Summary:
July 19 2014: A certain god-wolf enters Limbo for a chat with it's ruler
Limbo
An odd, clashing combination of hell-scape and paradise, inhabited by demons and ruled by Illyana Rasputina
Characters
NPCs
- None
Mood Music:
[* None]
A portal that is not a stepping disk opens up on a flat plane in Limbo within sight of the castle, though not so near that any detail can be picked up on the walls. Through it steps a lean man in a coat. He takes a deep breath and looks around nodding. This place is familiar and yet not familiar. Like a sense of deja vu. Then, across the landscape a long, low howl laced with power echoes off the rocks and structures. A sort of magical doorbell, as it were, announcing the arrival of a being of magic into the domain of another - a polite request to not be immediately run off for trespassing.
*
Limbo has been many things over the course of time as different rulers have held the most stable portion of the mutable territory. Even that has ebbed and flowed, depending on the strength of will of the ruler. Once it is rumored, before anyone laid claim to it was a place of wild beauty. The land reflecting that the magic was untouched by man.
When Belasco failed to free his Masters, the Elder Gods, they banished him to the realm outside of time and space. It became his prison as while others could come and go, he was trapped. Over time the demon sorcerer's nature and desires twisted the place, becoming as dark and evil as he. When his Darkchilde defeated him and assumed rulership it stayed that way, her own soul already corrupted.
Then one day, one of the skirmishes against her rule blossomed into war and raged for what seemed to be years. Desperate, Illyana took her sword and drove it into Limbo itself. The sword, the sum substance of her power, purged the land, taking it back to the pure state it was before her. Before Belasco. But when she reclaimed her magical might, the taint of her soul has started to creep back in.
Now, parts of that wild beauty still exist, but from the edges, eating towards the heart, is that dark and twisted landscape. At the center rises that citadel shaped of dark stone that claws its way to the blood red sky that lacks stars and sun and moon.
The visitor doesn't have long to wait, that howl still rolling across the land like the fading resonance of a bell when a stepping disk appears and Illyana steps out. One brow quirks upwards, faint amusement painted on her features. "Well. I don't usually get visitors." She drawls.
*
"It's not exactly like you can be found on google maps." Fenris, for that is who it is, seems a lot more predatory than normal, but that is not in this case because he wishes to appear threatening. Rather, it is because he does not need in this place to conceal what he is. He did put on a human shape though. The god-wolf inclines his head to Illyana a bit as a sign of respect and deference to the Ruler of the Realm.
"This place is much changed for in such a relatively short time. I must say, I'm impressed."
*
Since he came so politely, Illyana doesn't come with her sword but seeing him without the window dressing makes her almost reconsider that decision. Instead, he gets to suffer her scrutiny as she walks a slow circle around him. Not to get to his back but to get a good look at him here, with all her senses. When his nature is clear and sharp. "I hope it's not an emergency." That's normally the only thing that drives people to Limbo.
The observation on Limbo gets a slight shrug. "I had less to do with it in an intentional manner than I'd like."
*
"Not an emergency no." Fenris eyes Illyana, taking in the measure of her power as she walks around him. He's been inspected before, though rarely. He doesn't often interact with beings on Illyana's… scale, for lack of a better word. "I wished to bring you something and could not locate you in Midgard. So I thought I might drop in on you in your home. The previous ruler of this place did not take kindly to my visits and I'd hoped perhaps you might feel differently."
Now that Fenris is not concealing his nature and Illyana is in the place of her greatest power, there can be no mistaking what he is. She can feel the wild, lupine nature about him, the destructive legacy of his legend and the raw natural power at his command… if he's willing to give into his baser, more animal instincts.
*
Most ruler of their own dimensions rarely leave them, because of the power and by extension, safety that it grants them. They cultivate servants and avatars and grow old hidden away from the rest of the world. Maybe as she grows older Illyana will become more of a recluse and cleave to her place of power. But so far, she has been unwilling to do so. "Talk about a wolf in sheep’s clothing." Illyana remarks dryly as she finishes that slow circuit.
"You brought me a prezzie?" She asks with a grin. "Aww, you shouldn't have! And not even our first date." She teases.
*
Fenris reaches into his coat and pulls out a very, very old looking papyrus scroll. "Tell me, what do you know about Pandora's Box?" He says handing it over to her. It's remarkably well preserved and… yes, written in some variant of ancient Greek.
"I found that among… things I had squirreled away. It took me some time to remember where I had hidden it. The need to do so has largely pass, as the people who could read it and understand what it means have largely died."
The comment about dates makes Fenris laugh. "I doubt you'd find my manners amenable. I picked them up in fifth century Denmark. Well, what would become Denmark."
*
"Don't worry. If you tried to club me over the head to drag off somewhere I'd turn you into an actual squirrel." Illyana says, sliding him a grin as she comes over to take a look at the scroll. She doesn't try to take it unless he offers it over for her to touch. There's a small thoughtful frown on her lips as she looks over the writing. "Well, I have someone who should be able to read it… Pandora's Box? Just the popular myth. Zeus gave Pandora a box with all the evils of mankind. She ended up opening it and they escaped. She tried to close it but only trapped Hope."
*
"Yes, a quaint and moralistic story about the dangers of tempting fate and the origin of evil in the world. The questions most people never think to ask is 'how the evils get in there to begin with' and 'what about the box managed to keep them all there.'" Fenris' grin is almost wolfish, clearly rather pleased with himself on this one as he does indeed offer the scroll up for Illyana to touch and examine. "Do you recall our discussion about a box that rendered the things inside practically nonexistent? You were mentioning that you might need something to contain certain artifacts…”
He pauses and his grin grows a bit at the discussion of ancient manners. "And you'd be less in danger of that with a Viking wolf than me inquiring what your bride-price might be. The ancient Norse were rather… infatuated with the notion of that manner of compensation." He waves. "Fortunately for the both of us though, I've more sense than that."
*
Illyana accepts the scroll, attention well and truly caught as the wolf points out the questions that go unasked, making that connection even as he reminds her of it. Now, she wishes she could read the damned thing and poor Doug is undoubtedly going to be getting a visit from his favorite demon queen very soon. "Awesome!" Hey, she's still a child of the modern day. mostly. "I had a run-in with a piece of the Darkhold recently. Not something I wanted here, especially given its strong connection to Limbo but I wasn't really keen on handing it over to the folks that have it now." She grumbles. Only because it was the Professor did she relent.
Still absorbed in the scroll she can't read, she reaches out absently with one hand to scritch Jeremiah behind the ear as she chuckles at the notion of a bride price for her. Which… is a bit odd when he's in human form, which she seems to belatedly realize, looking up at him a bit sheepishly. "Uh, sorry."
*
Fenris laughs, the sound low but good natured. It's the sort of sound you might imagine the Big Bad Wolf giving when he was amused by something. "It is fine, Illyana Rasputina. I assure you, no offense is taken. I can tell when the intent is something I would not appreciate. There's no harm in it otherwise. Though most wait until I have fur."
A moment later, he does and is five feet high and the shoulder and near twice that from nost to tail tip. "There. Better?"
The mention of the Darkhold gets a frown. "The Darkhold? I am not familiar with that particular bit of magic, though it sounds unpleasant. And that's unusual. I've had a long time to get familiar."
*
Illyana carefully rolls up the scroll so she can hold it easily in one hand and reaches out to pat his shoulder with a heavy slap, given that thick fur so he'll feel it. Then she starts a slow walk across the meadow that he showed up in, keeping her hand there to invite him to walk as well. "I know it disturbs some people if they're not speaking to another 'human'." He can practically hear the quotation marks. "But I'm not one of them. Besides, you're more cuddly this way." Yes, Illyana just called the Apocalypse Wolf cuddly.
"From what I've put together, it's a book. Technically. But it's more like evil given a physical form. I believe it was created by my 'Masters', probably one of their other plots to get out of their prison." Much like she herself is. "It's tangible evil, and it spreads to whatever and especially *whoever* it touches."
*
"The Elders are like that. And their servants as well, though most of them were driven into exile or imprisoned with their masters." The Fenris Wolf, now revealed as he truly is, stalks across the landscape beside Illyana, unconcerned as ever anyone could be in this place. He doesn't seem to have a need to flaunt or display his power, though it's easy enough to read especially like this. "Though you do not seem the kind to be mastered easily, if at all." He notes with amusement. "How much of this evil remains at large? Perhaps I should be on the lookout for it given what seems to be happening in my hunting grounds."
Wolf shrugs look… kind of odd. "Humans are frequently disturbed interacting with me regardless of what I look like. My chosen form has more to do with blending in than it does putting them at ease. That is frequently more effort than it is worth."
Being called cuddly gets a low chuckle. "You would be only the second person to ever call me that."
*
"Yeah well, I *am* a bit warped." Illyana notes dryly to the big wolf. As to the matter of the Darkhold, "What I ran across was a piece of a page, and there was a demonic servant that seemed to be its.. keeper? He was pulling the whole Temptation bit on the mortals with me. I'm betting there's a lot more of them. On the upside? I suppose? The damned thing is damned near impossible to miss. It's like something nasty and oily under your skin."
The comment about disturbing humans gets a frowning nod from Illyana. "Yeah, I'm kinda familiar with that myself." She admits. "Different reason, same effect." With him, they feel the predator breathing at the back of the neck. With Illyana, it's the sense of the demonic brushing against their souls.
*
"Yes, I had observed how they flowed around you when we first met." The god-wolf says with a nod of his rather large head. "Elder magic, then, this Darkhold. I shall keep my nose to the wind, though sadly I do not think I shall be able to devour it." That had been his go to method for keeping dangerous magic away from mortals in centuries past. When one can devour the sun and live, one has options regarding this kind of thing.
"The fact that you faced it and remain un-subverted, though, is hopeful. Most mortals and even many immortals cannot be exposed to them and remain… quite themselves. How long has this thing been in circulation? It has been some time since the Elder Ones made a serious attempt at the bars of their prison."
*
Illyana gives a shake of her head. "I'm not sure. Too long, either way. And I didn't touch the thing, not that it has anything more to offer me than has already been done."
It would offer her power? She has that. Would offer her the adoration of millions worshiping at her feet? She could have that as well, if she were willing to pay the coin of what's left of her soul. No, what she wants, that lost innocence, is quite beyond any offering Dark magic could make.
"I wouldn't advise you do so either. Not because I don't think you're strong enough, but because it's not worth the risk. Our natures might make it able to create a window to Their prison and Them, I couldn't fend off."
*
"I have no intention of doing so. I value my being and my freedom far too much to risk being entangled by Them. Nor do I wish to start an apocalypse. My roles in such stories…" Fenris shakes his head sadly. "Are rarely good. I grew tired long ago of being cast as the Villain." The Darkhold could not offer Fenris anything he truly desires either, but that does not make it less dangerous to him. The corruption that it could inflict upon him might well drive him mad. Again. Which would be bad for him and for the worlds. All of them.
*
For both of them, even if they want to play the part of the Hero, or hell just NOT the villain, there are still the dark impulses they try to keep so quiet that could be brought to the fore. The blonde nods in understanding, her hand still resting on his shoulder with her fingers digging into the heavy fur there. She chuckles. "You and I, shirking our Roles, eh?"
*
"I disliked the story being told." Amber eyes cut over to Illyana. "And you? What, may I ask, drives you to all the pain and effort of not doing what your nature insists that you do?"
Fenris understands better than most, what it is to defy one's nature and the compromises that must be made, indulging in small cruelties, little bits of instinct to keep the big one at bay.
*
"I'm no one's slave." Illyana says then, the words soft. Like velvet over steel. Not to Belasco, not to the Elder Gods, and not to the evil of her own nature.
*
"Not even your own, mmm?" The question sounds approving. "Good. That is as it should be."
Fenris walks in silence for several minutes and then begins to chuckle. "This is the… quietest of my visits to this place. In times past the local residents would have been fairly swarming not long after my arrival. Things have changed indeed."
*
"Well, most of them tend to prefer the Wildlands." Illyana nods out towards the twisted lands that seem to start abruptly, the greenery stopping in a sharp line. "I think they're allergic or something." She says with a grin and some humor.
"They'll come if I call, but they also tend to leave folks alone if they know they're friends of mine." A pause and then she amends, "Mostly. You…" She thumps his side again in a friendly manner. "I think they'd know to steer clear of."
*
"Perhaps. I do have a way of making an impression, though doing so in another's realm is… rude." The great black beast chuckles, a surprisingly light sound for something so large and visibly dangerous. "And closer in I'm sure they turn into cuddly balls of fluff." He's quite sure they don't actually.
"So am I a friend, then?" Fenris looks over curiously. "Or am I simply something more dangerous than the usual visitor?"
*
"I'm just glad you're not Greek. Even if you did bring a Greek present." Illyana says, smirking over him with that wry, almost mocking tone of hers. "You're welcome here, wolf. And if any of my critters seem inclined to disagree… well. I'm sure you can set them straight. If you happen to know a 'demon to bunny spell', I'm sure the forests could use some of the fuzzy things."
*
"I'm sure I can find one in one of my caches, if you ever needed one." The Great Wolf laughs. "And you do not have to beware if I come bearing gifts. It's not my way to lure my prey into a false sense of security."
After another short silence. "My name is Fenris, by the way. The Fenris Wolf, if you prefer the writings of drunk Vikings, but Fenris will do. My apologies to you for lying about my name in our first meeting, but I do not for obvious reasons give my right name out to just anyone."
*
"I understand how that goes." Illyana says, easily forgiving him that 'duplicity', if it can be called such. "And it was one of *your* names, not as though you were making something up. We tend to collect a plethora of them, don't we? Names. And as old as you are… well. At least you can keep the straight."
*
"More or less, at any rate. Do not ask what I called myself at first. I no longer remember. There were long centuries when I lived as this and thus needed no name. Though I suspect that even one so relatively young as you has amassed quite the collection of names and titles." Fenris snorts in amusement. "Sometimes I do not know if humanity learned that from us, or the other way around."
*
Illyana waves it off as unimportant, chuckling herself. "I'm going to pretend, in my head, that you went by George. Because it's funny." And honestly, very unlikely. But still funny! "Now. Tell me how one is supposed to show hospitality to Fenris. Because demonic tradition means I'd like, sacrifice a virigin to you or something and those are hard to come by these days."
*
"Well traditionally, you don't." Fenris laughs. "I'm the apocalypse monster who eats the sun, remember? Nordic tradition calls for a large, boisterous meal with lots of drinking and boasting and overeating." He shakes his head. "But that reminds me a lot of Asgard. I'd be happy, if hospitality is on your mind, with some decent company and whatever manner of food and conversation does not inconvenience you. I came here to say hello, not conduct a visit of state… besides, I'm a rather poor representative of my home being in self imposed exile and all."
"I suppose you could always do what the villagers used to do in the woods and huddle in your huts until I've gone away…" He looks Illyana up and down as they walk. "Though that doesn't seem quite like it would suit you well, just a guess."
*
"I *do* have a pretty big hut to huddle in." Illyana notes in a thoughtful, offhanded sort of manner, cold eyes dancing with amusement. "The food actually kinda sucks here. Depending on what you're feeling in the mood for, I know some places back in New York."
*
Fenris shrugs. "I've eaten most of the food the world has to offer, and I do so more for enjoyment and company than because I require it. I tend to scare people walking around New York like this, though, so if you'd prefer me this way, we'll have to remain out of sight and out of mind."
"Having said that…" The black beast grins. "If you are hungry, I think some pizza sounds rather grand. Though you can take your pick, really." He'd even offer to pay, simply because he has an abundance of resources, but the ancients took their hospitality very seriously and while he doesn't know Illyana well enough to know if she's of the same frame of mind, he most certainly does not wish to ffend her.
"Otherwise I've time for company and conversation, if that's more agreeable to you. This is, after all, a social visit. It's not often that one meets so agreeable a sorceress. Once in several mortal lifetimes, I've observed."
*
"Question is, which do you prefer?" Illyana asks, pausing in that slow amble to look at the big wolf with a more serious tone than usual.
"Does it annoy you, to cram yourself into a human's form?" She knows what demons think of humans. Soft, weak things without inborn weapons to defend themselves or a thick hide to defend. So much meat. And none of them would care to look like such a weak thing.
*
"It is less natural to me than it is to the others of my kind, but no, it does not annoy me. It limits me in some ways, but I am not so caught up in the pursuit of power that I must feel it at my fingertips at all times." Fenris stops to return Illyana's look, curious.
"If it did so, I could simply live like this. The world is yet untamed enough for one more curiosity to go unnoticed. Well, most of the time. I find, though, that I prefer the chance to observe and interact with people that my human shape affords me. I may speak to them, but the company of beasts is a poor substitute for the company of a being that can at least attempt to comprehend how your day has gone."
After a moment he adds, out of curiosity. "And you? Do you find your human form limiting?"
*
"Wolves are supposedly social creatures." Illyana notes as he says he prefers company to solitude. "Also, distinct lack of pizza in the boonies."
Fenris' question gets a shake of her head. "No… Maybe because my humanity still means so much to me. I suppose sometimes, when I'm letting my darker nature ride me. Then coming back to this seems… undesirable. But I'm human." She nods, as though perhaps trying to convince herself of it, as much as anything else. "This is who I am." If only that didn't ring just a bit hollow.
*
That gets a nod from Fenris, who looks thoughtful. "That is, I think, as it should be. In truth, Illyana Rasputina, I play at being human, as I play at being a wolf. I am a monster who can look like either, though my nature tends toward the latter. I have simply had a very long time to get good at it. I prefer company to solitude because solitude reminds me of my prison. Even the impersonal buzz of a crowded city street is preferable to that. That is who and what I am." As for what he thinks of who she is… well, she didn't ask.
"To answer your original question though, I came primarily for company. I find that food often makes that more agreeable, and certainly, a thin crust with meatballs is a good icebreaker, but the fact of the matter is that you'd piqued my curiosity." How's that for a role reversal. "It is not often that beings of your power and… forgive me, your inclinations, live peaceably among men for any length of time. That you've lived in my hunting grounds for so long without your name coming up suggests to me that you are, if nothing else, rather unique."
Most humans might object to being an object of curiosity. Then again most humans aren't interesting enough after two thousand years among them to be so. Fenris, however, is not human and while Illyana (arguably) is, he's betting her perspective is unique enough that it won't strike her the same way.
*
Indeed, her reaction is more amusement than anything else. "Good thing you didn't decide to live in Chicago." She remarks on his apparent preference for thin crust. "Put your monkey suit on then and we'll hit up a place I know in Greenwich. The beer's not bad either." Which is something, given she's not partial to beer but vodka doesn't quite go with a hot pie quite the same.
"So long? Less than a decade!" Illyana teases him. "That shouldn't even be a blip on your long radar." She knows what he means, though. If she were like her predecessor, there would have been cause to clash long ago.
*
There's a whisper of magic at her side an in a moment the lean, angular faced man is back. With his coat. And his rod at his side. Some things he simply prefers to have on his person.
"For all demonkind's long life…" Fenris observes rather dryly. "They have a rather human ability to cause a great amount of havoc in a short amount of time. I have often observed as much to Those Below…" An almost predatory grin graces his features. "…Just to piss them off."
Sweeping his gaze around Limbo, Fenris notes the green, something entirely absent during Belasco's tenure as ruler. The look on his face says he knows something of the significance in general, if not in particular. "Mmmm. Yes, you are rather interesting, aren't you. Well, shall we then?"
*
Illyana can't help but give him a wry look. Because that's usually *her* line. At least he was nice enough to 'knock' in showing up. Not like Illyana herself. A stepping disk flares into being before them, like some hobbit door of light. Still smirking, Illyana steps through. Beer and pizza time with the big bad wolf.
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