An unexpected visitor

[Rhaine]

The sensors blinked in infrared, as the intruder classification seemed a bit too complicated. Rhaine looked up from the computer she used for simulation. Oh.. that was someone in Art's quarters. Someone with bio-print quite similar to his.

The darkmage. Her lips curved in a grimace of slight disgust. "I should have forbidden him to come here... or warded up the place", she whispered, rising from the deep cushioned armchair. Soft dark-blue silk flowed over her, like water. Smooth silent steps took her into Art's chambers. Priestess was slightly angered, but in the end, as an asmodean she knew when she was to blame herself for any mistakes.

He was there. Eyes closed, hands clasped under his head, floating atop the water of the pool. Dark stream of umbran magic that tainted him beyond recognition. The sensors transmitted the visual image - pale body a bit whiter than could possibly be healthy, nothing else seemed changed in him physically compared to Artemus. The veins dotting his lean frame were a soft pale blue. A soft smile alighted on his lips as he sensed her presence.

"You again," Rhaine's voice was calm. "I should have expected that."

"Care to join me Rhaine? The water is perfect," his voice was nonchalant and soft as he looked at her, just lounging about as if right at home. "I promise not to bite, but you can feed all you want.."

Lips of dark priestess smiled, while eyes were stone-cold. "Why not. I had to talk to you in any case."

"Oh now, don't give me that look..you don't hate me. I've done nothing to you, all you hold against me is that I'm in the one you love," Though his eyes widened just a hair. "You did eh? Now how might I be of service, Rhaine?"

Cloud of dark blue silk flowed down, as she stepped out of it and sat on the edge of the pool, bare feet in the water, only dark blue tunic outlining her shape.
"I have to find out the prospective of potential collaboration between you and Temple of Asmodeus. Not a permanent alliance, but we have to be sure you do not stand in our way at least"

That made pseudo-Artemus look at her curiously. "I only seek to exist as everything else does. I derserve existance as much as the man I inhabit." His voice still calm, eyes moving to watch the cieling - all he did was remain floating on the water's surface.

"Both you and Artemus deserve existance, and we have nothing against that," her voice was almost emotionless as she spoke. It was duty, not something to be meddled with. "However you're eliminating Artemus. Not both of you exist at the same time"

"I haven't eliminated him," umbran replied evenly, turning to look at her as he lowered his legs to tread water lightly. "He is very much alive, but do you really think he would share? He put me in a cage once already for the fun I had in Eldicore, I'll not let that happen again. He's merely getting a taste of his own medicine as we speak. But I assure you, he is very much alive because to kill him, would be to kill myself and I can't allow that."

That did break through the emotionless mask - for a split second there was a glimmer of life and hope in unfeeling eyes of the Bound. But only for a split second. Umbran did see that break and smiled softly, moving closer to her in the pool. "Do you wish to see him, Rhaine? I have nothing against visitations, though he denied me such pleasures...do you want to speak with him?"

[Rhaine]

Yes, she was about to scream, it would mean everything to me - to see him. But that could easily be a trap. How much did the umbran know about her kin? Would he wish to trap a creature like her? So she continued with a slight smile, as if nothing happened.

"Are you confined to using this specific body... by the way, do you have a name for yourself?"

"I have many names, none of which are me, but I am confined to using the body of he who opened my book until I can create a proper body for myself, which of course I have planned. This one is far to deminuitive for my tastes. He lacks power," it was spoken as it had no importance. Well, Bound did have little problem with switching between bodies. But Bound were "professionals" in design. Umbrans hardly could do this with same ease. Rhaine's memory recorded the phrase. This might be important.

"And when you create one for yourself?" - she asked in nonchalant tone.

"The real party can begin..." umbran was a foot from her now, just watching her carefully. "And I have answered your questions, but you have yet to answer mine. Do you not wish to speak with your precious.."fluffy"? "

She closed her eyes for a moment. The answer was so obvious that it smelled like a trap. Why would he be so persistent in offering her this chance to see Artemus? The toxin in the way he pronounced "fluffy"... yes, she did use that pet-name for Art... and it hurt to hear it from umbran's lips. "I hope this visit would be limited to several minutes? I know well enough how deceitful you can be - as any of us can be."

"Oh, don't worry...you'll know when your time is up, young Rhaine," his hands rose slowly to touch the side of her face, fingers played along the temple and cheek. It took some willpower not to stir from disgust. "Just step into my parlor...."

With the release of a command word everything around them fell into darkness. At first there was a sharp pain, then nothingness. When she opened her eyes, she found herself standing before a large cage made of pure energy, hundled in dingy robes within was Art. Around the cage was nothingness. Just an impossible darkness but a light shown above the cage well enough. Beautiful, she thought to herself. Design solution worthy of a Bound.

"Artemus?" she called, kneeling near the cage. Emotional overload, mind of Bound diagnosed. Already weak in the knees when you see him. What would follow? Insanity, like Darquan's?

Her voice was audible suprise for Artemus. His face lifted up from the cold floor of the cage as if in disbelief, eyes widening before he looked around. "Is this some kind of a trick Errtu!? Playing your mind games again?"

"So his name is Errtu," Rhaine smiled reassuringly. "Obviously he's playing them with me either."

[Rhaine]

His features became guarded as quiet steps took him to the edge of the cage, a face in much need of a shave watched her cautiously. "He's smarter than to let you see me..... "

"I do think he would listen to us. At least I would in his place. Art..." she did her best not to show tears. What in the hells am I doing, something inside her asked. Any information I give away may be used against me.

"Oh, I know he's listening. The jerk is arrogant, not stupid. He caught me...though it's really stupid how he got out," a hand reached through the bars, to brush along her cheek. Dark priestess nuzzled into this touch.

"How did he do it? I will not speak of anything Topaz and myself have checked or done... I'm as much of a security freak as him"

"It was Topaz," he spoke soflty as his thumb brushed over her lips. "The cage I sealed him in was made of negative energy so that any magic he used to get out would only strengthen the bars, much as what he's done here. But in a duel, Topaz hit me twice with a netherray while I was summoning my own spells. Part of the two blasts got past my internal wards and hit the cage. The two negative forces cancelled each other out and allowed his bonds to weaken enough to escape. I should have asked her before the match began not to use that spell, but I didn't think about it."

"How did you cage him in - in the past?" her hand touched his cheek gently, in a shadow of caress. "Feels like a date in jail.... stinks of a vulgar book for female reading," Rhaine did try to be her usual toxic self, taking time to grin at herself. Some sarcasm could brighten him up a bit, at least... Shifter's eyes looked around briefly as if he didn't want to reveal that but as her hand touched his cheek he smiled soflty. "I know it does, but glad I'm not a female into that crap," his laugh was soft as velvet as his hand rose and brushed over hers. "How are you doing Rhaine?"

"Mainly missing you," was an honest but laconic reply. It was so much more... but would she have time to express all the emotional overload she's been through? She grinned slightly. "What else did you expect?"

"Half expected you to capitalize on a distraction free time.." a slight smile as that grin on her face danced into his eyes. "You look good Rhaine, but then you do every time I see you," shifter was careful not to touch the bars as he moved a bit closer to her. He used that to pull her close, pressing his forehead against hers, though he hand to bend at the knees soflty to do it. "It's good to see you love..." hands rising through the bars to cup her face.

Nuzzling into the touch, dark priestess sighed. "I would prefer seeing you back in reality, love. I miss you. Too much probably. And distractions... you are no distraction. Art... while I can see you... how did you cage him previously? I do not wish to bump into same mistakes"

"I'm not huh? Guess I'll need to fix that when I'm out of here," his voice dropped then to a barely audible whisper, much softer than most could hear, except possibly a shifter and a vampire. "I know there's not much time left Rhaine, but you have to trust me, do not let him get near that book. If you do its game over, that book is like he and I. For each bit of his essence that came out of the book, mine went in. Equivalent exchange. As for how I caged him, that's not easy to explain as it was derived from desperation. I thought I killed him in that fight when I was first pulled in the book, but I was mistaken. He's far stronger than you may imagine, and older than anything I know," his voice was hushed but quickly spoken.

"I know well enough, love," she kissed palm of his hand softly. "And everyone has limitations. What may be the key to his imprisonment in your past? Art, please... try to remember. Beside the book - what did you use... Anything in your past training that assisted you?"

"The only limitation I've found is in his feeding, what he takes in, he has to use. He can only handle so much magic before having to find something to do with the excess. Like a balloon, fill it with too much air, and he'll pop. I used the book and myself. I had to split myself into three beings. One ruled by logic, another by his heart, and the third a perfect ballance. It was how he was put in the book the first time. The book is just a tool like a bag of holding. It's pages empty, but the magic of his soul used to put down the spells. That's what I didn't see when I began studying. To master the magic, you have to defeat the one who came before you. I don't know who put him in there, but they knew their stuff... "

"We will see how much he needs. Mind games of Errtu?" a shadow of grin was all she could allow herself. "He may be ancient and powerful, but... we'll see."

[Rhaine]

"I can imagine what would be "party" he mentioned.." she shuddered as if from cold. "It would definitely interfere with the plans of my Lord."

And so I can ask Him for help. Someone trying to distort the flawless flow of events in our intermediary base - that would certainly cause a bit of resonance. If Asmodeus granted her enough energy to ward the Temple, would He not assist His loyal priestess with removing an obstacle like Errtu? The power to save Artemus can be a side effect here. A damn useful side effect.

"Well times up my love birds!" came a voice perfeclty matching Arts' from a ways off to the side. And there stood the man himself, black staff in hand and shredded robes about nonexistant frame. A circlet of black rubies dotted his forehead, as red tinged eyes watched them with a sinister smile. Rhaine stood up, with a slight grin gracing her lips. "As you wish. Excellent design by the way, my compliments, Errtu."

It was definitely an appearance that didn't go well with Artemus's face. The skin white as alabaster, hair matching the shadow made cloth of his robes. "Thank you for visiting Umbran Sanitarium, I certainly hope you enjoyed your time with us, stop by any time," his tone just dripped with sarcasm. Not something that could shake asmodean's nerves. She beamed a fanged smile.

"Gladly. When I'm in the mood for it."

That made the umbran laugh, the sound like nails being drug across a chalk board. He commented with a quite insulting innuendo... well, insulting a RhyDin-bred woman. For someone of Rhaine's upbringing, mentioning of intimate part in lovers' relations was insignificant. Back in her homeland, sex was never a taboo to discuss among Gifted of Ythvern. And if he wished to trigger reaction of jealousy by mentioning Vasvrae, he also failed - jealousy was hardly an issue for an asmodean. The only troubling thing was Errtu's access to Art's memory, but with the unstructured, unmodified, unindexed memory type the shifter had, this was hardly a serious danger.

"Interesting term for a bit of entertainment. Anyways, if my visit is over, it's over."

"Oh but everything is entertaining... When you see only this for several millenia." The robed figure again shrugged, and glided towards Rhaine and Artemus. "I hope you two said all your endearments....though I was hoping to get a bit of a show like in those cheap shows on that portal box.. "

"Use someone else for a show, I guess. I'm not any good in acting. The drowess might be better, their kin are excellent in performing arts," a fanged grin from dark priestess seemed appropriate for the situation. Could she allow herself an outburst of fury, so well known to Knights of Asmodeus? No. Never.

"Ahh but live drama is the best of all, in the game of life all are actors. Whether they chose to or not," though his eyes remained on Artemus for a long while. "You didn't plan on this happening did you, boyo? Well live and learn, and know before I'm through your world will be changed, for better or worse depends on you and if you wish your daughter to remain in one piece." that said he looked at Rhaine. "You're free to go..."

And he reached over and tapped her nose, in that instant the shadows faded and she was near the pool right where she started, but Errtu was nowhere to be found. Only momento of his being there was a simple black rose floating on the water.

There was only one sign of fury that raged in Rhaine's soul. The rose instantly decayed under her eyes, whichever remaints of life were gone from the flower.

At that his laughter echoed faintly through the room.
"So entertaining, you all are. And the game will continue for many years to come."

You damn umbran son of a ..., she thought. Play as long as you like - but I'll outplay you.