Halloween GP

[londoncallingmods]

The weather today had been fairly pleasant, a mostly sunny day wedged between fairly grey ones. It wasn't warm, but the chill was minimal for this time of year, and there wasn't a drop of rain in sight. As night crept in, however, the streets slowly faded from sun kissed and painted in autumnal colours, to foggy and damp. An odd thing, really, since the forecast had predicted a clear and pleasant night.

It wasn't normal fog either, it was denser, thicker, and it carried an distinct scent, like cinnamon sugar and chestnuts. It was so thick it seemed to drain the streets of their colour, leaving the wold desaturated and grey. More importantly, anyone with a bit of magic in them would sense, quite quickly, that it wasn't of this world. It crackled quietly with power, dark and heavy. Unfriendly.

It was around nine pm that the local police stations began to receive calls, things they assumed were pranks at first, but soon began rolling in so quickly and frequently that it seemed something more was afoot. The evening news spoke of mass hysteria, warning people to stay indoors. Conspiracy blogs were lit up with chatter of chemical warfare, and some 'airborne drug'. There were reports of people seeing everything from long dead loved ones, to killer clowns.

Though despite the nervous chattering of talking heads and twitter addicts, most people were paying the supposed danger no mind. Clubs and bars on every block were blasting music and throwing costume parties, people were out with friends, wandering the streets and looking for a fun time. It may have been Monday, but that didn't seem to be stopping many people from enjoying the holiday.  

For the most part, everything seemed fine. ...The crowds and groups remained oblivious to the danger of the fog. ...It was only those who slipped off on their own, to have a quick smoke, to get some air or head home early. They were the ones in danger, they were the ones who's darkest fears seemed to emerge from the thick fog. 

Around 10pm, reports started to come in regarding a body found in Whitechapel, cut open wide and left to bleed out. No prints at the scene, no signs that anyone else had even been there. The CCTV footage had somehow been rendered useless, glitched out and blurred. A trouble echoed by every other security camera on the street. It was enough to set twitter and the internet off all over again, with talk of how the things seen in the fog might, somehow, be real.

(Happy Halloween! The fog is bringing fears and spoops to life! You can make the creatures and fabrications of the fog as personal or general as you like. Whatever works best to spook your pup. If, for any reason, you don't want your pup to see any spooks, that's totally fine too. It's not a required plot. Unlike last year, this time around the creepy things your pup might see can harm them and do real damage. Though they will vanish in the morning. If your pup is sensitive to magic in any way, they might sense that this magic is distinctly fae. If you have questions about what you can or can't do, just ask in slack! Though really, the only limit here is your imagination. Remember to check with other players before doing anything that might seriously hurt their pup, ect, ect, and have fun!)

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[harrowgate]

A wave of brute force lashed out at Shannon. Malkar's magic was blood and darkness and weight, in contrast to Felix's violent electric fire, and the older wizard spared very little thought for keeping a plaything as fragile as the Teverius boy at bay.

The blow to his face had drawn blood, and Felix knew with awful clarity that had been Malkar's miscalculation. The obligation worked by blood, and it might be heresy, but the binding meant that Felix could use the power of his blood too. A reddened smile slashed across his lips, and Felix began to whisper an incantation, pausing to lick at the crimson stain on his teeth.

Malkar's attention snapped away from Shannon utterly, and he snarled in wordless fury at Felix, redoubling the iron-vise working that had kept Felix under his power for so long this night.

[shannonteverius]

Shannon flew through the air, past where he'd originally been standing and crashed into the building behind him. His shoulders hit first, followed by his head, and he fell to the ground in a heap.

[harrowgate]

No. No. Malkar would not take Shannon from him. Felix could take the hurt and torture that Malkar could inflict; he'd done it before. But Shannon was Felix's own, his own choice, the first person who ever wanted Felix for himself. Malkar would not steal that from him.

Felix screamed the final words of the spell, a howl of absolute fury, black and burning. He'd learned so much more from Malkar than just magic, than just how to be obedient. He had learned, by watching and by experience, how to hurt. Now he turned those lessons in his mentor's grip, and threw the full force of his magic at the other wizard in a blinding blaze of incandescent fury.

A blazing flash of red and violet light, and then the street went quiet, except for the sound of Felix crumpling the pavement, spent, but alone.

[shannonteverius]

Shannon came to with a groan. He was cold and his neck ached. He gingerly turned his head, wincing when it protested the movement. Groggily, he opened his eyes. The first hints of dawn had lightened the sky and the mysterious fog from the night before was gone.

With a gasp, he turned - painfully - to where he'd last seen Felix and Malkar. His lover lay unmoving on the pavement. His heart in his throat, Shannon pushed himself to his feet. A wave of dizziness made him sway and he almost fell back down. He pushed on, unsteadily, to Felix's side, his worry mounting with each step.

"Felix?" he choked out, his voice rough. He dropped to his knees and shook Felix's shoulder. "Felix, wake up. Please wake up."

[harrowgate]

There was a terrible moment of stillness and silence, before Felix groaned softly and blinked open his eyes. He reached out immediately, barely even conscious before he had pulled Shannon into his arms, clumsy on his knees on the pavement. "Shannon!" he breathed, pulling his lover tight against him. "Oh god... I thought..."

[shannonteverius]

"Felix!" Shannon clung to him, heedless of the fact that they were in the middle of the road. His thoughts had been the same as his lover's, and his relief at finding them wrong was palpable. "Is he gone?" he whispered quietly, as if the mere mention of the other wizard could bring him back.

[harrowgate]

"For now... I think," Felix answered in the same whisper. His hands moved from Shannon's back, to his shoulders, to his blond hair and then to his face, as if he needed to check that every part of his lover was real and unharmed.

"Did he hurt you?" he demanded, sharper and angrier than he meant to sound. Only Felix wasn't angry at Shannon. Not in the least.

[shannonteverius]

Shannon flinched when Felix's fingers pressed against the back of his head. He hadn't checked, but he could imagine the sizeable lump he would find there. "I hit the wall, I think," he said. "My head's been splitting since I woke up." Concern creased his brows as he asked, "What about you? You looked...you were in such pain. What did he do to you?"

[harrowgate]

Felix stole his fingers back when he realized his touches caused Shannon some pain. His own head ached abysmally, a weight behind his eyes that crept all the way down his neck, but it was a pain he remembered from many years of practice. This was nothing compared to what Malkar could have done to him.

"He tried to do what he did before," Felix confessed, because he was too exhausted and drained to lie. "Take my mind. Take my magic. It's called the obligation de sang. The binding-by-blood."

[shannonteverius]

Shannon's whole body stiffened in horror. "He did what?"

[harrowgate]

"Malkar isn't a Cabaline. None of the rules apply," Felix explained, as if that were the thing Shannon would object to the most. His chin dipped forward and he bowed his head, too spent to think about crawling up from the chilled pavement. "I was bound to him for six years, and he wants me back."

[shannonteverius]

Shannon was too shocked to speak. He floundered for words and when he found them, they erupted in a rush of outrage. "How can you say that," he snapped angrily. "Felix he enslaved you. That's... I..." The words faded once again with emotion. Shannon clenched his fists. If he ever saw Malkar Gennadion again he would have him slow roasted on a spit.

[harrowgate]

Felix flinched, visibly, and so many of his inexplicable reactions made so much more sense, now. He had spent most of his life being hurt and punished for things that weren't his fault, or for nothing at all. These last years with Shannon couldn't undo all of that training.

"You can't imagine I want to go back," Felix told him, soft but unwavering. "I don't... I don't belong to him. I won't... won't let him take me again."

[shannonteverius]

"You bet your ass you won't," Shannon growled. He forced himself to calm down. It was unfair to dump his anger on Felix when it wasn't Felix's fault. "I'm not angry with you," he said. "I just..." He brushed his fingers gently over Felix's cheek. "I hate the thought of anyone hurting you."

[harrowgate]

Felix looked visibly startled at Shannon's use of a vulgar word, and it was just enough to keep him from tumbling headlong into a black despair. He caught Shannon's hand against his cheek, for once soaking up the warmth of touch. "Don't ever... Shannon, if you see him again, you have to run. I can't let that happen to you."

[shannonteverius]

Shannon was quiet for a long moment. Then he asked quietly, "Can you win against him?"

[harrowgate]

Felix sank against Shannon's shoulder again, hiding his face against his lover's throat. "I could kill him," he confessed in a faint whisper for only Shannon's ears. "If he'd never lain the obligation on me. If he couldn't use my magic against me. Now... I don't know."

[shannonteverius]

Shannon didn't know everything Felix could do, but he knew his lover was a very powerful wizard. A part of him believed Felix couldn't be defeated. To hear the opposite from the man's own lips was terrifying.

He wrapped his arms around Felix and held him tightly. "He's gone," he said. "We're safe for now."

[harrowgate]

"Take me home," Felix all but begged, clinging to Shannon in a moment of uncharacteristic weakness. He was spent, and he was afraid, and Shannon felt like the only warm thing in the world.

[shannonteverius]

Shannon wanted nothing more. He kept Felix close as he helped him to his feet and led them toward the apartment. "I think we'll stay in today," he said. "Why don't we order in and you can read to me from one of your books?"

[harrowgate]

Felix was able to stand and walk, though he kept a hand clasped tight around Shannon's arm, as if he might somehow slip away. After a few minutes, he was able to answer, "I must look quite a fright, if you're willing to let me bore you to tears."

[shannonteverius]

"Nonsense," Shannon protested. "I'm in a particularly giving mood this morning and thought I would indulge you. We can go shopping if you'd rather." Shopping was the furthest thing from Shannon's mind, but he thought the tease would be appreciated. He was willing to assist Felix back onto his feet, both literally and figuratively if necessary.

[harrowgate]

Felix shivered. Normally he loved nothing more than going out among people, but the idea seemed repulsive and terrifying to him today. "No," he said softly. "No, I only want to see you today."

[shannonteverius]

Shannon squeezed Felix's arm, feeling the same way. "I'm all yours."