[RPG] [BT] Phoebe ~ Power Play

[Timothy Collett]

[OOC: again, an amalgam of messages sent by various players,  
including Tom, and description of the events connecting them...]

As Phoebe waits outside, Lady Agaresh comes to the gate and says to  
the guard,
"I know this woman, she can be trusted. Let her in to see the Duke at  
my request."

The guard reluctantly obeys and Lady Agaresh meets Phoebe just past  
the gate,
"Hello again Phoebe, what news do you bring from the south?"

Relieved, but still grim, Phoebe answers, "Not from the South today,  
but from Zisswii. The portal there is closed, and I fear the Daimon  
Arcane may be after my head for doing so..."

Lady Agaresh looks truly surprised and a glimmer of hope enters her  
grim countenance,

"Closed you say? This is true? This is indeed good news but why have  
we heard nothing to show for it?"

Phoebe grins wearily. "Well, I came here as quickly as I possibly  
could. I guess I beat the messengers..."

Lady Agaresh praises her deed, while in her head, Phoebe mocks the  
woman, for the closing of the portal had been the farthest thing from  
her intent...at length, though, she takes Phoebe to a modest room to  
rest.

* * *

In the night, she is awoken by horrible sounds: screams, crashes, and  
ear-rending shrieks of something scraping against stone.  She dresses  
as quickly as she can, and rushes to a balcony near her room.

Briefly, she glimpses an incredible sight: winged creatures of some  
sort are flying about the city and the palace, clearly searching for  
something—or someone.  Before she can fully take it in, though, her  
view is blotted out as one of the creatures rises from the courtyard  
below directly in front of her.  With a cry of triumph, it takes her  
in one massive clawed hand and flies away.  Just before she passes  
out, Phoebe can see the other creatures reacting to the cry, flying  
away from the city.

* * *

When Phoebe awakens, she finds herself in a cage, large enough to lie  
down in, but not much more.  Through the bars, she can see a few  
others like it in the flickering shadows, but no walls, no ceiling—it  
is as if she is suspended over an endless abyss.

Below her—far, far below—there is fire, providing just enough light  
and warmth to prevent simply being here from being torture.   
Occasionally, a shadow will flit across the flames.  One such shadow  
seems to grow and take form as a creature rises from the depths on  
slow beats of enormous wings.  It is the size of a small house, its  
features difficult to discern in the Stygian glow from below.   At  
the sight of it, the blood drains from Phoebe's face.

When it has risen to the level of her cage, it speaks, its voice  
impossibly deep, and more felt than heard: You are the interesting  
girl that Arcane spoke about. It is power you desire, and you gave  
blood for it. Speak, how strong is your desire?

With a visible effort, Phoebe masters herself.  Her voice barely  
shakes as she replies, "I desire power more than anything, and I am  
willing to give almost anything for it."

The creature comes closer. Phoebe can now see that it flies above the  
abyss without moving its wings. It looks like a daemon and a dragon,  
and a large imp—but for the eyes. The eyes are... beyond  
description.  It speaks again: So you spill a few drops of blood and  
think that is it? How much more blood are you willing to spill for  
power? It doesn't have to be your own. Very few powerful men spill  
their own blood, you know...

Becoming slightly more confident, Phoebe answers, "Apart from one  
man, I will spill as much blood as I need to gain the power I seek.   
And I would have spilled the blood of another this time, but the one  
whose blood I had planned to spill didn't show up."

Very well. So prove your worth. Bring me the blood of five humans and  
we will talk further.You will find yourself properly... equipped when  
you wake up. You will know what to do.

The creature drifts away into the darkness. Then the darkness gets  
darker, as Phoebe is lifted up, away from the flames...it gets  
colder, and darker, and colder and she feels tired and cold and...  
tired... asleep... she sleeps...

--

"The only thing you can't trade for your heart's desire is your heart."
  ~ Miles Naismith Vorkosigan

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