Surrounded by darkness

[Seer]

Nightmares and Beginnings

<< First Ana-Leigh, then Rich, then Silver Swan...they all take turns watching over Brenda.>>


<< Karen informed Delilah that her time at Illustra was coming to an end but that that didnt mean their relationship would be ending. As one last favor to Delilah and Connor, Karen visits and checks over Brenda. The young girl, now far less disoriented than earlier, reflexively reaches out with her psi powers, only to find Karen's mind COMPLETELY inaccessible, more so than Sharon's. But the doctor's gentle, nurtural bed side manner soothe her. She may remind Brenda of her own mother in some ways. >>

<< Karen's examination reveals no serious physical injuries of any kind nor are there any internal injuries. a healing spell is cast to restore calm and order to her body's systems, allowing her to finally rest and SLEEP. Tommorow will be a new day for Brenda...where she will be able to see the faces of her rescuers in a new light and speak to them.>>

<< tommorow will also be Karen's last day as Delilah's guest. But the story of Karen and Diana as it relates to the dawn of the Six is FAR from over.>>

<< and so it goes...the formation of a team without as much effort as Delilah imagined it would take.>>

<< they saved the life of another mutant tonight. 3 so far. Those three now unconsciously realizing and accepting their calling to a destiny bigger than their immediate lives. Joined by Silver Swan and MorningStar...both survivors of the same nightmare.>>

<< a nightmare. it's as universal as any other primal aspect of the human mind and spirit. it transcends time and space.>>

--------------------------------

<< the other side of the world. greece.>>


<< it may be dawn outside, but for some...daylight brings no comfort or promise of a new start. for some...the light is as unwelcomed any intruder might be.>>

<< a young girl slumbers in her chamber, plagued by images in a NIGHTMARE, something far MORE than a mere nightmare. >>

<< she hears, FEELS what can't be possible. What is too horrible and terrifying.>>

<<FLASH!>>

<< New York City.>>

<< The skies are RED as blood. The clouds BLACK as night. the thunder and lightning play demonic precussion to accompany the symphony of SCREAMS of those far below who BURN IN THE INFERNO! Demons fly and rampage about, wrecking havoc on the natural of things.>>

<< objects small and large are enhanted by dark magick, taking on a life of their own and adding to the terror and tormant of hapless humans who can be seen running this way and that. >>

<< images of mailboxes attacking people. buildings now looking warped, demonic with FACES on their sides. demons chasing, killing people. mannequins in department stores coming to life and attacking people.>>

<< fires raging all over the place.>>

<< CHAOS!>>

<< she can FEEL, HEAR, SEE, SMELL all of it! How can that BE!?>>

<< and at the center of it all, atop her impossibly high alter that is the GROWING Empire State Building, a DARKCHILDE reigns over it all, conducting her demonic symphony of RAGE and DARK POWER.>>

<< SPELLBINDER, SORCERESS SUPREME,>>

<<thunder CRASHES>>

<<DARKCHILDE!>>

<< She's supposed to be DEAD, isnt she? But when one controls the stepping discs of LIMBO, ALL times , places and PEOPLE are possible.>>

<<FLASH!>>

<< Different view points of the dark sorceress until finally the girl HAVING the nightmare is CONFRONTED by Spellbinder herself.>>

SPELLBINDER: FOOL! you DARE to deny me what is MINE by right!? I'll do things to you...that are BEYOND ALL KNOWN PHILOSOPHIES!

<< The demonic witch looks beautifull yet TERRIFYING. Her aura is so cold. so dark. so EVIL and SHE is so SAVAGE as she leans in...her face now enshrouded in shadow, her fanged teeth gleaming and her hair flowing upward. She is QUITE INSANE with evil at this point.>>

SPELLBINDER: The inferno BURNS and consumes ALL! PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM!

<< Spellbinder is about to ATTACK the girl with her SOUL SWORD!>>

 

[Ororo]

A ray of light

Her voice is soft. Almost impossible to discern among the din of chaos and destruction Spellbinder is raining down on NYC. But she is persistant and will not be denied. Finally, she asserts herself ABOVE the noise, calling out to the girl.

Ororo: Do not be afraid anymore.

Winds howl....and demons in the dream are SWEPT away, they are just as surprised as the girl in the nightmare is.

There is a reason for EVERYTHING.

You would not be aware of this, if you were not meant to be apart of it. To make sure it NEVER happens.

A spirit form? A woman. a GODDESS. Tall, regal , beautiful and elegant with long flowing silver hair. She wears a white goddess dress and flowing blue robe. Swirling, sparkling emerald green orbs flow around her as she manifests amongst the nightmare images assaulting the girl. She moves to the foreground, making the girl focus on HER rather than the terror.


Take my hand.

Free yourself from this nightmare and awaken to life anew. A new purpose!

The spirit goddess smiles upon the girl, extending her hand. Even as SPELLBINDER closes in on her from the otherside.

Do not look back. Look FORWARD. Ignore HER and come to ME if you would LIVE if you would see that this nightmare VISION never comes to pass!

The girl FINALLY obeys and reaches for ORORO'S hand. At THAT moment, there's a FLASH of light as she is PULLED AWAY from Darkchilde's deadly pass and sent through a PORTAL. a STEPPING DISC.

Her wild ride as as moving as her nightmare, only now the hellish images are replaced with wild, flowing colors, sparkling winds, dazzling light and a sense of anticipation! She is cast across the infinite expanse of time and space!

She soon emerges UP through a stepping disc IN NYC. ILLUSTRA! the 107th Floor, The area of consecration!

 

[Tinker]

nobody's supposed to be here

<< She misses Mommy. But something tells her Mommy won't be back. Ever.>>

<< Delilah and Karen are all she has left now.>>

<< These new ones...especially Ana-Leigh...are nice...but she wants Mommy.>>

<< she spends more time in the one place where Mommy's presence is still strongest...like she's still there. The area of consecration.>>

<< Mommy' presence is strongest here. She can HEAR mommy's sighing and humming in the eldritch winds within this place. She looks up in the air sometime...her little nose twitching as she searches for any sign of...mommy?>>

<< inside this place is where the magick is strongest and Tink will stay here when she's not with Delilah.>>

<< She avoids most of the commotion from the new ones. Especially silver lady.>>

<< tonight, she's been resting. sleeping on a blanket that moment laid for her near the pentagram in the center of the room. no one had touched or moved it.>>

<< Karen and Delilah returned here a while ago, disturbing her, but since it was them its okay. after they pet her a bit, they leave but she stays. this is where she prefers to be.>>

<< later still...the stepping disc that remains open in this room begins to churn and fluxuate!>>

<< Tinkerbell's head pops up, her ears perk and she looks in that direction.>>

<< someone's coming! mommy??>>

<< watching curiously, she waits. but soon someone emerges.>>

<< NOT MOMMY! She's not supposed to be here!>>

<< Tinkerbell growls and stands up taking off in a fast run, meowing with agitation as she runs into a shadowed corner of the wall and slips through it.>>

<< as an enchanted familiar, this is one of her special abilities. she emerges into the dark Chamber of Dreams where Delilah lays.>>

<< She'll know what to do. She knows she can trust her.>>

<< Tinkerbell sliently leaps from the floor to the bed, quickly moving across Delilah's slumbering form and meowing intently. She paws at Delilah's face and nudges her. Each meow is like an urgent "wake up!">>

 

[Mina Harker]

Illustra - 107th Floor - Area of Consecration

She rarely had bad dreams any more. Too much had happened in her waking life to allow things to scare her subconscious mind. But this night, her slumber was disturbed by red and black skies, turmoil, destruction. Fire, lightning – SCREAMING! Everywhere.

Demonic creatures – some she recognized and some she didn’t – and above them all a WOMAN who appeared to reign over the creatures below her, who seemed to thrive on the torment of the poor creatures below.

The city was in chaos, ruins. Horrific images assaulted her – things that shouldn’t be possible. The woman was right above her now.

FOOL! you DARE to deny me what is MINE by right!? I'll do things to you...that are BEYOND ALL KNOWN PHILOSOPHIES! The inferno BURNS and consumes ALL! PREPARE TO MEET YOUR DOOM!

The woman raised her sword to strike her down. She raised her hands in a meek attempt at defense, but in this dream she knew there was nothing to be done.

But then, a ray of peace amidst the destruction.

Do not be afraid anymore.

It was as if a cool breeze washed over her. A beautiful woman with silver hair and flowing robes. As the woman spoke it, her fear blew away with the demons.

You would not be aware of this, if you were not meant to be apart of it. To make sure it NEVER happens. Take my hand. Free yourself from this nightmare and awaken to life anew. A new purpose!

The figure in front of her stretched out her hand. She glanced behind her, to see the demonic woman still about to strike.

Do not look back. Look FORWARD. Ignore HER and come to ME if you would LIVE if you would see that this nightmare VISION never comes to pass!

Where before she had been paralyzed by fear, now she found her strength again, her voice. She locked her eyes on the serene face of the goddess.

“Yes…”

She reached out to take the woman’s offered hand.

“I will it should never come to pass...”

And then suddenly Mina was landing on her backside – hard. She felt the ground around her – it was hard wood. There was silence – made even more so by the din she had just left. What had happened? She clearly wasn’t in her hotel bed anymore. She patted herself down. Didn’t seem to be injured, except for a slightly bruised behind. She was still wearing her white satin pajamas.

And then the images came flooding back, of demonic sorceresses, of fire and chaos, and of the pure and serene woman who had saved her. What had she said? If you would see that this nightmare VISION never comes to pass…

 

[MorningStar]

Illustra - 107th Floor - Area of Consecration

The longest day EVER.

She wasn’t sure she was going to even be ABLE to get up the next day. She thought about sleeping the entire way through to the NEXT morning, she was so tired. But after Karen had checked on Brenda and taken herself to bed, Delilah was able to lie down in Morgan’s chamber of dreams and sleep. She would have been certain that NOTHING on this earth could wake her.

Nothing, it would seem, except Tinkerbell.

A paw kept hitting her face. She could feel a lump on her pillow next to her head. She refused to open her eyes.

“Tink!”

The Siamese meowed.

“No! I am sleeping!”

She turned onto her side. The cat tramped over her and meowed in her face. And then kept meowing.

Delilah opened her eyes.

After staring at the cat intently for a moment:

“Okay.”

Delilah got out of bed, sliding herself into her chair, and Tink jumped down onto the floor, still meowing. Clearly she wanted to be followed. So Delilah did.

Tink stopped and circled around the door to the area of consecration. Delilah looked down at her.

“Yes, Karen and I were in there earlier. We didn’t move your blanket, I promise.”

But Tinkerbell kept pawing at the door and meowing. Delilah sighed.

“All right. But don’t think I don’t know that you can get in there by yourself anytime that you want to.”

Delilah pushed open the door. And gasped.

There was a dark haired woman sitting on the floor in the middle of the room.

Delilah raised a hand, ready to unleash something very unpleasant onto the intruder. She wheeled herself into the room, but kept some distance between herself and the woman.

“Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my apartment?”

 

[Mina Harker]

Illustra - 107th Floor - Area of Consecration

“Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my apartment?”

“Do you see my cane anywhere on the floor?”

Mina was nonplussed by the strange woman demanding to know who she was. SHE hadn’t brought herself here. So it must have been something this woman had done. Probably some moron messing with a magick spell or object they didn’t understand and could never hope to use properly. She removed one of the white gloves she was wearing and held out her hand.

“Mina Harker. Perhaps you’ve heard of me? I’m a very well-received concert pianist. No? Well, then, no accounting for taste.”

After a long pause the woman took her hand and shook it.

Delilah: “Delilah Trelaven. But I still don’t understand-“

The flash came - a sensory overload like a slap in the face. When it subsided, a mischievous smile spread across Mina’s face.

“Well, now. Ms. Delilah Trelaven. You’re living in Morgan Victoria’s former home. That’s interesting, indeed. Very interesting. About that cane?”

She kept feeling around herself. It would be a mean trick, bringing her here without it.

Delilah stammered a bit, obviously in a bit of a shock.

Delilah: “You- you’re blind?”

Mina sniffed.

“And you’re in a wheelchair. I wouldn’t be passing judgments if I were you. Ah, here we are.”

She’d located her cane, an antique with an ornamental head on it – not those horrible ones they make today – and she stood up. She arranged the glove back onto her hand.

“Hmm…I suppose the obvious question is: how did I come to be in your apartment?”

 

[MorningStar]

Illustra - 107th Floor - Area of Consecration

“Do you see my cane anywhere on the floor?”

Delilah was taken a bit off guard. A strange woman was in her apartment and didn’t seem to find it strange at all. And the worst part was: she was English.

“Um…”

After a second the woman reached out a hand and introduced herself.

“Mina Harker. Perhaps you’ve heard of me? I’m a very well-received concert pianist. No? Well, then, no accounting for taste.”

Tinkerbell mewed. Delilah bristled a bit. This woman was in her home uninvited and being RUDE to her? She opened and shut her mouth several times before shaking the woman’s hand and introducing herself.

“But I still don’t understand how you got into my apartment.“

Mina didn’t reply. Her eyes were shut tight and her body tensed like an electric current was running through it.

Tinkerbell was meowing up a storm. She kept darting back and forth in the room, clearly agitated. Delilah tried to shush her.

“Well, now. Ms. Delilah Trelaven. You’re living in Morgan Victoria’s former home. That’s interesting, indeed. Very interesting. About that cane?”

She was about to ask how this Mina woman knew about Morgan but the way she jumped from topic to topic pushed her into a stunned silence. As she watched the woman – still on the floor – feeling around herself, how she hadn’t yet looked Delilah in the eye…and then it hit her.

“You- you’re blind?”

“And you’re in a wheelchair. I wouldn’t be passing judgments if I were you. Ah, here we are. Hmm…I suppose the obvious question is: how did I come to be in your apartment?”

“Well, yes, that would be a USUAL question I’d have when someone mysteriously appears in my apartment UNASKED.”

Delilah’s stunned feeling was giving way to annoyance and back to anger.

“And for that matter: how do you know I’m in a wheelchair, how do you know Morgan Victoria and yes HOW DID YOU GET INTO MY APARTMENT?!”

Mina: “Now there’s no need to get angry.”

“I’m NOT angry.”

Mina: “I can very distinctly hear anger in your voice.”

Delilah closed her eyes and pushed her thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose. More calmly this time.

“Just tell me what you’re doing here.”

Tinkerbell would NOT calm down. Delilah started to get a very bad feeling. The cat was SO distressed about this woman - moreso than just her being a stranger. Delilah moved herself backwards a bit.

 

[Matrix]

Morning. Not bad overall.

Shower, dress, roll over to Ana-Leigh's and rustle her up before checking on Brenda again. He was relieved as hell that she was going to be OK.

He arrived at her door and knocked.

Rise and shine, pretty lady!! Time to roll out!!

Her Dad was military...she should be used to this.

He waited for her to come to the door.

 

[Mina Harker]

Illustra - 107th Floor - Area of Consecration

“Just tell me what you’re doing here.”

“Well I thought you’d be able to tell me that. One moment I was in bed asleep and the next I was landing bottom first on your floor.”

After a short pause, Mina cocked her head slightly.

“Don’t look at me like that.“

Delilah: [who is indeed, looking at Mina skeptically] “Like what?”

“I can hear you pulling faces.”

Delilah: “You cannot hear me making faces.”

Mina held up a hand.

“Anyway…as I was saying. I was in my hotel room bed, having a horrid night terror. Demons and a very scary looking woman who was their leader were attacking New York. The woman was about to kill me, but a very beautiful dark-skinned woman with silver hair appeared. She wore these flowing robes – like a goddess, really. And sparkly emerald lights surrounded her. She reached out her hand to me to save me, and…[thinking] and I took it. And then I woke up here.”

 

[MorningStar]

Illustra - 107th Floor - Area of Consecration

Tinkerbell was still nervously eyeing Mina. She was meowing in a disturbed sort of way just short of hissing. Delilah had been around the cat long enough to know she was no ordinary one – and that she could sense things that humans couldn’t.

Mina’s story of course was far-fetched. That she had just APPEARED here suddenly for no apparent reason at all? Not likely. And Tinkerbell’s reaction only cemented Delilah’s feeling that this woman was not on the level. She glanced behind her, wondering if Connor was back and if he heard the ruckus. Not that she couldn’t protect herself, but it was always good to have backup. She could always call for Karen. Yes, that’s what she would do if she needed to.

But then…

Mina described a tall regal woman in a flowing dress and silver hair!

<< FLASH! >>

Delilah talking weeks earlier in her first meeting at Illustra with Alycia Barnett.

I must have passed out then, because all I can remember after that is dreaming of a ghostly woman in flowing white robes reaching out to me and then waking up in this hospital. And I was…like this. I don’t know how I survived.

<< FLASH! >>

The same woman she had seen at the Citadel after Black crushed her spine. The spirit woman who she believed somehow to have helped her escape with her life.

Delilah’s face went pale – if she hadn’t already been in the chair, she would have needed to sit down. She shushed a still mewing Tinkerbell.

“Tink – shoo! Go find your breakfast!”

If the ghostly woman had come to this girl, then she was supposed to be here, and she wasn’t going to harm her. Delilah knew that with every part of her being, as little sense as it all made.

She just stared at the blind woman, who stood there in her pajamas, eyes unseeing, patiently leaning on her cane.

Mina: “And to answer your other questions. I have special gifts just as you do. I’m not a mutant, but close enough. I can get a reading off the things that I touch – sense their history, or things about the last person who touched them. A sort of sixth sense, if you will.“

She held up a gloved hand.

Mina: “When you shook my hand I saw your mutant power, that you were in a wheelchair, and that you are living in Morgan Victoria’s apartment at Illustra. Morgan was a very powerful – and well-known in certain circles – witch.”

“So you can read minds.”

Mina: “No, nothing of the sort. I just get flashes – visions. Sometimes just feelings. It’s not an exact science. But I wear the gloves to keep from going mad.”

Delilah was nodding absentmindedly. Then it occurred to her that as long as this woman was NOT here to kill her, she might as well be hospitable.

“Well, honestly I’m not sure what this is all about and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. But as long as you’re here - can I offer you anything?”

Mina: [smiling] “A cup of tea would be lovely.”