Siege Perilous - Part 3 - Ritual
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xp_logsSiege Perilous Day 13 - At the Hellfire Club, Selene and her coven begin the ritual to extract the Soulsword from Illyana.
The Great Hall of the Hellfire Club was normally reserved for lavish parties and fancy balls, in keeping with their somewhat archaic aesthetics. There was nothing festive about its current configuration. The floor had been deeply scored with mystic symbols, etched into the two hundred year old floor with a super-heated poker. In the middle knelt a young blonde woman, hands, feet and neck bound in chains of cold iron, inscribed with further incantations. In a horseshoe around her, at the edge of the symbols, were the hooded Acolytes of Selene, her slavishly devoted cult followers. At the other end, in portable cages, huddled dozens of Morlocks, caught between fear of the Club guards that stalked around their cells and the ritual shaping up in front of them.
Selene herself was dressed in her ceremonial robes; a heavily brocaded black robe, hanging slightly open in the front to hint her nudity underneath. Her hands were hidden in the folds, and her bare feet squeaked slightly on the polished areas of the ruined floorboards.
"We stand on the precipice, my followers. The moment which our current squalid little battles end and we take the next step to further power. To a godhood so far thwarted by insects."
Amanda kept her face impassive. Some of Selene's rhetoric tended to remind her of Rack's more crazy followers, but for all that she was eager to see what the ritual would do for her. And for her Knight - Selene had promised rewards to those who had assisted her thus far. Still, she had to focus on not shifting from foot to foot in the uncomfortable Court regalia, the corset digging into soft flesh, the boots chafing her inner thighs, the heels threatening to topple her if she stopped concentrating. She knew the small annoyances were merely reflections of her own inner state, but that didn’t make them any easier to bear.
Topaz's expression was schooled into her usual apathy, even if she couldn't completely stop the almost obsessive curiosity in her mind. She knew she was lucky in a lot of ways, but never knowing more about her magic had always been a bit of a disappointment to her. Being part of this was absolutely fascinating. Perhaps she could extend her trip to pick the brains of Selene's knight and her assistant...
Clea stood on the left side of Amanda, mimicking her expression. The hour was close at hand and soon, and Clea was focusing on what was being said. Speeches were often drawn out, but it was for principle she was told. Her blue eyes landed on the blonde girl in the middle as she stared briefly before lowering her eyes.
"The Soulsword. My inheritance of Limbo as my own domain. Oh, I see such remarkable things for our future." Selene looked directly at Illyana. "You can make this easy, my dear. You can make it... painless."
The girl's eyes blazed with scorn, though she remained still, weighed down by the iron chains. When there was no escape - well, get on with it, pain and all. She made her voice a challenge: "Maybe you'd already have your precious godhood if you spent less time talking and doing bad cosplay and more time actually doing magic."
"Oh child, I was hoping for some fight. It's just... disappointing without a little effort." Selene approached her, cupping her cheek with one hand. "I'm going to take everything from you. I will sacrifice this trash to break the bond you have and transfer it to me." She indicated the dozens of Morlocks trapped behind her. "And then I will have it." She leaned in and purred in Illyana's ear. "And you... you will be a plaything for my minions for as long as you last for disrespecting me."
Amanda's lips curved in a slow, cruel smile of anticipation. "I hope she lasts longer than Pixie," she murmured to Clea. "Limbo magic is so much fun to play with."
Clea gave a side glance to Amanda and smiled, "It will be interesting to say the least." She whispered back.
"With the Soulsword, with Limbo, we will remake this city in my own image. A fitting beginning to our conquest of this plane of existence... and the prelude to a hundred more."
The Great Hall of the Hellfire Club was normally reserved for lavish parties and fancy balls, in keeping with their somewhat archaic aesthetics. There was nothing festive about its current configuration. The floor had been deeply scored with mystic symbols, etched into the two hundred year old floor with a super-heated poker. In the middle knelt a young blonde woman, hands, feet and neck bound in chains of cold iron, inscribed with further incantations. In a horseshoe around her, at the edge of the symbols, were the hooded Acolytes of Selene, her slavishly devoted cult followers. At the other end, in portable cages, huddled dozens of Morlocks, caught between fear of the Club guards that stalked around their cells and the ritual shaping up in front of them.
Selene herself was dressed in her ceremonial robes; a heavily brocaded black robe, hanging slightly open in the front to hint her nudity underneath. Her hands were hidden in the folds, and her bare feet squeaked slightly on the polished areas of the ruined floorboards.
"We stand on the precipice, my followers. The moment which our current squalid little battles end and we take the next step to further power. To a godhood so far thwarted by insects."
Amanda kept her face impassive. Some of Selene's rhetoric tended to remind her of Rack's more crazy followers, but for all that she was eager to see what the ritual would do for her. And for her Knight - Selene had promised rewards to those who had assisted her thus far. Still, she had to focus on not shifting from foot to foot in the uncomfortable Court regalia, the corset digging into soft flesh, the boots chafing her inner thighs, the heels threatening to topple her if she stopped concentrating. She knew the small annoyances were merely reflections of her own inner state, but that didn’t make them any easier to bear.
Topaz's expression was schooled into her usual apathy, even if she couldn't completely stop the almost obsessive curiosity in her mind. She knew she was lucky in a lot of ways, but never knowing more about her magic had always been a bit of a disappointment to her. Being part of this was absolutely fascinating. Perhaps she could extend her trip to pick the brains of Selene's knight and her assistant...
Clea stood on the left side of Amanda, mimicking her expression. The hour was close at hand and soon, and Clea was focusing on what was being said. Speeches were often drawn out, but it was for principle she was told. Her blue eyes landed on the blonde girl in the middle as she stared briefly before lowering her eyes.
"The Soulsword. My inheritance of Limbo as my own domain. Oh, I see such remarkable things for our future." Selene looked directly at Illyana. "You can make this easy, my dear. You can make it... painless."
The girl's eyes blazed with scorn, though she remained still, weighed down by the iron chains. When there was no escape - well, get on with it, pain and all. She made her voice a challenge: "Maybe you'd already have your precious godhood if you spent less time talking and doing bad cosplay and more time actually doing magic."
"Oh child, I was hoping for some fight. It's just... disappointing without a little effort." Selene approached her, cupping her cheek with one hand. "I'm going to take everything from you. I will sacrifice this trash to break the bond you have and transfer it to me." She indicated the dozens of Morlocks trapped behind her. "And then I will have it." She leaned in and purred in Illyana's ear. "And you... you will be a plaything for my minions for as long as you last for disrespecting me."
Amanda's lips curved in a slow, cruel smile of anticipation. "I hope she lasts longer than Pixie," she murmured to Clea. "Limbo magic is so much fun to play with."
Clea gave a side glance to Amanda and smiled, "It will be interesting to say the least." She whispered back.
"With the Soulsword, with Limbo, we will remake this city in my own image. A fitting beginning to our conquest of this plane of existence... and the prelude to a hundred more."
