A Guard in The Prison of Eternity

[Strunkriidiisk]

The bolt of black flame, although it seems more like a hole in the world that has taken on the shape of a flame, passes through the window, seemingly fazing through it as if it is not even there. It streaks across the wing, not falling behind even as the plane continues to fall. And when it hits the smoky trails that are filling up the engine they are burned away. Removed from existence.

The engine immediately roars to life, righting the plane and pushing it upwards.



"Impressive. I have been alive for a long time, and I have never seen a wielder of Blackfire before. And now several of you are born within the same day. Normally it is rare to see one every couple of millennia, yet here you stand."

He stands, grey smoke whirling around him. "Now sit back down Mr Rengar, and get rid of those cutters. It would harm them more than aid them if they are the ones to touch them."

Cerberus's smile returns. "Now, are you more willing to believe my words. With what you have seen you must be feeling at least some doubts about the common 'truths' you have held for so long."

Click to shrink...

"What's this 'blackfire'?" Jim asked shakily, the hoodie-clad man struggling to once again normalize his heart rate and breathing.

He felt distinctly uncomfortable with a number of the personalities that were on the plane with him. The big Irishman seemed reasonable, but Jim kept a nervous eye on the manic one.

 

[Dust and echoes]

Quinn, shocked that the plane has stopped falling so suddenly, and not even bothering to try to comprehend the method in which this save had occurred, was switching his hard, accusatory gaze between the guy with the bolt-cutters and crossbow and the creepy-eyed man.

"the hell did you just do....."
@Zedalb

 

[Suul'anar]

Quinn, shocked that the plane has stopped falling so suddenly, and not even bothering to try to comprehend the method in which this save had occurred, was switching his hard, accusatory gaze between the guy with the bolt-cutters and crossbow and the creepy-eyed man.

"the hell did you just do....."
@Zedalb

Click to shrink...

"Hehehe, that most certainly must be the magic we have been roped up because of!" Silus calls to the Irishman. "And all it took was our potential deaths to incite it!" He says with a smile.

"So, thats how we are to survive huh, we all have to learn our bag of tricks?"
I ask facing our captor standing tall, a shame I had only the one bolt.

Click to shrink...

"I like that! Bag of tricks, huh? Patent that quick before I do, haha!" Silus would clap his hands, but sadly he isn't permitted to by the chains. "Hey, how did you do that by the way? Was it the adrenaline?" A pair of green eyes blink at you while trying to coax an answer with genuine curiosity.

 

[Whisper1]

Calm and then, Action. I stand my bonds falling to pieces as a pair of wire cutters drops from my hands, intentionally falling within in reach of the others.

I reach behind my back and draw, seemingly from nowhere a loaded crossbow. I ignore our captor as much as I am tempted to put the bolt into his chest, I get the feeling that is not how we survive this day. Instead I calmly walk to the window aiming it at our engine and pulling the trigger.

Not my weapon of choice but it will do the trick.

Click to shrink...

The bolt of black flame, although it seems more like a hole in the world that has taken on the shape of a flame, passes through the window, seemingly fazing through it as if it is not even there. It streaks across the wing, not falling behind even as the plane continues to fall. And when it hits the smoky trails that are filling up the engine they are burned away. Removed from existence.

The engine immediately roars to life, righting the plane and pushing it upwards.



"Impressive. I have been alive for a long time, and I have never seen a wielder of Blackfire before. And now several of you are born within the same day. Normally it is rare to see one every couple of millennia, yet here you stand."

He stands, grey smoke whirling around him. "Now sit back down Mr Rengar, and get rid of those cutters. It would harm them more than aid them if they are the ones to touch them."

Cerberus's smile returns. "Now, are you more willing to believe my words. With what you have seen you must be feeling at least some doubts about the common 'truths' you have held for so long."

Click to shrink...

He turned his attention away from him and frowned. "In order to continue I must establish some things. Specifically, how your current world view is wrong."

"Learn to reject what you perceive as reality and learn the truth you, as wielders of Blackfire must understand. Before creation there was Nothingness. Do what you must to survive."

Click to shrink...

The plane had been falling, and then the man standing in front of them had used Blackfire or whatever it was, and then the plane was back to normal like it'd never been damaged at all. And Silus was a complete maniac, but that didn't matter as much right now.

A memory of something she'd learned in school drifted to the surface. Once I dreamed I was a butterfly, fluttering happily here and there. Then I awoke, and was a man again...

"Did you..." Her voice was still hoarse from screaming. "Did he," she nodded at the now-freed man holding the crossbow, "fix the engines you damaged, or did he remove the illusion that the plane was falling?" There was a third possibility, but she didn't want to say it out loud. Cerberus wasn't that kind of maniac, was he?

 

[DocSpooky]

"This is insane." Muttered the lawyer, "This is... It's not real. It's a trick or a hallucination or... something. I... I can't..." His eyes turned to the man with burning crossbow. "You just fixed an engine by shooting it." He said, slowly, quietly, as if trying to wrap his head around the idea.
What he has just witnessed had bent his view on reality. How was everyone else taking this so well? This just wasn't how the world worked. Smoke doesn't have a face, people don't pull oversized weapons from behind their backs like a cartoon.

He placed his head in his hands, the chains being mercifully long enough for once. It was too much. He had moved beyond simply being out of his depth, he had come to the point where he wasn't even sure he was floating in water any more.
Laurence felt a growing kinship with the Irishman. He at least had the common decency to be freaking out about all this.

 

[Zedalb]

I drop to my knees.

The black fire that was mine turns to smoke as my mind clears and I just sit there.


"So that's it were made slaves for a power we never asked for to guard humanity from evil?"

I laugh, I cackle, I roll on the ground as my chest booms the laughter of a hysterical man. I cry a little bit just rolling there.

Through gasping breaths I pull myself together enough to speak.

"I'm a fucking sheep dog!, You don't understand! You could of just asked, my life has always been for protecting people from what goes bump in the night. I would of volunteered, just like I did before"

I just lay on the plane looking up at the roof rubbing my eyes of tears as I catch my breath"

"History repeats itself in the funniest of ways"

 

[Silmaril]

I drop to my knees.

The black fire that was mine turns to smoke as my mind clears and I just sit there.


"So that's it were made slaves for a power we never asked for to guard humanity from evil?"

I laugh, I cackle, I roll on the ground as my chest booms the laughter of a hysterical man. I cry a little bit just rolling there.

Through gasping breaths I pull myself together enough to speak.

"I'm a fucking sheep dog!, You don't understand! You could of just asked, my life has always been for protecting people from what goes bump in the night. I would of volunteered, just like I did before"

I just lay on the plane looking up at the roof rubbing my eyes of tears as I catch my breath"

"History repeats itself in the funniest of ways"

Click to shrink...

Cerburus shrugged, but if you were to look into his eyes you would see a glimer of satisfaction. His tone changed, becoming far more respectful. It was obvius he agreed with Danavin. "You would have, yes. And I thank you for that. But others here may not have, and I think you now understand that the power you weild cannot be allowed to go unchecked."

"What's this 'blackfire'?" Jim asked shakily, the hoodie-clad man struggling to once again normalize his heart rate and breathing.

Click to shrink...

Cerburus grinned. "It is nothingness. Or more acuratly, it is what was before creation. That which was their before existance."

"Did you..." Her voice was still hoarse from screaming. "Did he," she nodded at the now-freed man holding the crossbow, "fix the engines you damaged, or did he remove the illusion that the plane was falling?" There was a third possibility, but she didn't want to say it out loud. Cerberus wasn't that kind of maniac, was he?

Click to shrink...

"The plane was falling, I caused that."

He spread his arms, delibratly being as dramatic as possible. "Magic. The method I used to induce engine failure. I simply used my magic to prevent it from functining. As I said, Blackfire is Nothingness. It is what came before, and it seeks to return all that is to that state. Magic is simply more suceptable to it and was burned away."

 

[Strunkriidiisk]

Cerburus shrugged, but if you were to look into his eyes you would see a glimer of satisfaction. His tone changed, becoming far more respectful. It was obvius he agreed with Danavin. "You would have, yes. And I thank you for that. But others here may not have, and I think you now understand that the power you weild cannot be allowed to go unchecked."



Cerburus grinned. "It is nothingness. Or more acuratly, it is what was before creation. That which was their before existance."



"The plane was falling, I caused that."

He spread his arms, delibratly being as dramatic as possible. "Magic. The method I used to induce engine failure. I simply used my magic to prevent it from functining. As I said, Blackfire is Nothingness. It is what came before, and it seeks to return all that is to that state. Magic is simply more suceptable to it and was burned away."

Click to shrink...

"And so we're to be locked away from the world, keeping other monsters in check," Jim finished the thought, blue eyes trying to bore a hole through Cerberus' head. He curled his hands together, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his paint-spattered-denim-clad knees and his chin on his knuckles.

"Does this blackfire happen to have delightful effects like murderous insanity or otherwise turning us into ticking time-bombs?"

 

[Simpli]

"Does this blackfire happen to have delightful effects like murderous insanity

Click to shrink...

Looking at the other people in the plane, she can`t help but wonder if its already too late for that...or if someone had opened up an asylum before bringing them to...where ever this place was. Right now she wanted to splutter nothing more but denial, but as it was she only narrowed her eyes as she staid silent and watched the others.

 

[Dust and echoes]

I drop to my knees.

The black fire that was mine turns to smoke as my mind clears and I just sit there.


"So that's it were made slaves for a power we never asked for to guard humanity from evil?"

I laugh, I cackle, I roll on the ground as my chest booms the laughter of a hysterical man. I cry a little bit just rolling there.

Through gasping breaths I pull myself together enough to speak.

"I'm a fucking sheep dog!, You don't understand! You could of just asked, my life has always been for protecting people from what goes bump in the night. I would of volunteered, just like I did before"

I just lay on the plane looking up at the roof rubbing my eyes of tears as I catch my breath"

"History repeats itself in the funniest of ways"

Click to shrink...

Right...so now there's three damn crazy people on this plane. Perfect.

"A patriot." Quinn mutters. "How touching."

Cerburus shrugged, but if you were to look into his eyes you would see a glimer of satisfaction. His tone changed, becoming far more respectful. It was obvius he agreed with Danavin. "You would have, yes. And I thank you for that. But others here may not have, and I think you now understand that the power you weild cannot be allowed to go unchecked."



Cerburus grinned. "It is nothingness. Or more acuratly, it is what was before creation. That which was their before existance."



"The plane was falling, I caused that."

He spread his arms, delibratly being as dramatic as possible. "Magic. The method I used to induce engine failure. I simply used my magic to prevent it from functining. As I said, Blackfire is Nothingness. It is what came before, and it seeks to return all that is to that state. Magic is simply more suceptable to it and was burned away."

Click to shrink...

"You're damn right I wouldn't have volunteered! I was just fine till you fucking abducted me and burned down my pub!!!!"

Quinn gestures around, straining his chains.
"Take these mental blokes! You got crazy boy, and crossbow guy and depressed girl. They should be enough to run your fucking monster prison...thing."

"Send me home! You think I can make a fucking crossbow out of nothing?! I can't. Problem solved, now drop me off. I'm done here. Otherwise...." Quinn's voice somehow drops lower. "...you're gonna find out why you don't burn down an Irishmans pub."

Quinn was pretty certain he wasn't going to be able to intimidate this guy, but it was worth a try, mostly for appearances.

 

[Suul'anar]

Right...so now there's three damn crazy people on this plane. Perfect.

"A patriot." Quinn mutters. "How touching."


"You're damn right I wouldn't have volunteered! I was just fine till you fucking abducted me and burned down my pub!!!!"

Quinn gestures around, straining his chains.
"Take these mental blokes! You got crazy boy, and crossbow guy and depressed girl. They should be enough to run your fucking monster prison...thing."

"Send me home! You think I can make a fucking crossbow out of nothing?! I can't. Problem solved, now drop me off. I'm done here. Otherwise...." Quinn's voice somehow drops lower. "...you're gonna find out why you don't burn down an Irishmans pub."

Quinn was pretty certain he wasn't going to be able to intimidate this guy, but it was worth a try, mostly for appearances.

Click to shrink...

"I'm pretty sure I already told you my name Mr. Irishman. You still haven't given me yours you know." A grinning american comments back.
"Sorry you lost your place though. Apparently we're all without places to go back to, but hey, we can start fresh! You can bring irish culture and cuisine to our new home in the bowels of the unknown frontier! That certainly sounds fun! And we get to see magic too! Dinner and a show! Hahahaha!" Silus chuckles.

Cerburus "Magic! And the nothing of the void!."

Click to shrink...

"Magic and supernatural forces..." Silus continues. "I always hoped to see things outside of home that were so amazing. Nobody ever believes in that stuff anymore...but now there is proof! Hahaha! And we get front row seats to the whole thing!" Silus giddily taps his legs against the floor of the plane. "This is the sort of best-worst day that makes you want to shout out with all your heart! Probably shouldn't though...indoor voice, not outdoor."

 

[Dust and echoes]

"I'm pretty sure I already told you my name Mr. Irishman. You still haven't given me yours you know." A grinning american comments back.
"Sorry you lost your place though. Apparently we're all without places to go back to, but hey, we can start fresh! You can bring irish culture and cuisine to our new home in the bowels of the unknown frontier! That certainly sounds fun! And we get to see magic too! Dinner and a show! Hahahaha!" Silus chuckles.


"Magic and supernatural forces..." Silus continues. "I always hoped to see things outside of home that were so amazing. Nobody ever believes in that stuff anymore...but now there is proof! Hahaha! And we get front row seats to the whole thing!" Silus giddily taps his legs against the floor of the plane. "This is the sort of best-worst day that makes you want to shout out with all your heart! Probably shouldn't though...indoor voice, not outdoor."

Click to shrink...

It took every ounce of self control in Quinns body to stop himself from ripping free of his chains so that he could test if punching this young bloke in the face hard enough would make him any less crazy.

Was always worth a shot...

 

[Whisper1]

"So that's it were made slaves for a power we never asked for to guard humanity from evil?"

I laugh, I cackle, I roll on the ground as my chest booms the laughter of a hysterical man. I cry a little bit just rolling there.

Through gasping breaths I pull myself together enough to speak.

"I'm a fucking sheep dog!, You don't understand! You could of just asked, my life has always been for protecting people from what goes bump in the night. I would of volunteered, just like I did before"

I just lay on the plane looking up at the roof rubbing my eyes of tears as I catch my breath"

"History repeats itself in the funniest of ways"

Click to shrink...

Oh, that was rich. He'd have volunteered to have a dangerous power and a bomb in his head just to protect and help people? Somehow she found that hard to believe.

Then again, it sounded like he'd been a police officer or spy or something like that before he'd been kidnapped here, even if he was acting insane right now. Maybe he'd have a better idea of what to do.

"The plane was falling, I caused that."

He spread his arms, delibratly being as dramatic as possible. "Magic. The method I used to induce engine failure. I simply used my magic to prevent it from functining. As I said, Blackfire is Nothingness. It is what came before, and it seeks to return all that is to that state. Magic is simply more suceptable to it and was burned away."

Click to shrink...

Alicia nodded. So Cerberus wasn't that kind of maniac. Good to know.

But now actual magic that could be used by humans existed too? How confusing...

She opened her mouth to ask him more about that when-

"You're damn right I wouldn't have volunteered! I was just fine till you fucking abducted me and burned down my pub!!!!"

Quinn gestures around, straining his chains.
"Take these mental blokes! You got crazy boy, and crossbow guy and depressed girl. They should be enough to run your fucking monster prison...thing."

"Send me home! You think I can make a fucking crossbow out of nothing?! I can't. Problem solved, now drop me off. I'm done here. Otherwise...." Quinn's voice somehow drops lower. "...you're gonna find out why you don't burn down an Irishmans pub."

Quinn was pretty certain he wasn't going to be able to intimidate this guy, but it was worth a try, mostly for appearances.

Click to shrink...

"I'm not depressed," she hissed at the Irishman Cerberus had called Mr Oddlove. "I don't sit around all day feeling sorry for myself. Why do you even think that?"

"Magic and supernatural forces..." Silus continues. "I always hoped to see things outside of home that were so amazing. Nobody ever believes in that stuff anymore...but now there is proof! Hahaha! And we get front row seats to the whole thing!" Silus giddily taps his legs against the floor of the plane. "This is the sort of best-worst day that makes you want to shout out with all your heart! Probably shouldn't though...indoor voice, not outdoor."

Click to shrink...

"Where in America did you grow up," she said, making a wild guess from his accent, "that was so boring that this is fun for you? Couldn't you just read Harry Potter if you like magic so much?"

She was seriously considering trying to call on the Blackfire in her. Sure, it was dangerous. And they were on a plane, far away from civilisation or a means of escape. But if one of them could use it to get out of his cuffs and fix a plane engine, surely she could do something useful with it...

 

[Silmaril]

"Does this blackfire happen to have delightful effects like murderous insanity or otherwise turning us into ticking time-bombs?"

Click to shrink...

"Its doubtful." You can hear a note of uncertainty in Cerberus's voice as he says that. "But also plausible. There hasn't been a wielder of Blackfire for a very long time. And the ones who wielded it tended to die young."

"Send me home! You think I can make a fucking crossbow out of nothing?! I can't. Problem solved, now drop me off. I'm done here. Otherwise...." Quinn's voice somehow drops lower. "...you're gonna find out why you don't burn down an Irishmans pub."

Quinn was pretty certain he wasn't going to be able to intimidate this guy, but it was worth a try, mostly for appearances.

Click to shrink...

"You have Blackfire. I don't know how, I don't know why. I think I know what gave you it though, and it is dead now. Denyal will not make this any easier."

Cerberus seemed to find your threats amusing, a smirk skipping onto his face.

"Magic and supernatural forces..." Silus continues. "I always hoped to see things outside of home that were so amazing. Nobody ever believes in that stuff anymore...but now there is proof! Hahaha! And we get front row seats to the whole thing!" Silus giddily taps his legs against the floor of the plane. "This is the sort of best-worst day that makes you want to shout out with all your heart! Probably shouldn't though...indoor voice, not outdoor."

Click to shrink...

Cerberus looked at Silus oddly for a moment. He muttered something to himself before touching a button on his chair.

"Alison, remind me not to let Mr Emmerich take any shifts on the ninty-sixth level."

A voice replied over the planes announcement system. It was a woman with a thick Texan accent. "Yes sir. Also, we will be arriving in ten more minutes, the runway has been prepared and transportation to the Prison has arrived."

"Thank you Allison." He pressed the button again and the speakers shut off. "Now, it appears we are running out of time. This will be the last question you will be able to ask me for a while. Upon arrival you will be given to my right-hand Allison. Do exactly what she tells you, she may be young but she has earned her place, and has more years of experience than all of you put together."

 

[Dust and echoes]

"I'm not depressed," she hissed at the Irishman Cerberus had called Mr Oddlove. "I don't sit around all day feeling sorry for myself. Why do you even think that?"

Click to shrink...

Oh, she was depressed alright. She just needed a beer.

Not for that reason.

Other than acknowledging that, Quinn ignored her, as the crazy cat-eyed bastard was talking again.

"Its doubtful." You can hear a note of uncertainty in Cerberus's voice as he says that. "But also plausible. There hasn't been a wielder of Blackfire for a very long time. And the ones who wielded it tended to die young."



"You have Blackfire. I don't know how, I don't know why. I think I know what gave you it though, and it is dead now. Denyal will not make this any easier."

Cerberus seemed to find your threats amusing, a smirk skipping onto his face.



Cerberus looked at Silus oddly for a moment. He muttered something to himself before touching a button on his chair.

"Alison, remind me not to let Mr Emmerich take any shifts on the ninty-sixth level."

A voice replied over the planes announcement system. It was a woman with a thick Texan accent. "Yes sir. Also, we will be arriving in ten more minutes, the runway has been prepared and transportation to the Prison has arrived."

"Thank you Allison." He pressed the button again and the speakers shut off. "Now, it appears we are running out of time. This will be the last question you will be able to ask me for a while. Upon arrival you will be given to my right-hand Allison. Do exactly what she tells you, she may be young but she has earned her place, and has more years of experience than all of you put together."

Click to shrink...

"So what does that mean? I can pull crossbows out of me ass so that dooms me to a premature death guarding a mental prison?"

Quinn could barely believe he said that, but he sits down all the way. It was going to be harder to faze this guy than he thought.

"So what bastard did this too is?"

 

[Zedalb]

I go and take a seat, walking across the plane making it rather obvious I'm not the only one tied up.

"So since, I'm not driving can I get a hard cider?"

 

[Dust and echoes]

I go and take a seat, walking across the plane making it rather obvious I'm not the only one tied up.

"So since, I'm not driving can I get a hard cider?"

Click to shrink...

Quinn nearly exploded.
A HARD CIDER?!
Of all the damn drinks on this plane he wants a godsdamned hard cider?!

Fuck that guy.

 

[DocSpooky]

Laurence continued to stare blankly into the middle distance, just as he had done since the whole incident with the black burning crossbow.
"Fuck it." he said, still not looking up, "I could really use a pint right about now."

 

[Dust and echoes]

Fuck it." he said, still not looking up, "I could really use a pint right about now

Click to shrink...

This comment stemmed Quinn's anger just enough to almost stop him from silently promise to strangle that cider-drinking-bastard with his own entrails once he was free, then beat the cat-eyed bastard to pulp with the corpse.

Almost.

"Here here." He agreed. "I'd be happy to get you one( and one for meself while I'm at it), but wait, oh that's right.
A crazy bastard just burned down me pub."

Quinn's eyes shot daggers that were just barely figurative at the "crazy bastard" in question.

 

[Simpli]

"Alcohol only clouds your senses and makes you...silly.", she said with a light frown and looked at the others, relaxing as good as she can in her chains and crossing her legs: "Are you sure that would be a good idea in our situation?"

 

[Silmaril]

"So what bastard did this too is?"

Click to shrink...

"For now, I cannot tell you. I am almost certain I know who it is. But giving away it's identity, especially now that it has perished would be foolish. Until I am absolutly certain it was reponsable I cannot tell you more."

He shrugged. "Some beings grow more powerful with the amount of people who know the exist. If you knew any more about it it may resurect itself."

"So since, I'm not driving can I get a hard cider?"

Click to shrink...

Cerberus grinned. "Tell you what." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. He quickly scribbled something on it, before tossing it to you. "Give that to Allison, there is a bar you can stop at to get drinks."

"I could really use a pint right about now."

Click to shrink...

Cerberus smirked.

"Alcohol only clouds your senses and makes you...silly.", she said with a light frown and looked at the others, relaxing as good as she can in her chains and crossing her legs: "Are you sure that would be a good idea in our situation?"

Click to shrink...

"Nonsanse, alchhol is something you should enjoy while you can. Especially now that you wield Blackfire. If it has the same effect as magic in that regard you will not be able to enjoy it for much longer."

 

[Simpli]

"How terribly....a sober existence, I can feel the loose already.", she says dryly and reclines in her chair...as far as this is possible like this.

 

[Zedalb]

"Nonsanse, alchhol is something you should enjoy while you can. Especially now that you wield Blackfire. If it has the same effect as magic in that regard you will not be able to enjoy it for much longer."

Click to shrink...

I take the adress with a shrug, prisoners? Were making a bar stop, I don't feel very imprisoned.
"Wait are you saying I can't enjoy it any longer since I have my "Bag of tricks", patent pending?"

 

[Suul'anar]

"How terribly....a sober existence, I can feel the loose already.", she says dryly and reclines in her chair...as far as this is possible like this.

Click to shrink...

"Hey, a life of sobriety isn't so bad! I mean, I don't drink, and look how I turned out!" Silus chuckles. "Life is far too interesting to let slip by through the fog of liquor and spirits! Even all the boring bits have a role to play."

"Where in America did you grow up," she said, making a wild guess from his accent, "that was so boring that this is fun for you? Couldn't you just read Harry Potter if you like magic so much?"..

Click to shrink...

"Take a guess!" He says with a laugh. "You have fifty states to choose from, each with their own level of estranging ways!" Silus smiles at her, turning a previous reveal of pasts into a little game of its own.

 

[Dust and echoes]

"How terribly....a sober existence, I can feel the loose already.", she says dryly and reclines in her chair...as far as this is possible like this.

Click to shrink...

The cat-eyed bastard was joking right? He had to be joking. Science tells us that, should a man consume enough alcohol, he will become drunk.

If Quinn couldn't get drunk, what point was there to go on?!

"Hey, a life of sobriety isn't so bad! I mean, I don't drink, and look how I turned out!" Silus chuckles.

Click to shrink...

"That's what I'm worried about." Mutters Quinn glumly.