Saturday, April 12, 2014

Dark Redemption chapter 42: Reconnaisance Report

Beneath the gleaming skyscrapers and picturesque facade of the City of Redemption lies another city; a community of dark and ancient magic populated by creatures of the night. Dark Redemption is a shared-world novel based on an online role-playing game by James Crowther.

Plucky girl reporter Cassandra True has been imprisoned by Mrs. Morrigan, the sweet old lady she was supposed to be interviewing. Morrigan, it turns out, is a sorceress with an obsessive interest in Cassandra's friend Strephon. Morrigan has already enslaved a pair of faerie named Banshee and Wisp to her will and now intends to use Cassandra to lure Strephon into a trap.

Cassandra shivered as she watched the hideous old crone polish the silver amulet. The woman was mad, of course, but what could Cassandra do?

She saw a shimmering in the air which solidified into the pale, light-haired young man she'd seen earlier. "What is it, Wisp?" Morrigan asked.

"Strephon is approaching, Mistress," the Wisp replied. "He has just left his taxicab and is entering the forest."

"Good! Good!" Morrigan chuckled.

"He is not alone," Wisp added. Morrigan looked up at him sharply. He paused uncertainly, then continued. "There is another fae with him. And a mortal."

"Who are they?"

The Wisp dissipated and re-coalesced into the image of Devon, Strephon's cousin. Cassandra gasped with recognition. "Ah, so you know him," Morrigan said. "What of the other?" The Wisp again dissolved and assumed the form of Tobias.

Morrigan hobbled over to the cage and peered at Cassandra through the bars. "Who are those people. Tell me!"

Something about the old woman's gaze seized Cassandra like the grip of a vise. She cried out involuntarily. "Devon! The first one's name is Devon! He's Strephon's cousin. And the other is Tobias Simms. He's a taxi driver."

The witch released Cassandra from that dreadful stare and she collapsed to the bottom of the cage. Morrigan turned back to the Wisp. "Simms... must be related to that Jamaican witch. No matter. I'll deal with her in good time. The mortal is inconsequential."

"But Mistress, the Moor bears iron."

"I said no matter! I will take Banshee with me to deal with Strephon's little friends." The witch narrowed her gaze. "You remain here and see that the girl does not escape."

NEXT:  ...Nor Iron Bars a Cage

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