos's voice grew hoarse and drained angry from what he would be embracing, trading simply one master of his consciousness for a potential other. The joke was on the drow.. He had a safety precaution. "I do for Cassius that powerful fool. I do for Fabia who deserved nothing done to her! I do it for the countless victims of the Kemetism! The victims of his god's. I do this for Asher Exitium, Estral Ever'reiyn.. And because there is no other way." The mental state began to shake so violently as his emotions became unbalanced. "I do this for Irina Ilphelnodel! May my sister rest in peace.. I do this for the victims of this horrifying dimension!" He clenched a fist and felt the world begin to crumble. "And I do this for the eleven year-old boy.. Whose life was forever changed that day the dreamer of R'lyeh was summoned, the day all of Faerun history was altered forever. I do this for that child... Markos Amanodel the boy who was killed all that time ago!" Markos spun around holding out his hand reaching to take the dagger which was extended outward in Ant'tran's hand. The drows grasp was fully extended in a desperate attempt to hand it off, where Markos's fell short, despite the initiative he attempted to display.. Something was keeping him from doing it.. No. Someone. He pushed on. "It's a deal Ant'tran.. Help me kill my enemies.. The crawler.. The dreamer.. And unspeakable.. The mother. And those who would have harmed my friends. Help me kill them.. And my body is yours." Markos had a suspicion at that second..
"Good. now. Let's see how long this one.. Lasts." Ant'tran said sadistically.
"I knew it." A voice whispered in the abyss. Ant'tran frowned. Markos grinned realizing for once.. They were in tandem. Now..
"Hello.. Enah.." The voice was so very soft.. So small and quiet no one could hear it.. Except of course, Markos. An'tran looked questioning yet a form began to appear before the both of them, a simple image. Given to Cerdest. A tall woman in silk robes.. They had just seen her not ten minutes ago, the elven-like face of this figure.. Yet human ears. The crazed purple eyes. Terror filled Markos's body. She was slender and beautiful. She was true horror.
"No.. not her.." He muttered. Had he.. Had he ordered this? When? She looked so real. This wasn't a memory was it? No-what, what was going on she, he.. Markos began to hyperventilate. Roping his hand from the dagger merely an inch away from touching.
"So.. that's what your deity looks like." The image seemed to twist until numerous entities were shown. "I've always.. Wondered." Markos's brian was filled with utter fear but only to one of them, while Ant'tran barely flinched to the forming image of gods.
"AHHHH!" Markos bolted upright, panting and full of fear focused in a small daze he snapped around his room panicked to hell. An object of black steel flew from his left hand and into the grasp of a figure sitting at the edge of the bed. He got a clear look at the red eyed drow who held a menacing grin. He frowned. Why hadnt.. "Herod?" He looked to his friend who was sleeping in a bed nearby. His body was contorted in an odd manner with small particles of black energy surrounding him. A sleep enchantment. Herod's face looked twisted in pain and anger. While a blue fox spirit desperately danced over his face.
'The house is coming, hide.' A voice echoed in his ears. At that second Markos heard a door slam open in fact numerous ones. Shit. A lot of banging could be heard as people ran down the stairs and echoing footsteps got closer and closer to Markos.
'Wake up Herod!'
'No, you should do this on your own!' He groaned at the returning voices trying to tell him what he should do. The loud thumping got closer and closer as it was nearing the room.
"Da Hur Ctugraha." A rift opened at the base of the door as a purple and black tentacle spilled out following Markos's every command. He waved his right hand against the door slamming it against it and wrapping the handle. His attention turned back to.. Who was this? Shit right. The door was now not only locked but barred by a tentacle. Markos jumped to his feet and grit his teeth, he was not letting the rest of the party learn what he needed.. Had he even.. Wait.. his mind was becoming fuzzy, lines were blurring. A deal.. Did he make a deal? What was he thinking.. He took a long deep breath trying to clear his mind but it was pulsating in pain splitting into two.
"Purple..." The drow in the room muttered something under his breath staring at Markos. He shot the drow with a funny look and pointed instantly at the nearby open window.
"Markos?!" Alekzandrs voice rang from outside the door as two figures pounded against it. "Are you alright?" He sounded not so threatening yet still. "What is happening in there!"
"Somethings wrong Alekz!" Andraste's annoying voice came next, or it was just annoying to him. "Break it down.. Open this fucking door Markos." How could they know? Company.. The fucking drow mentioned an audience down stairs. A silent conversation was exchanged between the two of them through eyes. 'The bastard..'
"I.. am having a nightmare.. Was. was having a nightmare super standard don't you worry!" Hadn't he screamed through the house before? This made no sense.. The pounding continued and the drow got up to leave. He shot Markos a small smile of understanding before tracing his finger through the air, small arcane symbols glowing.
*Slam*
The door was pushed inward by the combined force of Riu, Alekzandr, and Andraste who stood at the doorway. An essence shot from Ant'tran's fingers as webs began covering the doorway to slow the intruders down.
"Nevae." Markos whispered. Cerdest floated nearby the door frame on ready command in any instance. A dark cloud of inky mist enveloped the area coming straight from Cerdest who was creating a psychic cloud to obscure vision.
"Ba! What the hell.." Alekzandr cursed.
"Markos what is this?!" Riu asked. The two of them seemed incredibly hampered by the ink cloud. Completely psychic.. It couldn't be seen through using any sight. They were unable to move through the ink cloud or the webs. Perfect cover. Ant'tran moved for the open window ready to leap out the connection between them could not be discovered and now.. Now it was har-
"Puderis di telum igni fulltea!" Herod bolted awake pointing his blade which somehow appeared in his hands at that instant green lightning emitted from the sword with a spectral fox mixed in slamming into the back of Ant'tran. The blakc energy was forced violently away much to the utter shock on Ant'tran's face. Power exuded into the room like a holy entity. "Praesidium ex vobis boni et mali Vul Puderi, bitch!" His power swelled, emanating to throw Ant'tran out of the room with such force even the drow sounded shocked. Markos turned to Herod who was grinning wildly. A strike had landed true on.. The innocent murderer. Shit. Markos jumped to his feet and rushed over to the window Ant'tran had just been shot through. He slammed it shut and a familiar look was on Herod's face. "You too?" Markos shook his head.
"Dont." Was it some form of friendship? Would.. They not speak of this?
The doors webbing was cleaved through the pack of them finally entering the room while Cerdest hovering slowly back into a corner. "Why did you cast web at the door Markos?" Alekzandr's voice was accusatory, web? Was that the spell. Shit. two of his teachers in magic were in that very room, how could he bluff them?
"I.. panicked.." Markos replied he stood on the cold floor feeling the lack of air in the room.
"Wait.. you shouldn't know that powerful of a spell.." Alekzandr continued. "What's going on?"
"I hate to tell you pal.. But I'm really really, insane-"
"Insanity doesn't explain powers." Riu interjected.
"I can jump through portals in this house. Have shifted through hell and the far realms.. Magic is just a bit weird around me." He shrugged in an utter lie. Would they take it? "I can summon elder deities and know things I shouldn't. Does this really surprise you?"
"Wild Magic.." Alekzandr muttered. But he still looked really suspicious. "Is there anything else you have to tell us Markos?" Alekz sounded on the edge of a point, he wished to ask something but couldn't force the information.
"No-"
"Don't lie Markos." Andraste stormed into the room now Herod was getting out of bed. "I saw him leave. I saw him." The elf growled.
"Uh.. ok." Markos fiend ignorance. "Could I ask who.. Cause remember, man I'm tired.. Remember I'm crazy and I did just see the face of my god while I was sleeping so uh.. A bit not all here."
"The innocent murderer.. I saw him. Here." Andraste continued her trade of anger. Markos stared her down, almost goading her into action.
"I saw him too.." Herod announced. "He.. invaded my dream.. Talked to me. This is the third time!" The whole room looked over at him in surprise and shock.
"Seriously?" Markos inquired, years of being a cultist had taught him to lie.
"Yes!" Andraste was sounding less angry and more irritated now, annoyed by Markos's ignorance. "He just jumped out your window!"
"Shot out.. He got shot out." Herod corrected.
"I know what I saw." Andraste tried to continue.
"I dont know.." Markos admitted. "I don't know what you saw.. If the innocent murderer was here.. Then.. I thank you for coming to my rescue.. I hadn't even noticed." The two of them stared one another down for some time. She finally let out a sigh and dropped her shoulders.
"Poor child." Andraste whispered. "Herod. We will talk about this again.. Another time." Andraste stepped forward to huge Markos, he quickly ducked.
"This is.. Stop." He whispered, not wishing to be touched. Riu was faster. She wrapped her arms around his back and held him.
"Be careful Cultist.." Riu whispered. "Go back to sleep.. Let's talk about this tomorrow morning." The group generally agreed in murmuring tones as Markos stood in the room.
"So..." Herod whispered. "Markos we have a lot to talk about." He grinned a little at Herod's words.
"Oh?" He asked, striding back towards his bed. "And what might that be?" He picked up his yellow cloak and unfurled it onto the bed.
"I think the Innocent murderer.. Is going to try and kill my god." Herod replied. The room shifted in tone. He stared down knowing it would be a long night.
"Oh.. well.. I guess.. We won't be going back to sleep." Markos whispered. "I'll... get out some paper.."