EXCOLO

Saturday, January 23rd
On Silk Road, late evening.

I walk along, in no particular hurry to be anywhere, whistling to myself.  The chaos of the previous week has seemed to pass, for the most part.  One thing about the good citizens of Excolo; many of them are damn good at ignoring the unusual and just 'forging ahead', as it were.  Iblis is not around that I can tell.  Even in my diminished capacity, I can still feel him and Lilith withing my blood and bones.  And Lilith...

she returned to the Garden soon after the lightning storm.  CeCe was thrilled to see mommy again.  Hellfire, I was thrilled to see mommy again.  Sans bunny slippers.  I decided to let the whole 'domestic goddess" thing go...  if she wants to talk about it, I shall let her bring it up. 
I rather like breathing. 

The moon peeks out from behind a cloud and I look up and smile at it's pale glow before it is obscured again. It is late, and CeCe should be asleep now.  It has been quite some time since my Lady and I have been out and together.  I think of her, her fire, her passion, her fury... I know it will call to her.  If she wishes to join me for a drink, I know my desire for her will sing out to her.  She always knows when I am thinking of her.

Feeling cheerful, I stuff my hands in my pockets, and my whistling lends itself to song.

There's a moon over Bourbon Street tonight
I see faces as they pass beneath the pale lamplight
I've no choice but to follow that call
The bright lights, the people, and the moon and all
I pray everyday to be strong
For I know what I do must be wrong
Oh you'll never see my shade or hear the sound of my feet
While there's a moon over Bourbon Street

I smile to myself and head to the Tavern of Hell.  Sometimes, I do so enjoy this godforsaken little town.

(Closed)

(Tuesday, December 1st, late afternoon)
(The residence of Arik Underwood)

Whistling, I've made the trek back to the small house outside town proper and unlock the door, letting myself in. Granted, I have no reason to actually use the house, for I spend my nights with Lilith and Celeste in the Garden, but I am playing the part of respectable teacher and it looks good to travel to a real home every night instead of the woods. After all, you never know who may be watching.

I set the paper I have to quickly scan down on the table along with the apple cookies I bought for Celeste. I could put off the grading, but truly, it will only take a few moments. I sit down and start leafing though the stack, making checks and notes here and there. Who knew the town council would be so glad to have a second teacher in residence? Apparently, with the town growing, there are more children, and with two teacher, more attention can be paid individually. I thought Lilith was going to sever my head after I told her about my employ, but it has it's uses. Children speak so easily about what is upsetting them. "Mommy drinks too much." and "Daddy spends a lot of nights in town." All little things I pass on to my Lady to do with as she will.

I have just reached and essay from a thirteen year old about War of the Roses. "The liked red better than white and only wanted to plant..."
With a groan, I get up and find my whiskey. It's going to be along afternoon if they are all like that.

(Open to Lilith)

(Tuesday, November 10th)
(Just past sunset, The woods outside of town)

Excolo. 

Truly, I may never had come back if it were not for My Lady Lilith.  Perhaps I could have called her to me, but I told her I would come find her as soon as I was freed.  I am sure she will be cross with me for not coming right to her, but I was weak in her eyes once.
Never again. 

I am strong now.  I am Marbas, commander of legions, Prince of Hell.   I will never forget that again.  I will never wonder or lament on the  regrets or 'what if's'.  I may have been a Master of Light once...
but it was eon's ago.  No turning back, only looking forward.

I open a massive clawed hand, and the Creator's light shimmers in my palm.  Soon it will be gone.  Soon I will expend it all, in one vain attempt to show Ahura Mazda exactly what I think of his Divine word and laugh in his face.  
I will undo what he wrought.....

With a feline's grin, I circle the town, then descend on massive wings of fire, landing in a clearing in the woods.    I throw back my head and roar, sending my energy rolling out through the woods.  Animals flee in the shock-wave of my call, and those in the houses at the edges of the forest huddle in their beds in fear. 

I trumpet my call again, and wait.
She will come.

(Closed)
(Caution!  Sex and probably violence ahead)

(Monday, November 9th)
(Far from Excolo)

I couldn't leave Excolo fast enough.  Of course, my first thought was to seek out my Lady Lilith.  But in my weakened state...?  No.  that would never do.   Instead, I drifted out of town, siphoning energy from those that I passed.  Just a little, not enough to harm anyone, or more to say, be apparent and obvious.   A little here, a little there....

Until there was enough that I was able to keep a physical shape.  A lion walked the roads out of town that night, padding along silently with no direction.  But I realized I had a direction... a faint energy pulling me, growing stronger as I traveled.   As dawn broke the sky, I came upon a sign:  Mt. Zion, populat-- , but it was too badly damaged to read the rest.  I know this town, know the name, but how?  Where? 
Oh!  Thats right!  The little girl... Alice!  She was from here!  Well, this should be interesting.

Not interesting....  not anything.  There's nothing left.  No habitable buildings, the one's on the outskirts of town damaged beyond repair, the ones closest to the center, obliterated, just shells or timbers.  No people either.  The living, if there were any, had feld, and the rest, dead.   I can feel their lingering energies around bits of shattered and charred bones the closer I get to the epicenter of the energy.  Mt. Zion looks as if a bomb were dropped in the center of town.  Little Alice, what did they do to you?  What did they try to do to you?  What did you wreak on them for thier ignorance and fear?  I would have pondered on it more, but there was still energy coiled in the burnt ground, energy wavering over the dead.  I soak it all in, drawing it into myself....
until I was stronger.  Until I could shift again, and take flight as a winged demon.

I headed south, down to the gulf coast.  To the remains of a grand city once known as New Orleans.  The apocalypse came and went, and the known world shuddered and unmade itself... but after a tragedy in the early twenty-first century, the engeneers of the government got it right.  With the urgings of President Jean-Pierre Eastwood, former governor of Lousiana, they rebuilt the levee that kept the Cresent City safe... and it held, even after the end of the world.  I head there, and taking the form of a firey lion, stroll down the streets past the cities of the dead.  The superstitious know me here.  Call me a God.  Give me tribute and worship.  So that is were I have spent my time since my release from Lucien.  Walking amongst the faithful, the damned... lording over their voodun ceremonies and fire dances, gathering all the energy I can.

But I am stronger now... almost back to my full potential.  It is time for me to return to Excolo.  Return to my Lilith.  And to rid myself of the last of my Light I have kept hoarded within me.  I will no longer need it.  I will never regret again.  I will show Ahura Mazda I have rejected him completely... and laugh at his divine word.  I will use his own Light against him...     

It is time.  

With a determination I have never known, I take to the skies and head north.  Back to Excolo.

(Closed)