 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Author |
Message |
Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Topics: 173
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
 Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 1:25 pm Post subject: |
 |
|
Right Mastermind, liquid nitrogen...I'm on it. Enjoy!
-------------------
Burn Ten: Freezing Phoenix
Seven a.m.
---------------------
The ashes swirled and stirred, blown by the wind far from the charred rooftop where firemen swarmed. They twisted and whirled in the light of the dawn, conforming their shape into the shape of the man they belonged to. In moments Lyr Varro stood shaking his head. "I'm going to have to get used to that." His voice worked, he felt a small quirk of surprise that he shouldn't have...then realized he was standing in a park, naked, burning like a torch.
He thought longingly of clothes, the kind he used to wear, and watched as the flames twisted themselves into the imagined outfit. Slowly their brilliance faded until only the snap in his grey eyes and the highlights in his red hair betrayed their presence. He snuck a glance at his tattoo to find it still etched in glowing lines, but the glow didn't seep through the white turtle neck or the tan leather jacket over that. A pair of khaki cords and tan boots finished the outfit.
He looked around, trying to get his bearings and trying to discern where Joan was. He felt his connection to her like one might feel the leash on a dog. Lyr wasn't inclined to think of Joan as an animal and he was even less inclined to yank her 'leash'. Still it did lead back to her and right now he wanted some answers. Like, why was everyone rimmed in light, like the glow of a candle, that he'd never noticed before?
He walked out of the park and bumped into an elderly woman walking her small Yorkie. She looked at him, startled and obviously annoyed, and he watched as all that seeped out of her face and was replaced by a grandmotherly smile. "You need to be more careful young man. My old bones arn't as agile as they used to be." The warm tone coaxed Lyr's own smile back.
"I'll have to remember that Ma'am. I was so lost in thought I needed a rescue party. So excuse my clumsy mistake and thank you for rescuing me." She smiled at him again before leading her dog into the park and leaving a bewildered Lyr standing on the sidewalk wondering what had just happened. As he looked around he realized he recognized the place and took off in the general direction of where he'd left his car.
---------------------------
Eight thirty a.m.
--------------------
Ian had despaired for a few moments. How was he supposed to fulfill his Master's wish? The Hellfire raged inside him, whispering, demanding, pleading, seducing. He thought again of Lyr and felt the fire flare into an inferno of anger and rage. The Hellfire hated Lyr, hated him for refusing it, and it feared him, feared him for casting it out. It called to Ian again, in the language of wordless fire that his forsworn soul understood.
The foe of fire was ice and if his brother's flames could be frozen then his brother would be powerless...save for his focus. The fires churned around inside Ian, begging then ordering him to tell them what he knew of Lyr's focus. But Ian knew nothing, had no idea what his brother might have chosen and where he might find the item even if he did know what it was. The fires punished him for that, charring everything inside, consuming him.
The only thing keeping Ian alive was his Master's will. Ian couldn't die until he had completed his job for the Master, or until the Master tired of him...which seemed likely if he failed this time. He needed more power and the Hellfire responded, pulling more essence of the inferno upward until Ian was little more than a charred black skeleton wrapped in the blazing fires of Hell.
He looked at himself in the mirror and laughed. "Well Lyr always said I needed a new look. I wonder how he'll like me now. But I can't go out like this..." Almost instantly an illusion sprang into place, an illusion of himself. "Better...now I suppose I can use some liquid nitrogen to freeze Lyr cold but I've got to find him first." The flames whispered, deamanded, that Ian not go to Lyr, that Ian bring Lyr to him.
For a moment Ian stood thinking, wondering how he could bring his brother to him. Then it dawned on him. "He still loves Addy...and I know where she is. I'll pick up a few things and go pay her a visit."
------------------------------
Ten twenty p.m.
----------------------
It was harder than he thought to track Joan down, especially since she seemed to keep moving and he was on foot. He'd been pretty pissed when he'd returned to the scene of the fire only to find his car had been towed to make room for emergency vehicles. And it wasn't like he could go pay the fines on it. He only hoped the man upstairs would see fit to return it to him.
Joan, it seems, had been treated as a Jane Doe fire victim and had been bounced from hospital to hospital. He finally found her in Our Lady of Peace, laying in an ER bed and pretending she was unconcious. Slipping in, unnoticed by doctors and nurses, Lyr walked over to her bedside, ignoring the man on the gurney next to her. "Come on, we've got to get out of here."
She cracked open her eye and the monitors went wild on her pulse and respiration rate. By the time the doctors and nurses rushed in to take a look at the machines, both of them were gone. And the man in the other gurney wasn't nearly as injured as he had been...
---------------------
Ten fourty p.m.
-------------------
Lyr and Joan sat on the subway, Joan in some shabby clothing Lyr had scrounged from Salvation Army. She kept glancing at him as if expecting him to do something amazing. "What?"
"I didn't expect to see you back. I thought for certain you'd vaporized yourself." Lyr grinned. It was nice to still be able to surprise people. She grinned back. "I hope you picked your Focus wisely. Otherwise you might end up like me...with a hidden catch."
He shrugged. "I havn't run into any catches yet...although I know this isn't free." He sat there wondering about it now that Joan had brought it up. What might his weakness be?
--------------------------------
Well?
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Mastermind
Citizen
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Topics: 1
Posts: 198
Location: Right here.
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 3:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
Apathy would be the most obvious weakness - if he stops caring, he won't have any inner fire to draw power from, right? Or a feeling of being powerless - unable to save Addy and his son, for example. One must defeat him emotionally, not physically.
Some typos:
| Quote: | | How was he supposed to fulfill his Master's wish? |
fulfil
| Quote: | | The flames whispered, deamanded |
demanded
| Quote: | | pretending she was unconcious. |
unconscious
_________________
Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence.
Henrik Tikkanen
Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.
Bill Watterson
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Guest
Items
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 2:51 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: | | The Hellfire hated Lyr, hated him for refusing it, and it feared him, feared him for casting it out. |
I think his weakness is not emotion tough it is an interesting thought. I say it is the fear of hearing the fires call to him the fear of losing controle of his powers, to hurt her- the one he loves.
He cares for her, but her heart was really on a fast pace and the hospital would be looking for her. Lyr cares for her he should do what is best and try and let go of what emotion weakens him. It is like tie chi chun even the slightest of emotion could weaken him at the outer of his skin.
Show weakness and also give a weakness to fires then he'll have trouble of controling it. He has to let go of her. it is for the best even if it is for a good of her life and for his and her protection against his unknowning growing power of fire.
I ot my ideas back rai, hope you liked it. 
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Topics: 173
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:03 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I'm probably going to combine both of those ideas for the next chappy rather than put up a poll. I think it's about time to put PHOENIX to bed.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Topics: 173
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Tue Jun 26, 2007 3:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Right, final chappy. Enjoy!
---------------------------
Burn Eleven: Rain of Fire
Ten fifty p.m.
-----------------
Lyr was startled out of his thoughts by the ringing of his cellphone. Reaching into his pocket he frowned...hadn't it burned up with the rest of his things? So why was it still here? Still he answered with a slow "Hello?"
"Lyr...I have something you want. Something you value. I have your family." Lyr's grip went white knuckle as the sounds of a screaming baby and Addy sobbing could be heard. He didn't recognize the voice on the other end...how many people were out to get him. Looking at the Caller I.D. his heart clenched to read Ian's number. That meant whoever had Addy and his son had Ian as well.
"What do you want?"
"You. Come to the Warehouse at 3 a.m...don't be late...." There was a click as the phone was hung up leaving Lyr to tremble.
"What's wrong...there's fire in your eyes." Joan was staring at him, concern written all over her face.
"We've got to prepare and we don't have much time."
-------------------
Two thirty a.m.
-------------------
Ian sat quietly watching Addy hold little Lyr. Addy was shaking and trembling but she was doing better than she had been when Ian first abducted her. At first she'd been fine, accepting his explanation that Lyr needed her...she hadn't started screaming until he'd dropped his disguise.
Now she hummed softly to her baby, keeping the brat quiet and comfortable. Ian was glad he'd let her keep the diaper bag, he really didn't care for the kid's wailing and knew that no dirty, hungery baby would ever stop crying.
"What are you waiting for you monster?" Ian looked over at Addy in mild surprise. Where had she summoned the courage for that? She hadn't spoken to him since he'd taken her, screamed yes, but not spoken. Yet now she stared at him out of red-rimmed flinty eyes. It must be those maternal instincts kicking in. He decided to humor her.
"I'm waiting for Lyr. And when he gets here...well I havn't decided that yet. I don't know if I should fry the two of you infront of him or if I should make him submit, then fry the two of you infront of him...or if I should just fry him then fry you two."
"So there's no chance of my survival?"
Ian cackled. "None at all my dear. I'm afraid the only outcome for the pair of you is a choice between extra crispy and charred black...which is really no choice at all."
"Why are you doing this Ian? You were closer to your brother than anyone."
For a moment feelings stirred within Ian again. Shame and revulsion at what he had become and what he was doing...then he thrust it all away as the Hellfire surged within him again. He stood up and stalked over to her, flames popping and hissing on his bones.
"Why? Well power for starters. I never wanted to be helpless and weak again, never wanted to be beaten and humiliated again. For months I've hidden my power and waited for the moment when I could take my revenge...then I'd have been the boss and I'd have had control." He snapped his jaws closed, flames wirling around him in rage. "Then Lyr came back...HE CAME BACK!"
His fire pillared upwards like a massive volcanic eruption, searing the earth around him and blistering Addy's skin, making her clothes smolder as she curled protectivly around the baby. Slowly Ian calmed himself.
He looked at his wrist, a watch of fire forming, and checked the time. "But don't worry...it'll all be over in the next couple minutes."
-----------------------------
Three a.m.
--------------------
Lyr saw the inferno beast from a distance, his shoulder blades itching. "I've got a bad feeling about this Lyr...a very bad feeling." Joan was a half-step behind him, dragging her feet. "Lyr...I think that's..."
"It's Ian...I can see his aura." Lyr didn't know how hell had gotten to his brother, it must have had something to do with the Hellfire that had tried to overtake Lyr himself. When he forced it out it must have latched onto Ian instead. But that wasn't the whole explaination...the corruption ran deeper than that.
The burning skeleton turned to face him, charred grin fixed for eternity. "Ah Lyr...just in time for the party...and see what guests we have." He extended a flaming boney arm toward Addy and little Lyr. "They've come for the fun...afterall, what party is good without games."
"You bastard..." Joan started forward only to be stopped by Lyr's arm.
"What do you want Ian?" Lyr got the satisfaction of seeing Ian's shock.
"So you've figured it out...always were the smart one. But not smart enough to get out of this. You've only got one choice in this one Lyr...submit or they die!"
Lyr shook his head. "That's not the way Hell works Ian. It doesn't matter what I do..you're going to kill them. I'll agree to whatever you want and then you're going to kill them and I'll be bound to the agreement."
Addy laughed quietly. "He's got you there Ian."
Ian whirled around, flames crackling. "Shut up!" He hurled a small bolt of flame at them only to watch as another bolt hit it. There was a brief flash but no fire reached the woman and child.
"You forgot I'm here brother."
"So I did Lyr...so I did. But you forget the game. I can still burn them to cinders before you can save them...and you know it." Lyr opened his mouth and shut it again. Deep down he did know it. He knew if he charged over there to save him he'd be no more than a mortal man. His power was destined for greater things, greater uses...it was selfish of him to squander it on two lives. It was playing favorites that he'd save them.
Lyr looked at Addy and saw something in her eyes, something that gave him the strength to go on. She got to her feet, lifted her chin, and stood tall with their son in her arms. Her eyes boring into his she spoke two words. "Do it."
Almost instantly Lyr was consumed with fire. Turning to Ian he shook his head. "You forget one thing Ian...those certain of their belife are not afraid of death." Rising into the air his human form lost it's shape, wings of flame spreading as he and his tattoo became one. With a scream like an eagle and the roar of a thousand acre wildfire, Lyr let go.
And fire rained from the sky...
------------------------------
It's finally over...I hope you enjoyed it!
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Chinaren
Hallowed IFian
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Topics: 340
Posts: 8879
Location: https://www.NeilHartleyBooks.com
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Amichan
Treasurer
Joined: 06 Apr 2007
Topics: 18
Posts: 480
Location: RL:Roseboro, NC./ IF: Retuning from a long journey in the land of OFF
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
i havent had a chance to comment at all i'd like afew days to read this whole thing through before it gets moved mainly because Lily remmended this titel to me and Rai i'll give you major credit. there aren't too many SG's that get recommended to me to read by many people so i'd like the honor to read yours and give some honest feedback
_________________
Check out the City of IF Facebook page here
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Kalanna Rai
Assassin for Hire
Joined: 21 Jan 2006
Topics: 173
Posts: 3102
Location: The Frozen North
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 9:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Even if it get's moved Kang PM me the feedback...I'd appriciate it.
_________________
"It's not just about living forever...the trick is living with yourself forever..."
"Music makes you braver."
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Author |
Message |
Mastermind
Citizen
Joined: 11 Jan 2007
Topics: 1
Posts: 198
Location: Right here.
Items
Legends
Fables
Strata-gems
|
| Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 5:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
Excellent work, Rai. Nicely wrapped up.
_________________
Truly great madness cannot be achieved without significant intelligence.
Henrik Tikkanen
Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.
Bill Watterson
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Ian will gain more power by... |
| Killing someone. |
|
0% |
[ 0 ] |
| Turning liquid nitrogen on Lyr. |
|
100% |
[ 1 ] |
|
| Total Votes : 1 |
| Who Voted: Mastermind |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
