The Dissolution

[Visage]

*A small urchin boy approaches the beautiful Dunnfalls, their waters crashing down into a deep forest pool. In the turbulance of the waters, the boy's reflection judders and ripples.... and then the boy's physical form does also, and the figure of the grey-cowled man stands by the water's edge.* [ModNote: Last seen in An Unwelcome Visitor.]

Now, now at last it begins....

*Visage reaches beneath his clothes and pulls out the silver coin, in the reflected light of the falls, it seems to smoulder rather than sparkle...*

Now, Ringmaster, I have waited so long for this, for our Dissolution. This world shall be rid of you and your influence....

*Slowly, Visage takes off one of his gloves, to expose his real hand. It looks youngish, but with an unhealthy greyish pallour, and the fingernails are dark, and sharp. Carefully, he places the coin in the palm of his hand... and squeezes, feeling the energy pulse with the beating of his own heart, and of the heart of another man... sitting some distance away.*

It begins Ringmaster, feel my prescence, come to me....

[ringmasterrob]

*Rob is leaving a local inn, a few miles away. He clutches his chest and feels something, his very soul seems to be being wrenched from him. He feels the same unease when Visage is near, but this time it is far far stronger. Whatever this draining is he can feel Visage at the Dunnfalls, taking a disregard for his safety he sets off for the Dunnfalls, he soon arrives thanks to his teleportation, however far from its usual effectivness he is teleported atop a tree, which he shimmys down. Finally he sees a grey-coweled man by the waters edge*

Rob: YOU! This has gone far enough Visage, what have you done this time? What scheme is your psychopathic mind coming up with?

[Visage]

*The Blank, cowled head turns towards the Ringmaster, but although Rob cannot see his face he can feel his smile, the corners of Rob's mouth seem to tighten involuntarily. On cue the darkening skies rumble, and a few drops of rain fall into the river which snakes away from the falls.*

This time, Ringmaster, it is I who hold the upper hand... or maybe it's you....

*Visage laughs, and Rob feels another wrench of that awful feeling he gets whenever Visage is near... and he laughs, he cannot help it, echoing Visage's own.*

We are linked, now, you and I, linked in a way which you never thought possible. But our natures are incompatable, and yet so perfectly matched...

*The rain is heavier now, and Rob feels a tug in the centre of his being. Visage holds up the silver coin, glowing with unearthly light*

Here it is, Ringmaster... here's the link, why don't you come and remove it, before we merge together, before we're both destroyed, and my Lord Scareye is triumphant!

*If Rob hadn't been feeling so odd, so suggestable in its power, he might have paused. But he rushed forward. He attempts to cast a spell, but it fizzles in his hands, and in horror he sees that his hand appears to be fading away. He reaches Visage, who also is fading, he reaches forward, trying to grab the figure...*

*And Visage whirls around, and with an unexpected strength pushes Rob into the fall basin. Only partly corporeal they may be, but Rob can still feel the water thundering down on his face as Visage holds him there, and the thunderstorm rages behind them...*

Die then Ringmaster.... die for denying me a life, for starving me of a name....

*Rob begins to lose consciousness....*

*Then, with an almighty clap of thunder, lightning strikes the falls, possibly conducted by the energy given off by the glowing coin.*

*Rob is swept downstream, his body rapidly becoming solid again, but his breathing is still shallow and his neck is bruised from where Visage held him...*

*As for Visage and the coin, they are no-where to be seen, almost as if they have been vapourised....*

[Brother Strange]

*As the unconcious ringmaster is swept on, he is brought to a halt at the feet of a cowled figure.*

*Or to be more precise, at the knees of a cowled figure, for the figure is standing knee deep in the centre of the stream, apparently oblivious to the current and the cold water.*

*This figure, however, is clad in brown, not grey.*

*Brother Strange [ModNote: last seen in An Unholy Alliance] lifts the Ringmaster's limp form, and carries it to the bank. Placing it on the ground, he gives the body a cursory glance, but finds no injury short of bruising.*

"This matter lies with the spirit, not the flesh", *Brother Strange says out loud, as is his way. Then he stands unmoving, like a rock.*

*As his body stays still, Brother Strange's spirit glides out across the spirit world, and to the Ringmaster. It disturbs him how far he has to travel in the spirit world to reach the spirit of a body les than a foot in front of him. Clearly the Ringmaster's spirit is at ebb.*

*Very carefully, Strange begins to study the spirit. While the Ringmaster's spirit glows a living white, Brother Strange's is a soulless cold black. Like two opposing forces, a touch could destroy both, and the Ringmaster's spirit could shift suddenly in response to whatever wound it has been dealt.*

*Thus it is not for several hours that Brother Strange discovers roughly what the problem appears to be.*

[ringmasterrob]

Rob's head begins to stir, slowly and surely. He tries to get up, his healing powers should make that no problem. He can barely move, he feels a bruise, this is not something he is used to his powers always stopped him getting things as minor as a bruise. He forces himself up to see Brother Strange standing over him, he can barely remember much but he know that Strange is not a foe. He attempts to heal himself, nothing happens. Feeling a sudden fear he feels inclined to find Visage, he attempts to thank Strange but the words come out garbled and he dashes away, not able to run with his usual speed and stamina. He runs deeper into the fall towards where Visage had been*

(OOC: could no one catch Rob up or interefere in this plot for a small while thanks)

[ringmasterrob]

*Rob reaches the spot where Visage lay. Exhausted, his pantings cover the sounds of a thief sneaking up behind him, without his supernatural powers Rob is as vulnerable as any other. The thief is holding a crossbow and attempting to check it's loaded without sending the bolt through Rob's back, eventually he speaks causing Rob to jump round in shock.

Thief: *Brandishing crossbow* Sorry mate but you'll have to hand over your valuables, and those robes, if you want to leave here with your life.

*Rob puts his hands in his pocket, his staff was lost to Visage, as were his rings, all his gold is gone. He has nothing but robes to hand over and chances are the thief would kill him anyway. He decides to try his powers, removing his hand quickly from his pockets and uttering the incantation that should freeze the thief, nothing happens. The thief sensing trouble fires the bolt which due to the fool's pathetic aim impales itself into a tree, in a hurried attempt to reload it Rob seizes the chance and dives at the unwitting thief, the thief socks Rob a couple of times causing a small stream of blood to run from his mouth*

Rob: *shock* So long since I last tasted my own blood, what has happened to me?

*The shock of the blood distracts Rob for a brief few seconds as the thief picks up the crossbow and completes the loading, Rob takes his final chance and grabs a tree branch, with immense difficulty pulls it back and releases it. It collides with the crossbow bolt and then with the thief, knocking him into unconciousness. Rob grabs the crossbow as it flies into the air. Grabbing some bolts that had been knocked from the flying thief he loads the crossbow and looks around. Nothing else is around, with a few tests Rob is horrified to see his power so useless, he cannot summon ,magic the most basic apprentice could do with ease. Thankfully his memory is returning gradually and he decides to head to Wolfenden to find his friends and take out some gold from his safe location. Limping and bleeding from the mouth slightly he decides to take the thieves clothes including a hood which covers his face, the events have left his throat sore and his voice hard to recognise, he decides on a new name for a while until he can become recognisable, the idea of apprentices seeing the great archmage without his power, a pathetic shell of his former self scares him. He decides to name himself "Jack" a simple name, one that does not stick in the mind as being distinctive. With this then "Jack" heads for Wolfenden.*

[Visage]

Strange! Brother Strange!

*Ringmaster Rob emerges from the trees into which he ran and comes over to the mysterious monk.*

My apologies Brother for leaving so abruptly, I needed to recover my staff *He is now holding it* You see, I was attacked and half-strangled by that shapeshifter Visage. We fell into the river and I think he ran, but I had to make sure that he hadn't stolen my staff. Not that he'd be able to use it of course, he has no magical powers I have discovered, but it would have weakened me. I am much better now, my magic heals me quickly, but I fear that Visage may now have my form. We must be vigilant, Brother. Will you accompany me, I think that I can be sure that you are not he, and for some reason he bears me a great hatred.

Will you come with me to town?

[Brother Strange]

*Brother Strange jerks back to consciousness*

Of course, Ringmaster.

However, your hurt appeared more serious than you suggest. Although I was only able to make a cursory examination, you appeared to have had your entire essence damaged.

If you will permit me, I think I should examine you further once we reach the safety of town.

*Brother Strange heads to town, oblivious of the danger he is in*

[Visage]

But of course Brother....

*At the back of his mind, he thinks...

Oh, I think you will be a little distracted by then, Brother...*

[Continued in 'A Warm Welcome' in the Wolf's Howl]