Seeking
the Keys
Pt. V: Liquid Madness
by
Cowboy Ghostie
Days later, Will crept through a dark alley,
trying to be silent. It was time for him to report in. Will stepped
over one of the "sleeping" roamers and gave it a look
of disgust while avoiding the pool of drooled plasm.
They're absolutely hideous, every last one of them, he
thought in distinct annoyance, keeping silent as he was not wanting
to disturb his so-called brethren. Razor could have at least
put some design into it other than just "killing-machine"...
He'd been amazed just how many "children" Razor had
gathered, but he supposed that was the way of it: power meant
survival after all... Still, Will thought, he wouldn't want to
wake them, once they began to slumber. It just didn't sound like
a bright idea.
So where is he? A quiet, slightly frightened question
from Casper.
I don't know... inside somewhere? Will kept moving through
them, going slowly towards the blackened doorway in the back.
... Don't want to make any noise without him here to watch these
beasts.
One of the larger ones snorted loudly and rolled over in slumber,
claws twitching. Will froze and stared at it. Disgusting thing...
Wonder what it's dreaming about... ? A inane whisper from
his other half.
Will frowned deeply and replied a little nervously as he started
moving again: Who cares... probably about shredding something.
And if you're wrong?
You're Insane. That's all I'm going to say.
The big Twitcher moved as Casper laughed at him, edgy laughter
on the verge of tears, but then, he always sounded like that:
So what if I'm crazy? What would you care... traitor.
Traitor?! What in the blazes of hell are you talking about...?
Almost a mental shout as Will's temper flared, but Casper only
laughed at him - a disturbingly disconnected edge to the sound
after a moment or so.
As will reached the door he paused - glancing back at those he
passed - shook his head and disappeared into the darkness, feeling
his way along the wall with his hand, his ego prickling slightly
at the continued taunting.
A warm current of air flowed against him as he moved through
the darkness, the low light showing little beyond the walls and
the strewn trash. As he moved deeper his ears picked up vague
sounds: a faint conversation reaching his ears as he slowed to
a halt, knowing better than to interrupt.
"I won't run this ship aground with your foolishness, Peter...
You will answer to me if you stray too far from our destination."
"You don't seem to get it, Razor. What happened up there
was just dangerous!" This voice seemed frustrated.
A low growl, then Razor's dangerously amused voice: "...
and Danger disturbs you, Cub?"
"No! No... danger does not disturb me... " The second
voice, eager to assure that he wasn't afraid although it was
clear he was: "What would you do, let it fall into their
hands?"
"It will not fall, we will not Fail-" A crash of glass
against the wall and Will jumped, slinking further back into
the shadows of the hallway as the owner of the second voice backed
away from Razor coming into view. The doppleganger's form was
normal, almost too normal, but his expression was a frightened
snarl.
Quickly taking note of his features, Will retreated into a doorway,
putting his hand on the light switch, just in case he had to
get out of there in a hurry.
Casper chuckled amusedly in the back of his mind, Now who's
afraid of the big bad wolf... The psyche's voice taking on
a singsong timbre before he broke out laughing again.
Oh, Shut Up! Will scowled, You've lost it entirely.
Shape up or at least be Quiet! Glancing around the
corner of the doorway, trying to ignore Casper and pay attention
to Razor, as the exchange had continued while he was distracted.
"... and I intend to find the others, Peter. They will all
be mine, and I will unlock their power... "
"Razor, honored one... please, this isn't something
anyone is going to be able to control-"
"You would know this... how?! This will win the war
forever, there won't be a war anymore... Don't you want
that, Peter?"
Razor's voice was angry, almost a shout, he
seemed on the verge of disowning one of his disobedient children.
Will was glad he wasn't Peter - very, very glad he wasn't Peter.
Casper continued his maddened hijinks and Will tried to ignore
him. Watch out when he speaks, he may just blow our house
down... no wait, it burned... nevermind! At least Casper
seemed cheerful, if you could ignore the 'Stark Raving Mad' part...
Will just ignored him for the most part and listened as Razor
continued his tirade. Peter remained silent, proving that he,
at least, has some wits about him still.
"This war needs to end, it makes no sense, even they
know that. They fight their own fallen and call themselves upholders
of the light." A disgusted noise as Razor came into view,
closing on the unfortunate Peter.
"We fall to madness every day and no-one cares, we're Nothing...
but this... this is an opportunity I cannot pass up...
" Long elongated fingers wrapped around the doppleganger's
jawline to hold him tightly, talons breaking the skin of Peter's
corpus...
The doppleganger stood still, no doubt praying to any gods he
had left that Razor wasn't that angry with him. A long
moment passed as Razor stared angrily at him, passing as his
expression changed to that of pained regret, wrapping him up
in his arms for a moment.
"You test me, Cub... " Then he released him, slowly:
"For your own sake, do not do it again... "
Peter attempted to hide just how frightened he'd been, a shocked
silence before he dared to speak again. "H-honored one,
Razor... I don't understand this... " Lowering his head,
a shaking hand visible as he crossed himself.
"Nor will they... You may go." All the anger was gone
out of the words.
Peter took his dismissal with something approaching relief and
fled into the darkened corridors, Will waited an appropriately
long amount of time before creeping towards the room Razor claimed
as his own...
He crept into the room, glancing around silently... Razor was
perched lazily on a draped chair, one leg up and the other down,
staring meditatively at the cross unlit above them both.
"Razor... " Will ducked into a quick
bow, quite hesitant about being here after all that...
It was a moment before he responded, eyes drifting down to find
him voice lighting in what was almost a purr: "William,
young cub... it's good to see you, how goes your travels...?"
The spectre was deceptively lazy, and Will
didn't trust him one bit.
"They go well... although I find my shackles attract too
much attention... " Will kept his voice low, respectful,
as his eyes wandered around the room. Taking quiet note again
of the symbols that surrounded him, it seemed not only Christian,
but all things Holy were represented somewhere amidst the clutter.
You would have fit right in, once upon a time... A comment
for Casper, who was babbling about the three little pigs still.
"Too much attention... of what sort?" Razor inclined
his head lazily, then gestured him closer to take his hand, pulling
it closer to run a talon along the shackle, tracing the strange
ridges scrutinously.
"A... Pardoner took note of them and demanded to know what
it was. I... left him to sleep it off in the alley." Will
kept his voice hesitant.
"To sleep... " A knowing tone as Razor gave him a feral
smile: "Perchance to dream?"
The spectre grabbed his other wrist with a suddenness that belied
his earlier demeanor, talons digging the flesh. Will gasped as
he was yanked to his knees.
"You've talent, Cub. Guard your past
closely if you wish to keep your powers."
Razor kept his words short and succinct as
he ripped into his corpus to twist it into a new shape, another
shackle, to match the first.
It was done after a moment and Will blinked up at him as he was
released... "They're decorative... remember that much."
A talon brushed back his hair: "Tell no-one where and what
it came from, if you value your soul... " A whispered warning...
"Now go, Cub, I've plans for you if you
prove yourself worthy... "
That was a quick dismissal... Will knew, however, why
that was so short, and as he slipped quietly out of the hive
Casper's babbling slowed, coming again to silence.
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