A shadowy figure crouches over a seemingly bottomless pit beneath the Castle Doomspire. For centuries this primordial vault was forgotten, unable to be found even by Mordred Wrathmire the original Master and Lord of the castle. Only by fate had this one visitor, whose magic reacted oddly with the castle, had been able to stumble upon Morandreth's vault. After some time of staring into its depths, he spoke, "After all this time, here it is. The Four would be mortified to know something like this was beneath the castle! The infernal legions within would consume them all!" After more pondering, the shadowy figure stands and moves into the witch light he created as he climbed down the crumbling steps. It was Shamus McTearnin! After his temporary disposition by one of the Four, he had managed to fall back into good grace and low and behold had found the Source of the castle's power! "So, I'll have to hold this for us all, or the Four will surely be consumed by it, not even Morandreth or Mordred could control its power. The Hollow must remain sealed." With that the now restored professor climbed the crumbling stairs back to the secret passages of the castle, content with the knowledge that no force on this would dare touch Doomspire.
As Shamus climbs back up, the shadows around the sides of the room seem to move, and all come together, moving right off the walls, into the center of the room. They slowly take a humanoid form, and after a while is visible to anyone that may be watching as Lord Anthrax looking down into the vault. He looks back at Shamus, wondering how he managed to find this place. "Now, now... Shamus is really getting to where he does not belong. I'll let him go along for now, I doubt he is any threat...but I better keep my guard up, I shouldn't have left the vault unsealed." Anthrax solemnly intones a few strange, archaic words, and the ladder Shamus climbed up disappears, along with any trace of it. All that can be seen is a solid stone ceiling. Anthrax mutters something else, and a swirling black vortex appears, lasts a few minutes, and suddenly both he and the vortex both disappear
The next day Shamus was wandering, looking for the vault, but could not find it. "Odd, I know it was here. Wait.... What is that sensation?" As he tested the air he smells blood, decay, death, and power. "A Vampire sealed the vault! Oh well, I now know how to retrieve the Hollow if I need, let's pray that I don't though. The temptation to steal the powers of the others is sooo strong! But, to release such a force would destroy all of magic." As he clambers about the secret passage, he stops and sees a figure groping about. Obviously, this being did not have the infravision common to elves and vampires. "Curse it all, how'd I get down here?" A familiar voice mutters. "Des? Is that you?" shouts Shamus. Des, startled, draws her wand and points it at the shadows where her name is called. "Wh...Who�s there? Don't move, I'm armed!" With this Shamus freezes, he doesn't want to die, but he merely whispers, "It's me, Shamus." In the desolate silence, he waits for Des's reply.
Oh..." Des mutters. "I was hoping to kill something. Students haven't all been doing their homework, so I'm a little upset about that. Anyway, it is a bit surprising to be suddenly teleported. Did you do that?" She steps forward, looking disappointed that Shamus wasn't a student.
Hearing voices outside with his incredible ears, the unseen form of Anthrax mutters something, and the stones turn into a one-way mirror; he can see out, but anyone looking in sees only the solid stone. He sees Shamus again, and a... human? He soon realizes it is the one called "Des" How did a human get here? Anthrax continues to watch them, wondering what to do next.
Still awaiting Shamus' answer, Des' eyes dart around the unfamiliar place. Something is out there, but she can't see it, and no sound comes from the darkness. Extending an invisible cord of her power out to investigate, her feeling for minds detects another person, watching. But while most minds are jumbled masses of thought and action, this one is clear.... sharp...as if its thoughts are all laid out in an orderly fashion. Human minds can never be like that, elves sometimes maintain a clutter somewhat less disorganized than the average being, and animal minds always have only one thought at a time, though it changes frequently. Whatever is watching them, clearly it is a creature of magical origin. Wizards and witches are merely capable of magic. This has magic flowing through its very veins, like dragons or unicorns...
Anthrax feels a tingling in his head, and is slightly startled. "Des, or someone else, must be trying to read my thoughts", he thinks. He quickly tosses up a mental wall, wondering if it would be best to teleport her out of here, but decides it would be best to figure out how she got here, and what she knows.
As she walks down the stairs Pixie hears voices, and quickly hurries her steps. She stops as she comes to two individuals standing together listening. She frowns, drawing her sword, and sharply says, "What are you doing down here?" She continues to stare at the two individuals reconigzing they are Des and Shamus, she quickly moves her attention to the walls where she senses movement. She smirks and loudly says, "Anthrax...!"
Des turns around and looks at Pixie. "Anthrax? Is that a name, or a disease? What's going on here? Oh, and "Anthrax", whoever you are, mere mental walls cannot stop the most powerful telepath in the world. Well, maybe not the most powerful, but still pretty damn hard to keep out of your thoughts. What are you, anyway? A wight or something? And will somebody PLEASE tell me what is happening?"
Resheathing her sword, knowing it will not be needed, Pixie frowns, "How did they get down here Anthrax; show yourself this instant!"
"Hmm," speaks Shamus softly, "Anthrax knows what's down here, and so do I. Des was summoned here by it. My breaking of the seals has provided the Hollow the opportunity to seek out a strong mind, that is why you are here Des. Pixie, I'm not sure why your here, but thank you for telling me who that was who was watching us, Anthrax, please come out!" With a flash, Anthrax steps out of the shadows and leers at them all in silence. "Well, I suppose I shall share with you what is hidden in this place. It is called the Hollow. Forged of pure anti-magic, it has always existed. It was sealed 7 millenium ago when the forces of good and evil temporarily joined forces. It can not be destroyed merely bound. What does it do? Simply, it eats magic. It will seek out a host and whenever magic is used against that host it will steal the aggressors power. It must not be unsealed. Though at first it can be controlled, the more magic it absorbs, the stronger it gets, until no one can contol it. The real question is, what do we do with it? "
Pixie continues to frown, realizing he isn't as ignorant as she thought. "You act as if you have uncovered a secret, yet there are three others around you." She glares over at Anthrax as if this was all his fault. "I can answer your question Shamus; we leave it alone."
"Yeah, well, if he wanted a powerful mind he could have chosen someone else." Des looks around, eyeing something that apparently only she can see. "Um. Can I go now? There's a few things hanging around here which I'd much rather not be around at the moment. You three can sort it out, I think I'd be happier back at my office. Bye." There is no flash, no bang, no whirling light--she simply vanishes.
Pixie smirks as Des runs as usual, "She will be delt with later. But you two I think I might just have some time for now." She moves her glare from Shamus to Anthrax; she frowns and stares at Anthrax. "You were suppose to be protecting this." is sent to Anthrax telepathically knowing Shamus already knows too much. "Get rid of him" is sent next to Anthrax as she smirks.
A student named Seira appears from the shadows, looking around. She stops, seeing all the Professors there. Pixie Darklight has her back to Seira, and so does Lord Anthrax Deathreaver. She is about to turn and leave, hoping they didn't see her. But she stops. There's something about the way Pixie Darklight is looking at Shamus McTearnin that makes her just melt back into the shadows silently. She casts a simple invisibility spell, not even stopping to think that may not hide her from their superior magic. Since they are all standing there silently, Seira guesses some or all of them are using telepathy. She concentrates and tries to hear their private conversation, which she is quite good at. But all she can hear is faint whispers, bits a pieces. All she could hear Pixie Darklight say was 'Rid of him'. She frowned. Rid of who? A student?
Smiles slightly sensing the child among them, Pixie is mentally kicking herself for leaving her guard down for she feels the child catch some words. She closes her mind off from the child and whispers into her mind "It isn't safe hear child, go before the other two notice you."
Back in her office, Des thinks about what just happened. "I probably shouldn't bother. I mean, Pixie's there, she can take care of things. Even a vampire. Nothing immortal lives forever, they tend to die surprisingly quickly and in rather odd ways." A thought occurs to her. "Damn. Shamus is there. A 500-year-old elf he may be, but he's just a first-year. Unless he's got some sort of great hidden power, he's as good as dead in a fight with a vampire. And Pixie won't help him, because she'll figure he's worth no more than something to bait the enemy with. Hell, I can't just leave him there. He does his homework, for crying out loud! That kind of student is too rare to lose!" With an annoyed expression on her face, she vanishes back to the strange place.
Hiding herself in the shadows, keeping careful to send out a mental shield of Nothing to see here, you're far too busy to notice me, Des watches and listens. Reaching out mentally, she feels a new presence--"For crying out loud, ANOTHER student?"--And winces. Then she listens carefully to what Pixie is saying. "Get rid of Shamus? Gods, it's worse than I thought. PLEASE let her only mean to send him away with some kind of small memory wipe..." Partially horrified, she continues watching and listening... until Pixie leaves and Shamus notices her...
Raising an eyebrow, Des replies, "Sure, I'll keep it a secret. Needed something to do anyway. No, I did not think a memory wipe would permanently hinder you, but does Pixie know that? I wasn't sure, so I came here to try and help. Since you never told anybody you were of 'royal blood', how would I know you could take care of yourself?" Her eyes glazing over slightly, Des turns on her spirit-sight. Throwing out cords of her own power, she creates a band going all the way around the place. Stretching it so it becomes a dome, she adds a few words in some long-forgotten language to complete her work. "There. Anybody who gets too close to the dome will leave of their own accord. Pixie can embellish it if she wants."
Pixie frowns reaching out with one hand above her as if she was grabbing onto the bands of power. She smirks and thrusts her arm in a downward motion booming "Dos yeunn wael!" Des' dome slowly diminishes as her hand finally returns to a resting state. "A mere witch's tricks will never seal this place. See how easy it will be for some to break through your dome!" She moves her gaze around glaring at each individual then stops when she reaches Shamus. "Surely such a high elf as your self can spot one so closely related to himself. For I am no witch, I carry no wand, thus I am a Drow."
Shamus smiles slightly, "Ah, yes you are Drow aren't you? This will be quite difficult. Perhaps we should insight the help of demon to guard this site? Pixie is right, a witch's powers will never do, and other mystical creatures will most certainly be able to dispel and normal wards. Your input please Anthrax, you've been rather quiet.'
Des frowns, "Hmm. Oh well. Obviously I'm so defeated, I could never last here...yes, I'm doomed, that's for sure.... I�ll just leave you to whatever it is you want to do, shall I?" With a faint smile, Des vanishes yet again. Sometimes, it's better just to watch.
***
Her mind flickers. The Hollow is calling to her.
In a dimension far from the one in which Doomspire exists in, she is called by the turbulence now threatening the state of The Hollow. Slowly, as if slipping through worlds of shadow, she passes through worlds unchartered back to where it began, to The Castle Doomspire.
In the glory days of Doomspire, she had been a champion of the school. First among students, first among staff. She enjoyed the privileges granted to her by the Lord - for she was his closest confidant.
In her later years, she confined herself to the shadows of the school, lurking deep beneath the daily activities of others. She became withdrawn and her body became less and less human. It was at this time she discovered The Hollow.
Guided by a powerful and unyielding force, she was drawn to it. The other- worldlier she became, the easier it was for her to slip through the barriers protecting The Hollow. Maybe through chance, probably through fate she discovered it.
It amazed her and intrigued her. Her mind became fixated on The Hollow - but she never tried to harness its power. She would simply return to gaze at the swirling black vortex. Her ritual visits continued, growing longer and more frequent. On one such ritual, the power of The Hollow seized her; it wanted her for its own purposes. Suddenly, an unawakened primordial instinct took over. She slipped the blade from her robes and began the incisions. Slivers appeared in her flesh. Scarlet blood ran freely into the vortex from the wounds in her wrists, in her sides, in her throat. The Hollow had consumed her.
Perhaps because her soul did not desire the power of The Hollow, she was able to escape alive. It was an unprecedented event for she was the first in all ages of magic to not want the power for her own means.
Now, she has become a mere entity, neither good nor evil. As a result of her interference with The Hollow, she barely exists - floating through time and space. Seeing all, seeing nothing. She had gone by many names at one point in her life - now, which meant nothing. She became a spiritual nomad, commanding the ability to see through time and dimensions. There are those who seek her council for they understand.
Circe, the entity, is bound by the force of The Hollow. It calls to her now. Will she return?
***
Looking out at the others, Anthrax says "I sense...another presence here." As he looks around, the chamber bursts into flame, and a black pillar of magic erupts from the pit. As he looks into the pillar, a figure that seems to be made of pure fire and brimstone floats out, and looks Anthrax straight in the eyes. Glowing pure black, Anthrax looks at the others quickly "Get out of here! Shamus, why did you not tell me you broke ALL the seals?! Whoever is watching us�Both of you, get out of here quickly! Pixie, I will be in your office when I am finished here�it may take a while to destroy this balor, but I can do it...I should even survive it. Shamus, I will be talking with you, but none of you come back here! The balor will seek you out if I fail here...What is that?! He senses a feeling, almost a ripple in the air, that no one else seems to notice, he mutters something like "She lives?" under his breath "I think I have help in this matter, possibly. Trust me you two, I don�t want anyone else to get hurt here, it is MY job to protect this place, just go! If you chose to stay, I will just send you away as it is, you must have faith in me." With this, he has a pure golden blade in his hand, obviously an ancient sword, very large, which seems to hum with power. He takes one step towards the balor, which just floats there, and Anthrax looks back and sees the others are still there. "Go quickly, you don�t want to get caught in this!"
Pixie smirks eyeing the balor and moves her gaze slowly towards Anthrax. She mutters, "You always have all the fun" and looks over to Shamus and the others. "It wil not be my fault if any of you get hurt down here, and I don't play hero." She nods to them and moves her gaze back to Anthrax. She whispers "Dos kuuv luth ussa tarthe." and folds her arms as if motioning that she will not leave.
Anthrax nods, �If that is your wish�you are welcome to watch, but i wouldn�t get to close, this will get a little messy.� His eyes open wide as he notices numerous other balors as well as the dreaded "pit fiends" arise from the hollow. He quickly sends a message throughout the dimensions, knowing only Circe will hear it. "Circe�I felt your presence earlier, if you are alive, I think you may want to visit the hollow�I have a nice little demon army angry at me, the seals have been broken... I don�t know if I can fight all these demons� If you hear this message, please, come". "Pixie...you may want to get out of here, I�m gonna put a new meaning to the terms "shake the house down" and "raising the roof" to say the least. Do not worry, now is not my time to die, I have not guarded this place for so, so long just to die now. I always find a way to come out on top� I have some help on this one, I hope." He takes off his hood for the first time in along time, revealing a vampires face, but darker than most vampires, he is fairly handsome, and obviously is extremely determined. There also seems something more demonic on his face, and the eyes are definitely that of a demon. What is he? You also notice some almost elven features, what is he, an elven vampire? Such a thing doesn�t exist...or does it? He looks back to the others, looking right into Pixie�s eyes, with a simple message obvious in his eyes - just get the hell out of here!
My Lord," mutters Shamus, "you look like one of the Elder clans of my family! Is it possible that were related? Never mind that however, Anthrax, use the spell "Demonia et balor del demensia" to bind the individual demons. I should stay and help being the Demonology Professor, but I will make sure Des gets out of here safely, I'll lay some fresh seals as we go up to the castle proper. Sorry about breaking them, but I guess I didn't know my own strength." Grasping hold of Des's wrist, he begins envelopes her in his magic haze and traveling through the Elven realm, the find themselves suddenly in the Great Hall. "I hope they manage to bind them all, amazing, Anthrax looks just like my cousin and he always did look better than me, but an Elf becoming a vampire? Such a thing is unheard of..." As Shamus mutters this, Des freezes on the spot and stares. A small rectangular box full of holes in meaning full patterns was sitting on a near by table! "Oh my Gods! The box containing the Hollow! How'd it get up here?! The Balors must have set off the forces more than I thought. And, is that you Circe?!" Shamus exclaims noticing a strange Shade hovering about the small box. "Oh no, it was you I sensed all along! Don't worry I'll make you a new body out of a free magic construct!" moans Shamus. "Des, could you fetch me "The Book of the Dead" from my office? It's leather bound and green, with silver clasps." As Des rushes off for the Book, Shamus stares at the twin marks of Alpha and Omega and the strange spell engraved around the rim of the box. "Don't worry Circe," speaks Shamus softly, "I'll break the Hollows hold on you and restore you to the flesh!" As Shamus whispers this promise, he feels the mighty battle raging beneath the castle below, and prays that the seals he erected and the spell he gave Anthrax work.
Anthrax looks around quickly, realizing everyone is gone, other than he and the demons. He knows they did not leave of their own accord, and he did not send them away� it must have been the demons. As he thinks this, he begins to cast the spell, "Demonia et balor d-" before he finishes, he is suddenly swarmed by demons. In a sudden burst of fury, he sends a wave of pure cold, slashing through and wiping out the demons, but about twice as many pour out of the hollow, other types as well, spinagons, gluegons, batezeu, quasits, imps, dretch, succubus, beblith, vrock, hezrou, glabrezu, nalfeshnee, marlith and other terrible demons! Just as he thinks this can�t get worse, others start to pour forth..various types of DEVILS! Osyluth, erinyes, hamatula, cornugon, kyton, barbazu, and also many types of weaker undead. Then come forth mummys, vampires, liches, undead dragons... My God, what could have caused all this?! He throws up the mightiest wall of cold possible, knowing it will keep almost all of them out, for a time. By this time, the entire castle is quaking from the battle raging below, and the whole place is getting extremely cold. All the better to fight demons and devils... He needs all the advantage he can get. He quickly sends out a mental message, �Shamus! I need you now! Go to the Great Hall, to the statue of Mordred. As strange as it sounds, punch it in the nose. It will swing back, opening to another statue, one of me. Say "Balentush Anthrax mutenta slantov" It will open like the other, revealing a door. I am dropping the enchantments now. It is the door to my office. In one of the corners, on a pedestal, is a blood red sword, suit of armor, shield, helmet, and a black book, which all have golden runes on them. Bring them to me quickly, be careful not to touch anything else, bring me the equipment as soon as possible, it may be the difference between life and death. Don�t worry about the quakes or cold, that is me fighting off... Never mind, just get me that equipment!
As Anthrax finishes his communication with Shamus, he becomes aware of another presence hanging amidst the demon horde. Standing alone and unaware of the battle surrounding her is Circe.
Her shadowy gaze is fixed on Anthrax and his head is filled with a simple message: "The Hollow called to me." As if acknowledging her surroundings for the first time, Circe moves without inhibition around the chamber. Her wraith-like figure passes through the bodies of demons, seemingly weakening them. Slowly, bright embers begin to glow from the depths of her shadowy frame. She pauses, and the embers are charged, suddenly illuminating her. The light of her fills the cavern and none can shift their gaze from this mysterious entity.
Possessed by the memory of The Hollow, Circe's figure weeps with a substance like blood, but not. A thick, golden fluid runs freely from the places where her wrists, sides and throat were located in a previous time. A swirling pool of gold and black forms beneath her as she is raised above the floor.
The newly formed vortex begins to heave and swell. It is stretching and begins to engulf the entranced demons surrounding her.
But what is the meaning of this occurrence? Is the power that possesses Circe for good or evil? Or neither...?
As Shamus waits for Des to return with the Book of the Dead, he sees Circe's shade disappear. "Odd? I wonder where she went?" wondered Shamus when suddenly he heard a very loud mental cry for help. It was Anthrax! "Oh Gods!" thought Shamus, "My poor friend is going to be killed by those hoards!" Without even pausing Shamus walked right past the cursed box and to the statue of Mordred. "Well, I've always wanted to do this..." With a mighty swing, Shamus punches the stone statue right in the nose! Quite suddenly, the statue swings away revealing a small alcove and another statue of Anthrax. "Well, here goes, "Balentush anthrax mutenta slantov!" chanted Shamus, and low-and-behold, the statue moved. As Shamus entered, he felt various magics, but that's not what interested him, the decor was simply superb! "My, I'll have to get him to help me decorate my office, but no time for that now..." Quickly gathering the sacred artifacts he shifts through space to Anthrax's side. "Where's Pixie?" Shamus wonders. "Thank the Old ones your here!"cries Anthrax over the dull drum of the demon hoards. "I think this is at least a level five demonic infestation, nothing the two of us shouldn't be able to handle!" yells Shamus to Anthrax. "A cold spell, useful against these fire elementals, I wouldn't have thought to use such a tool," muses Shamus as Anthrax and himself begin to drive the evil beings back into the lower gallery's of the castle. "I wonder if Des has found my office yet..." wonders Shamus vaguely.
Anthrax puts on the equipment, freeze the whole room, start slashing through the demons. A kyton throws a dagger at him, it hits. He keeps fighting and kills more demons, (only demons are visible right now) then he retreats, falls to one knee, and pulls the dagger out of his shoulder, inspects it, says it is a quicksilver dagger, and he is in a lot of trouble. He uses it to kill a lot of demons, falls again, very weak. The devils and dragons are now visible, they just keep pouring out. Anthrax says something about hoping everyone can survive his full fury, solemnly intones a long and confusing enchantment, floats into the air engulfed in dark green flames the same color as his eyes. A green ring appears above the black pillar the devils are coming out of, it goes down, forcing the pillar down, but only a little. He starts draining the power from the enemies. The ring goes down the more he drains, a few (like 50) break away and start attacking. The ring forms a green globe about the hollow now that the pillar is down, Anthrax casts a "permanency" spell on it, and falls to the ground in a loud, dull thud, his red equipment falling beside him, his robes badly tattered, face raw and bleeding, and a large pool of blood forming around him. Very, very dark red blood, almost black. The cold disappears, and he says, in a weak, raspy voice "Shamus...the quicksilver is flowing through my veins...we need to get to Pixie..." He looks over at the wraith, who he was careful not to harm. "Circe...you�re alive after all, I�m so glad...I don�t know who�s side you are on, but if it is not our side, now is the perfect chance to finish me off...other wise we can help you get a new body..." He looks at Shamus, seeing blood under him also. "How badly are you hurt..ugh.." He falls unconscious. Shamus checks; he is still alive, but very weak
As Shamus blinks awake, he feels aches all over, the stone floor which he is lying on is extremely cold and not very posturpedic. "Ughhh, my head, what happened? Oh! Wait! The Demons, the battle, Anthrax!" Looking about the gloom he catches the scent of blood and seeing red armor and gold sword he knows he's found the body of Anthrax. "Oh no, poor Anthrax---wait, you�re not dead yet, I feel something still, thank Lucifer!" But Shamus's joy is put off as he notices the pool of blood around Anthrax and the silver dagger gleaming nearby. "Hmm," mutters Shamus stooping to retrieve the dagger, "Fixed Quicksilver, nice craftsmanship, this could be useful to me in the future." Tucking the blood-encrusted dagger into his jacket he turned his attention to Anthrax. "Hmm, now what to do with you? All that power, I could just let you die and take it all, but that would be an injustice, after all, you did cover me during the battle. Now what to do with these lovely artifacts?" With a dismissing wave of his hand, the armor, shield, book, and sword turn black as pitch and vanish. "That should keep them safe for now. Now," turning his attention back to the fallen vampire, "What do I do with you?" Positioning himself beside his fallen comrade he lays one finger on him and translocates in a thunder crack of displaced air. Meanwhile, back in the great hall, the box containing the hollow is pulsing with light. Each small holes normally had a constant little light shining out of it, but now it pulsed rhythmically, like a heart counting out its last few beats. Suddenly, the air was rent by a loud crack as Shamus and Anthrax appeared. "Pixie!" screams Shamus across the mental plain, "A little assistance here! Anthrax is injured!" As he waits for Pixie he considers his options. "Well, he's not going to live just lying here, I should try something." Shamus grits his teeth as he taps into the light magic part of his elfhood. He stretches his hands over Anthrax and a golden light begins to emanate from his hands, as the light glows brighter, the blood seeps back into Anthrax's body, the tattered ropes repaired, the bruised vanish without a trace. "Ugh, if only he wasn't so evil this wouldn't be so difficult! After Pixie works her Drow magic and truly saves Anthrax, I shall have to place him in a healing coma so he doesn't hurt himself." As he presses on he wonders where Des has possibly got to, only then remembering the trap demon he set to keep students out of his office, "Oooooh, she's going to be sooo mad at me when that thing attacks her, I hope she can dispell it...."
Lady Skya Skye traipsed fleetly and tranquilly down one of Doomspire�s many stone corridors towards the Great Hall. Perusing in one of the towers she had perceived the tremors from beneath the castle and the sudden tidal of glaciation that coursed through her, weakening her, inundating her for mere seconds that felt like hours. Surmising the presence of demons, possible intruders, she now traversed to the one berth in which she had positive feasibility of finding a teacher.
Upon reaching the entrance of the Great Hall, she relinquished. Within she could discern little, but did behold Shamus, his back to her, kneeling over another - seemingly familiar - figure, another teacher perhaps. Then, precipitously catching the sight and odor of blood, her heart froze and her mind instantly concentrated and felt a surge of amalgamated emotions and thoughts from within the Hall. She knew that her entry upon the situation would most likely result in expulsion, possibly demise. But what should she do? Her conscience would not allow her to depart from this scene...
Meanwhile, Anthrax starts to twitch slightly, just a bit, and opens one eye. The other remains closed, and he speaks in a weak voice, coughing up blood a bit as he speaks. �Shamus? Is everything safe? I�m...in real bad shape man. The quicksilver dagger w Shocked by Anthrax's sudden awakening, Shamus realizes the pointlessness of his healing power. "Damn it all! This won't work! I'll need some counter poisons, perhaps Hemlock has some in the chemical closet? Oh Lady Skye! Just who I need now!" exclaims Shamus noticing the bardic and lovely student peering in on the situation. "Please run to the chemical storage room and fetch me essence of vervain, solution of rosemary and mandrake, and a small vial of vampire's blood and a little bottle containing 3 elf hairs. From that I should be able to make an antidote to the demonic poison running through Lord Deathreaver. Make haste, and if you should happen to encounter Mistress Darklight, please direct her to my presence immediately armed with the knowledge that Lord Deathreaver is injured but shall be healed shortly. In the mean time I, however, shall stay here and continue my ministrations upon poor Anthrax. Please hurry!" With that last remark, Lady Skye ran from the Hall up to the 3rd floor where the Poisons class and the storage cabinet were located. "Gods I hope she gets back soon, it's amazing how being in her presence can inspire, maybe she's related to the Muses? Oh well, don't worry Anthrax, I won't let you die, not until you answer my questions about your origin and why you look the way you do..."
Lady Skye�s crystal cerulean eyes darted aversely around the third floor chemical storage room. She had been solaced by having her mysticism understood and her secour requisite, but now she had collected all of the ingredients Shamus had asked for but one. Where were the elf hairs? There! Swiftly and deftly she seized the small crystalline cruet from its perch on the counter and dashed wingedly out the door and down the stairs. Scanning the corridors she passed quickly and efficiently for Lady Darklight, she coercedly implored for Lord Deathreaver to hold onto life until an antidote could be dispersed.
Reaching the Great Hall, she rushed to Shamus' side and gently endowed the constituents to him. Then, abstractly, she reached down and grasped one of Lord Deathreaver's hands consolingly and sanguinely interimed...
Shifting in and out of consciousness, when he is awake Lord Deathreaver looks up at Lady Skye, a smile crossing his face. A smile? �Why am I smiling,� he thinks. �Such a strange feeling� the poison? No...how did I not notice her yet? Who is this?�
Smiling, Pixie appears leaning in the doorway of the Great Hall. She walks slowly over to Anthrax smiling wide as if trying not to laugh. She slits her wrist letting a few drops of blood fall onto where the incision was. "Now get up you." She literally pushes him up from his resting position. "Next time just let me help." She smiles to Anthrax and begins to walk away finally sending a message to Circe as if she was aware of her for quite the time. "So the great Circe makes an appearance. Be joyous they scowl when I appear" is sent to Circe as she turns and faces Anthrax. "I presume you will be getting back to work now?" is stated with a smirk before she turns towards the doors.
Lord Anthrax stretches. �Well well, Drow magic is always a wonder, aye Shamus? Pixie, I am going to go finish sealing the hollow, then I will seek out the vampire who managed to pass my wards� Something is fishy here, I am supposed to be the only vampire here. Oh well, vampires wont be excluded from these wards, nothing will get through without my permission. By the way, tell Circe I will talk with her later, yes, I know she is here. I�ll visit you in your office before I go in search of the vampire. Oh yes, Shamus, what happened to my equipment?�
Lady Skye remains in her genuflected position next to where Lord Deathreaver just revived, gazing up at the teachers as they conversed. Appreciation seemed to run fairly thin amongst some, but she did not take offense easily. Forbearingly, she waited to be either noticed or dismissed; it was not her place in this situation to call attention to herself when the teachers had important matters to discuss...
Pixie turns again to face the others nodding to Anthrax. "You should start quickly or I will diminish all unwanted visitors." She quickly moves her gaze over to where the student stands. "And you can come with me. Take a good look on your way out you won�t remember any of this."
Shamus is irritated at the lack of appreciation. "Damn! I could have saved him! It's just as well, this gives me a good excuse to use the ingredients to make myself immune to Pixie and Anthrax's mind scans." Quickly summoning a small cauldron, Shamus adds the rare ingredients and then, taking a small vial out from around his neck, adds three drops of unicorn blood and one drop of his blood. "There, now let�s see them try anything! Well, I think I shall have to give some to Lady Skye. She could be highly useful in the future," Shamus muses as he ingests a small amount of the viscous solution. "Did they really think I could make an antidote to demonic poison? Ha! This just gave me the excuse to gather my required ingredients without arousing suspicion. Now I'll be free to take the Hollow for myself!" Turning to grasp the arcane box, Shamus is startled to find it has vanished! "Damn! Who took it? Perhaps Lady Skye? I must find it! If Anthrax seals the crypt that the Hollow was in, I won't be able to fuse with it properly! Ugh, and where is Des! I shall have to retrieve the book myself!" Turning on his heel and vanishing inside his own magic haze, Shamus makes his way to his office, thinking of ways to get Lady Skye alone so he could restore her memory and make her immune to mind control. Unnoticed by even Shamus something is different with him, his eyes are solid black instead of emerald green and his aura is much darker! Shamus had become the Source of All Evil! The demonic energy's of the pit containing the Hollow had reawakened his past incarnation! Only the blood of an old vampire could reawaken the true Shamus, but would the others find out in time to stop the Source?!
Pixie smirks as she watches Shamus frantically try to hide his mind and take the hollow. She turns again to Anthrax and speaks loudly to him. "If you do not do anything about Shamus then I'll make sure he will never be able to do anything again." She looks down to her wrist eyeing the cut. She laughs and places her other hand over the cut. "Now go, and make sure that I will not have to step in." She turns letting go of her wrist, which shows no sign of the cut. She eyes the child and smiles. "Your lucky, you can be useful to us. Go with Anthrax and come to me if he tells you to."
Nodding mediocrely to Lady Darklight, she turns to follow Lord Deathreaver. She averts her gaze to the stone floor, and a consternation of questions engulfs her thoughts...
***
Opening the Hollow on Shamus had been a brilliant idea, but now Ivan Mordicanus had other things to deal with. Following Anthrax and the female student, Skya Skye, he quickly conceals the Hollow box beneath his cloak. Anthrax could be tolerated, but the girl had to go. She knew too much, even with a memory wipe from Pixie, she could be restored. Killing her was his only chance, and her disappearance would not be noticed or avenged.
Pixie�s eyes widen as a few cold thoughts were intercepted within her mind. She calms to show no worried emotion and simply smirks. "At second thought Miss Skye why don't you stay with me? Anthrax is a big boy." Halting, she condescends to remain with Lady Darklight. Wishing to know what's going on, she feels an ill intentioned presence near by...
As the Source (formerly Shamus) appears near his office, he scents a vampire like being. "Ivan?" Wonders the Source/Shamus. "Wait. How do I know that name? Ugh... Never mind, I must get my book." As this point, a new form of evil appears at the office door, he recites the poem to unlock the barriers. "Heaven's follies, devil's fast, demon's heart, forlorn past, Source of time and darkness dwell, open now, the Gate of Hell!" The door to the Demonology Professor's office clicks open, and as the Source steps in, he is greeted by the site of The Book of the Dead. "Ah, there you are. Time to go and make Circe a new body. Undoubtedly her loyalty to the Hollow will force her to aid me." Grasping the Book, the Source slips out sealing the door and begins to search for Lady Skye. "That girl has the power to circumvent Anthrax, I must obtain her!" As Shamus disappears the transparent image of a being wrapped within black robes lingers, the true form of the Source revealed for an instant. "Well," mutters a dark voice, "I shall soon be restored, and Shamus, will be gone forever! These fools cannot compare to my power, particularly once I fuse with the Hollow! HA HA HA HA HA!"
Anthrax walks over to the box� which is gone, although he notices footprints, and kneels down to inspect them. �Well well, what do we have here? These footprints simply radiate evil... It can�t be Shamus... the vampire intruder?! He may seek to fuse with the hollow... I cannot allow it! I must make haste to seal it forever.� He mutters something and a heavy black book appears in the air, and he takes it, heading to the door. He quickly appears at the hollow, the glowing green globe still resting safely over the pit. �Good, time to finish the binding forever...I was a fool to leave myself the ability to open it again, Shamus did...I think the hollow may have him. I must work quickly.� He mutters a long string of ancient and powerful words, the globe turning red, and swirling, the pit starts to twist and twirl almost, as if the very reality of the pit was being warped. He opens the book, beginning to read from it, the pit flashes red, then dies down again. This happens over and over, as he continues to seal the hollow, and the room is filled with intense magic, so intense that no other being could possibly enter. He continues the ceremony.
"What?" mutters the Source, "What is happening? N-NO! Deathreaver is sealing the crypt! If it is closed the entity will be forced to return there! If I don't stop him the box will be returned the center of the pit! I must stop him!" As the Source turns, his eyes change back, "No! You shall not harm Anthrax! I won't permit it!" yells the momentarily free Shamus. "Ha," speaks the Source," I am your forcarnate, you will do as I say!" With the whirl of shape shifting, the figure of Shamus McTearnin changes into a black robe clad figure with the hood up. "Well, this fool will have to be dealt with, I will not lose my chance at power! Now to the Heart of Darkness!" With a crack and burst of flames, this new figure appears at the edge of the Heart of Darkness, the resting place of the Box containing the Hollow. "Who are you?!" speaks Anthrax through the gloom. "Your destroyer." answers this evil being calmly. With out another word, The Source drew the quick-silver dagger and threw it Anthrax, burying the blade deep into his chest, "Arrgh!" screamed Anthrax, as he fell to the floor, the poison running through his veins once again. "Don't worry now Anthrax, now you'll die forever, and I'll make sure Pixie never gets here to help you! Once I fuse with the Hollow, only a being of light magic and one of Dark magic can stop me by reading the spell engraved on the box! But, no White magic user in their right mind would even come near here! HAHAHAHAHAH!" With another burst of Hellfire, The Source disappears, heading after the box containing the Hollow. As Anthrax lay there, bleeding to death once again and succumbing to the poison, his only hope was that Pixie could stop this Dark being from getting the box and Lady Skye. But would she be able to stand up to one so conniving and heartless?
Anthrax grins as the Source heads out, and walks out of the shadows, the black book in hand. �Well, now I know what is going on. I knew something had taken control of Shamus, I see everything that happens here.� He kicks the figure on the ground, which flips over� another vampire! Yes, I have taken care of the vampire and now all that is left is Shamus. He disappears*
Interpreting the thoughts of Anthrax and the Source Ivan thinks, Hmmm... perhaps Skye will be of some use to me alive, but what should I do about her? Taking out the Dagger of Immortality (a useful weapon he stole from another "helpless" girl elsewhere) he quickly steps out of the shadows behind Lady Skye and grabs her wrist and twists it behind her back. As she flinches in pain he presses the Dagger against her throat and stares into the eyes of the furious Pixie, "Make one move follow me and she dies." With that he teleports to the dungeons beneath the castle with Skye. Letting her go, he shoves her to floor and kicks her into a wall as she tries to get up, knocking her unconscious. Summoning manacles from the ceiling and floor, he locks them around her wrists and ankles so that she is suspended in the air in the middle of the room. Looking at her beautiful and unconscious form, he places his hand on her cheek. "I will discover your secret and then I will destroy you." He locks the dungeon door and waits.
Vivicating from her unconscious state, Lady Skya Skye slowly blinks her eyes open and takes in her surroundings. A cavernous and damp stone chamber decored with chains conforms around her. She moderately becomes aware that she is suspended above the ground, her wrists bound in metallic manacles on chains from the stone ceiling and her ankles to the floor. Admitting a soft groan from the dull pain in her side and the ache in her head, she causes a stir in the darkly cloaked figure guarding the iron door. Where was she? What is happening?
"Well, it appears Ivan has done all the work for me!" Shouts the Source from a shadowed wall. A sudden surge of hellfire and the dark form of Ivan and the Source appears on the ground rolling about, box clasped between the two of them. "Give it here!" yells the Source. "Never!" cries Ivan! "Well, enough of this foolishness." mutters the Source, as Ivan flies backward into the wall and slides down, blood oozing from his hair. "Well, Lady Skye, now you'll open the box for me, and the Hollow will be mine!" Snapping his fingers, the Source of All Evil lowers Lady Skye to the floor and thrusts the box into her hands. "Do it," he commands, "Do it, so that evil can once again rule over good!" As The Source shouts this dark command, Pixie, Anthrax, and several of the castle wights, burst into the underground chamber. "Stop!" Pixie and Anthrax yell in unison, but it's too late, Skye has opened the box! "Ahhh, ahh, ahhhh!!!!!!" Screams the Source, as a swarm of millions of black spheroids making the same buzzing sound, flies from the box into the Sources eyes and mouth! "Gughh, he-hehe-hahahah! Now try something!" Pixie, suddenly throws her hands out casting a terrible spell to vanquish Shamus/the Source. As the spell hits him, he bursts into the thousands of dark particles, only to reappear unharmed! "Wha--? How? That was my strongest destruction spell!" Cries Pixie. "Try it again my dear?" questions the dark being before them. "You bet!" Pixie raises her hands, but-----nothing happens! "M-My powers! They're gone!" "Yes!" exclaims the dark being! "The Hollow eats magic! And yours is mine until it's properly sealed! Ha Ha Ha! Oh, and by the way, the only way to stop me is to get a light magic user to read the inscription on the box, but your not likely to get one are you?" As the Source advances, the others begin to grin. "What? A smile? A trap!" As the Source recoils, the others spring their trap! (a dark magic user must also intone the spell to return the Hollow to it's box and seal it back into the crypt. )
�Herzen des Widerspruchs vermischen, um zutreffende Quelle des �bels zu zerst�ren und die H�hle zu t�uschen! Und ich sind das Licht.� cries out Lady Skye.
Grinning as he hears the girl intone the spell, Anthrax steps out of the shadows, and he stabs the quicksilver dagger into Shamus and intones the spell, finishing the incantation, and sealing the crypt yet again. �Herzen des Widerspruchs vermischen, um zutreffende Quelle des �bels zu zerst�ren und die H�hle zu t�uschen!�.
Anthrax grins, praying it worked, yet knowing that even if it doesn�t shamus can�t fuse with the hollow, as the crypt is sealed.
"ARGGH! NO! H-HOW IS IT THAT I AM SO DEFEATED?!" Screams the Source in abject horror as the Hollow pours out of him, into the box, and as the box floats down into the pit, the dagger in the Source's chest begins to glow red. "Not again! Damn, I shall return someday!" screams the Source as he bursts into flames and as the fire dies, Shamus is revealed! Falling to the floor, he looks dimly up at Anthrax, "Tha-Thank you m-my frien..." whispers the now free Shamus as he slumps into a cold unconsciousness. In his mind, he knows that the Source is gone, the Hollow re-imprisoned, Pixie's powers restored, and the horrors of his dark past, dead, forever.