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<blockquote data-quote="The Shadow" data-source="post: 8937417" data-attributes="member: 16760">Pete came back to awareness within his own body.&nbsp; Nuada's hand was still inside his chest, but there was no longer any pain.&nbsp; He took hold of the fey's forearm and pulled it out - the silver hand was white-hot, but it registered only as pleasantly warm on his nerves.Nuada's eyes widened, and it struggled against Pete's grip - to no avail.&nbsp; With something approaching fear, it asked, &quot;What are you?!&quot;Pete replied mildly, &quot;No clue, actually.&nbsp; I feel as human as ever.&nbsp; But I'm guessing I might be a somewhat bigger fish than before?&quot;(Inwardly, Pete was a little concerned that he wasn't more concerned:&nbsp; I've seemingly turned into a comic-book wish-fulfillment and I'm just taking it in stride?&nbsp; What's my Kryptonite?&nbsp; But that mild concern was only foreground to a deeper calm assurance.&nbsp; His situation felt fundamentally... right, somehow.)The fey's face made a feral expression no human could match.&nbsp; &quot;If this was all a trap to siphon my power, I will find a way to make you pay.&quot;Pete shook his head. &quot;No trap on my part. I honestly have no idea what's going on.&nbsp; Best guess is a weird interaction with the wards?&quot;Nuada pondered that, then said, &quot;Peter?&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Yes?&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Would you please let go of my arm?&quot;&nbsp; The silver hand was no longer hot.&nbsp; &quot;Oh, sure.&nbsp; Sorry.&quot;&nbsp; He did so.The silver fist then crashed with blinding speed toward Pete's face, but he caught it easily.&nbsp; &quot;Now, that's just not very nice, is it?&quot;Nuada grimaced. &quot;Sorry.&nbsp; Just checking.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Do me a favor and don't check any more?&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Yes.&nbsp; I swear it by Danu.&quot;Pete let it go.&nbsp; &quot;Is the darkhound gone?&quot;&nbsp; &quot;You don't know?!&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Oh, it definitely isn't in me any more.&nbsp; But the others?&quot;&nbsp; &quot;It expired just before you... changed.&quot;&quot;Good.&nbsp; Speaking of... Am I a fey now?&quot;&nbsp; Nuada snorted. &quot;Not hardly.&nbsp; You still look like a mortal human to me, that's the weird part.&quot;&quot;Okay.&nbsp; So.&nbsp; I believe I was asking a boon, and it seems to have been mostly granted, if not in the way either of us expected.&nbsp; Now I just need to get outside.&nbsp; If you would be so kind, your Majesty?&quot;&quot;Why are you being so nice about this?&quot;&nbsp; &quot;My mother taught me that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Remind me to thank her someday.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;I will - so long as you do it in words only.&quot;Nuada scowled. &quot;What do you take me for?&quot; Its diction became more courtly, more formal:&nbsp; &quot;An' I seek revenge, I shall sate it with the blood of my enemy, not that of women and babes.&nbsp; I am not such a craven as that.&quot;Pete nodded respectfully. &quot;I crave your pardon, Majesty.&nbsp; My words were ill-chosen.&quot;&nbsp; Nuada waved it off. &quot;In fairness, I did just try to sucker-punch you. We'll call it even?&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Even Steven, your Majesty.&quot;&quot;Okay then.&quot;&nbsp; Nuada gestured to the bare stone wall and a large keyhole appeared there.&nbsp; Nuada took a golden key from a chain about its neck.&nbsp; &quot;I do have to warn you, Pete...&nbsp; This passageway was meant for my people, not for humans.&nbsp; In fact, I would have said that it was impossible for a human to get through it at all unless conducted by one of my standing.&nbsp; But...&nbsp; I think maybe you can manage.&quot;Pete frowned.&nbsp; &quot;How was this supposed to work before?&quot;&nbsp; Nuada shrugged. &quot;If you'd impressed me enough, I'd have brought you out, despite the insane risk of leaving this place unattended.&nbsp; I told you I have a soft spot for audacity.&quot;&quot;Hmm.&nbsp; And now the insane risk isn't nearly as worth running.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Sure isn't.&nbsp; But you may still run into trouble...&nbsp; Keep straight on.&nbsp; Turn neither to the right nor the left.&nbsp; Don't worry about the time it seems to take, you know what time's like in Faerie.&quot;Pete smiled and quoted, &quot;Why are you being so nice about this?&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Your mom is rubbing off on me?&nbsp; Seriously, though, you're both audacious and annoying.&nbsp; And, well... Azazel could use a thorough come-uppance.&quot;&quot;I shall try to oblige, your Majesty.&quot;&nbsp; He offered his hand and they shook on it.&nbsp; Nuada inserted the key, turned it, and a cavernous, roughly-circular passage appeared where the wall had been. &quot;Good luck, kid.&quot;Pete stepped into the passage and the wall reasserted itself behind him.&nbsp; &quot;Here goes nothing.&quot;---Pete walked for what seemed like hours.&nbsp; Occasionally passages would branch off to the left or right, but he ignored them and pressed on.&nbsp; But then he stopped, puzzled, at a T-intersection.&quot;Hmm. Keep straight on.&nbsp; Turn neither to the right nor the left.&quot;&nbsp; He felt the wall, it seemed solid.&nbsp; He drew Invictus and thrust it into the rock, carving out a large chunk.&nbsp; Sure enough, there was a passageway beyond.&nbsp; &quot;Sneaky.&quot;The space beyond looked more like a hallway in an elegantly-appointed palace than a cavern.&nbsp; Pete advanced down it cautiously, Invictus still in hand.&nbsp; Every so often, there would be an alcove to the left or right, in which rare and glorious treasures sparkled.&nbsp; He ignored them.Then, off to his right in an upcoming intersection, Mark's voice, &quot;Pete!!&nbsp; Oh thank God, help, the pack is back!&quot;&nbsp; The sound of baying darkhounds came to his ears.&nbsp; The bedrock calm Pete had been feeling for the last while began to develop cracks.He couldn't help seeing his baby brother's form in his peripheral vision as he came up to the intersection.&nbsp; He was dressed as he had been in Azazel's dream world, tank top and shorts, and his terrified expression would break a heart of stone.Pete closed his eyes and pressed on.&nbsp; It was so damn real!&nbsp; &quot;Pete!!&nbsp; Why won't you help me?! Oh God!&quot;&nbsp; Screams and the sounds of noisy feeding dogged his steps, and he shuddered hard.He panted heavily as he pressed on, his equilibrium definitely set akilter.&nbsp; Why had Nuada thought his change, whatever it was, would protect him?&nbsp; Sure, he seemed to be a lot stronger and more durable than he had been, but who was to say he was any mentally tougher?&quot;That's right, Pete!&quot;&nbsp; Nuada's scornful voice came from an alcove to his left.&nbsp; &quot;I tricked you to wander here forever.&nbsp; For all your strength, you'll never trouble me again. A suitable revenge, don't you think?&quot;Pete didn't stop, but he did say, &quot;When did you become a mind reader?&quot;&nbsp; &quot;I've been reading you like a book since I first set eyes on you, fool!&nbsp; Did you think you could set yourself against a being older than the human race and win? You think you're so clever!&quot;&quot;I... haven't wandered forever yet.&quot;&nbsp; &quot;Yes, that's right, 'keep straight on'!&nbsp; I lied to you, idiot.&nbsp; There's no way out of here!&quot;&nbsp; &quot;And I suppose you want me to come over there and knock the stuffing out of you?&quot;&nbsp; &quot;As if you could!&quot;Pete wavered, but pressed on.&nbsp; Speaking to the thing had been a mistake.&nbsp; He sheathed Invictus, as it clearly wasn't going to do him any good.He walked on and on.&nbsp; And then a familar voice stopped him in his tracks from a passage just behind him and to his right.&nbsp; &quot;Pete.&quot;&nbsp; Jamie's voice.&quot;You killed me, Pete.&quot;&nbsp; Pete squeezed his eyes shut and said nothing, shaking uncontrollably.&nbsp; &quot;You killed me.&nbsp; I thought we were friends.&nbsp; Surely you could have found some way to save me?&quot;Pete's voice cracked. &quot;Jamie, I... you...&quot;&nbsp; &quot;People have been cured of vampirism before.&nbsp; Sure and it's not easy, but it's been done.&nbsp; Why didn't you even try?&quot;&quot;You asked me to!!&nbsp; I was defending myself!&quot;&nbsp; &quot;I was controlled like a puppet, Pete!&nbsp; You don't really think I wanted to die, do you?&nbsp; Suicide is a sin.&quot;Pete dropped to his knees and started sobbing helplessly. &quot;I'm sorry!&nbsp; I'm so sorry!&quot;&nbsp; The voice took on an infinitely understanding tone.&nbsp; &quot;Of course I forgive you, brother.&nbsp; Come here and take my hand and all shall be well.&quot;&quot;I... I can't.&nbsp; I'm supposed to...&quot;&nbsp; &quot;So you really don't care after all.&nbsp; You're that heartless.&nbsp; I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, given you're the sort of person to murder a friend in cold blood.&quot;Pete simply couldn't take any more.&nbsp; He collapsed forward in a heap...&nbsp; Only to be caught by a man's strong arms.&nbsp; He heard a whisper in his ear, &quot;Sure and there's nothing between us needs forgiving, brother.&quot;&nbsp; Only that, and nothing more.It was enough.&nbsp; Despite the accusations of the voice at his back, Pete managed to struggle to his feet with the help of a familiar hand, which gave him a gentle push along the hallway.&nbsp; He didn't dare to open his eyes during any of this, but he did manage to say, &quot;Godspeed, Jamie.&quot;There came an easy chuckle and the whispered words, &quot;Our Lady's looking after us!&quot;Pete stumbled on in a daze.&nbsp; Finally he came to an imposing bronze door, which opened at the merest touch, revealing blank darkness beyond.&nbsp; Pete hesitated only a moment, then stepped through.NPC List:&nbsp; Mark, Ryan, Goat, Billy, Azazel, Thomas, Fr. Leo, Jake, vampire, Jamie's memory, Teresa, Paddy, Jon, Kate, Brother Hezekiah, Sir Athanasius, Sir Malcolm, Sir Reginald, Nuada.Thread List:Either rescue Tom, or find out he doesn't need it.Chaos Factor:&nbsp; 8 -&gt; 9</blockquote>

[QUOTE="The Shadow, post: 8937417, member: 16760"] Pete came back to awareness within his own body. Nuada's hand was still inside his chest, but there was no longer any pain. He took hold of the fey's forearm and pulled it out - the silver hand was white-hot, but it registered only as pleasantly warm on his nerves. Nuada's eyes widened, and it struggled against Pete's grip - to no avail. With something approaching fear, it asked, "What are you?!" Pete replied mildly, "No clue, actually. I feel as human as ever. But I'm guessing I might be a somewhat bigger fish than before?" (Inwardly, Pete was a little concerned that he wasn't more concerned: I've seemingly turned into a comic-book wish-fulfillment and I'm just taking it in stride? What's my Kryptonite? But that mild concern was only foreground to a deeper calm assurance. His situation felt fundamentally... right, somehow.) The fey's face made a feral expression no human could match. "If this was all a trap to siphon my power, I will find a way to make you pay." Pete shook his head. "No trap on my part. I honestly have no idea what's going on. Best guess is a weird interaction with the wards?" Nuada pondered that, then said, "Peter?" "Yes?" "Would you please let go of my arm?" The silver hand was no longer hot. "Oh, sure. Sorry." He did so. The silver fist then crashed with blinding speed toward Pete's face, but he caught it easily. "Now, that's just not very nice, is it?" Nuada grimaced. "Sorry. Just checking." "Do me a favor and don't check any more?" "Yes. I swear it by Danu." Pete let it go. "Is the darkhound gone?" "You don't know?!" "Oh, it definitely isn't in me any more. But the others?" "It expired just before you... changed." "Good. Speaking of... Am I a fey now?" Nuada snorted. "Not hardly. You still look like a mortal human to me, that's the weird part." "Okay. So. I believe I was asking a boon, and it seems to have been mostly granted, if not in the way either of us expected. Now I just need to get outside. If you would be so kind, your Majesty?" "Why are you being so nice about this?" "My mother taught me that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar." "Remind me to thank her someday." "I will - so long as you do it in words only." Nuada scowled. "What do you take me for?" Its diction became more courtly, more formal: "An' I seek revenge, I shall sate it with the blood of my enemy, not that of women and babes. I am not such a craven as that." Pete nodded respectfully. "I crave your pardon, Majesty. My words were ill-chosen." Nuada waved it off. "In fairness, I did just try to sucker-punch you. We'll call it even?" "Even Steven, your Majesty." "Okay then." Nuada gestured to the bare stone wall and a large keyhole appeared there. Nuada took a golden key from a chain about its neck. "I do have to warn you, Pete... This passageway was meant for my people, not for humans. In fact, I would have said that it was impossible for a human to get through it at all unless conducted by one of my standing. But... I think maybe you can manage." Pete frowned. "How was this supposed to work before?" Nuada shrugged. "If you'd impressed me enough, I'd have brought you out, despite the insane risk of leaving this place unattended. I told you I have a soft spot for audacity." "Hmm. And now the insane risk isn't nearly as worth running." "Sure isn't. But you may still run into trouble... Keep straight on. Turn neither to the right nor the left. Don't worry about the time it seems to take, you know what time's like in Faerie." Pete smiled and quoted, "Why are you being so nice about this?" "Your mom is rubbing off on me? Seriously, though, you're both audacious and annoying. And, well... Azazel could use a thorough come-uppance." "I shall try to oblige, your Majesty." He offered his hand and they shook on it. Nuada inserted the key, turned it, and a cavernous, roughly-circular passage appeared where the wall had been. "Good luck, kid." Pete stepped into the passage and the wall reasserted itself behind him. "Here goes nothing." --- Pete walked for what seemed like hours. Occasionally passages would branch off to the left or right, but he ignored them and pressed on. But then he stopped, puzzled, at a T-intersection. "Hmm. Keep straight on. Turn neither to the right nor the left." He felt the wall, it seemed solid. He drew Invictus and thrust it into the rock, carving out a large chunk. Sure enough, there was a passageway beyond. "Sneaky." The space beyond looked more like a hallway in an elegantly-appointed palace than a cavern. Pete advanced down it cautiously, Invictus still in hand. Every so often, there would be an alcove to the left or right, in which rare and glorious treasures sparkled. He ignored them. Then, off to his right in an upcoming intersection, Mark's voice, "Pete!! Oh thank God, help, the pack is back!" The sound of baying darkhounds came to his ears. The bedrock calm Pete had been feeling for the last while began to develop cracks. He couldn't help seeing his baby brother's form in his peripheral vision as he came up to the intersection. He was dressed as he had been in Azazel's dream world, tank top and shorts, and his terrified expression would break a heart of stone. Pete closed his eyes and pressed on. It was so damn real! "Pete!! Why won't you help me?! Oh God!" Screams and the sounds of noisy feeding dogged his steps, and he shuddered hard. He panted heavily as he pressed on, his equilibrium definitely set akilter. Why had Nuada thought his change, whatever it was, would protect him? Sure, he seemed to be a lot stronger and more durable than he had been, but who was to say he was any mentally tougher? "That's right, Pete!" Nuada's scornful voice came from an alcove to his left. "I tricked you to wander here forever. For all your strength, you'll never trouble me again. A suitable revenge, don't you think?" Pete didn't stop, but he did say, "When did you become a mind reader?" "I've been reading you like a book since I first set eyes on you, fool! Did you think you could set yourself against a being older than the human race and win? You think you're so clever!" "I... haven't wandered forever yet." "Yes, that's right, 'keep straight on'! I lied to you, idiot. There's no way out of here!" "And I suppose you want me to come over there and knock the stuffing out of you?" "As if you could!" Pete wavered, but pressed on. Speaking to the thing had been a mistake. He sheathed Invictus, as it clearly wasn't going to do him any good. He walked on and on. And then a familar voice stopped him in his tracks from a passage just behind him and to his right. "Pete." Jamie's voice. "You killed me, Pete." Pete squeezed his eyes shut and said nothing, shaking uncontrollably. "You killed me. I thought we were friends. Surely you could have found some way to save me?" Pete's voice cracked. "Jamie, I... you..." "People have been cured of vampirism before. Sure and it's not easy, but it's been done. Why didn't you even try?" "You asked me to!! I was defending myself!" "I was controlled like a puppet, Pete! You don't really think I wanted to die, do you? Suicide is a sin." Pete dropped to his knees and started sobbing helplessly. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" The voice took on an infinitely understanding tone. "Of course I forgive you, brother. Come here and take my hand and all shall be well." "I... I can't. I'm supposed to..." "So you really don't care after all. You're that heartless. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, given you're the sort of person to murder a friend in cold blood." Pete simply couldn't take any more. He collapsed forward in a heap... Only to be caught by a man's strong arms. He heard a whisper in his ear, "Sure and there's nothing between us needs forgiving, brother." Only that, and nothing more. It was enough. Despite the accusations of the voice at his back, Pete managed to struggle to his feet with the help of a familiar hand, which gave him a gentle push along the hallway. He didn't dare to open his eyes during any of this, but he did manage to say, "Godspeed, Jamie." There came an easy chuckle and the whispered words, "Our Lady's looking after us!" Pete stumbled on in a daze. Finally he came to an imposing bronze door, which opened at the merest touch, revealing blank darkness beyond. Pete hesitated only a moment, then stepped through. NPC List: Mark, Ryan, Goat, Billy, Azazel, Thomas, Fr. Leo, Jake, vampire, Jamie's memory, Teresa, Paddy, Jon, Kate, Brother Hezekiah, Sir Athanasius, Sir Malcolm, Sir Reginald, Nuada. Thread List: Either rescue Tom, or find out he doesn't need it. Chaos Factor: 8 -> 9 [/QUOTE]

Verification