Summary:Piotr is visited by N'astirh who reveals some horrifying things. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Keiko is as busy as ever, having finally found a routine that works for her. A few days a week are spent in Staten Island. A day or so working on the house they live in and the rest of her time? Spent fixing up the other houses WAND maintains and working with Koa and WAND as the need arises.
Fortunately, it's been quiet on that front.
She's not around - which isn't unusual for this time of day.
As for Piotr? His arm is in still in a cast. Does he remember the words that were spoken to him when he took that scroll?
While his arm may be in the cast, it's not kept Piotr from doing his work around the house as neded. Without Keiko there, Piotr has taken to the garden, using the hoe with one hand as he takes it to some weeds, pulling up the earth and tilling it manually, as his father before him and his before him had done. It's hard, honest labor, breaking a sweat on the large mutant's skin as the midday sun beats down on him, dressed only in his overalls and a pair of workboots at the moment.
You could undo every sorrow that has ever befallen those you love, if you are strong enough to take it.
Does Piotr think on those words as he toils in the garden? The ability to save Illyana. To have the relationship he wants with Keiko? Perhaps even stop Mikhail going into that rift and being lost for seven years.
The sun is bright but the trees and shrubs that line the fence line throw shadows of course. "Such a diligent worker … " The voice is raspy and comes from those shadows. "… such a good man, looking after his sister and his … well, she's not your wife here, is she?"
There's a green skinned, horse faced demon, leaning against on the trees, watching Piotr as he works.
He had thought on those words. But he had also thought on what Keiko had said. The hurt in her voice that he had even considered it. Finding what was the stump of a small tree, he reaches into the ground to pull it out as the voice sounds out to him.
"She is my partner." In her mind, that is good enough, and that is what he has come to accept. His eyes narrow, automatically shifting to steel as his damaged arm strains not to morph into its more demonic state - but it fails, the infernal armor snapping around it and breaking the cast. He'll probably get a look about that later.
"Your Mistress is not here, demon. I would suggest you leave before she returns, or you face my wrath."
"She is your Consort. You were married by the laws of Limbo. You could exert that, here. And yet you don't."
The horse faced demon chuckles as Piotr morphs to steel. This is not a demon that he's seen in Limbo but he might have seen it lurking on the borders with, or near, Belasco's troops.
"It's the Darkchilde, I wanted to see." He says easily. "It's a pity your partner isn't around, she's such a delight to watch. The way she's corrupting. I'm going to enjoy it when she finally becomes one of us. Belasco is just waiting for the day to welcome her to his fold."
"She will not be his." Piotr growls low in his throat, gripping the gardening instrument tightly in his hand. But he knows the truth. He knows of the corruption, and how it's growing in her. "Then Illyana is not here - and you should be thankful for it." he rumbles as he lifts his head to the creature.
"I have no need to exert it. She has already made her choice. And I trust her. But that is something you would know precious little of."
"Oh she will be. He's sent me here to ensure she will…" N'astirh responds - not that Piotr will know the demons name at the moment. "… I'm going to enjoy speeding her corruption and turning from the Darkchilde and from your side." beat "And then of course, there is the Darkchilde herself. Helping her complete her path."
Belasco again. "Do you really think you can stop me? Or stop him?"
The horse faced demon smirks in Piotrs direction when he talks on trust. "Choice? Yes, she did, didn't she? To not acknowledge you as consort."
"I could rip your face off and present it to her as a gift. She does enjoy a good horse leather." Piotr rumbles, though he's holding one of his arms, not quite matching the demon's eyes, and he shakes his head. "She did not need to acknowledge it. She is the mother of my child. She has said she loves me." That should be enough.
Why doesn't it feel like enough sometimes?
He shakes off that momentary niggle of doubt as he rubs his arm. "She will not leave her side." Illyana's. "Or her daughter's."
"You could. But you won't." N'astirh answers again with low hoarse chuckle. "And I know how much the little demon enjoys making that leather. I've observed it. In fact, I'm going to bring her gifts so she can do just that … " speeding her corruption. Encouraging Keiko to accept that part of her nature and become it.
"If you harm me, I'll be back stronger than ever. While I'm gone, Belasco will just send others…" beat "She will go to him. She won't be able to avoid it. Corrupted as she is. And Belasco taking her? The Dark Childe will be forced to respond, won't she?"
It's a beautiful plan really. If Piotr thinks on it. Take Keiko from Illyana and force both women to face their destinies.
The horse faced demon chuckles again and looks down at his claws, thinking. "Unless of course, you think you could stop it."
"I can stop it." Piotr growls, low in his throat. He's never been a passive one. Instead, as he moves, he slams his fist into the tree, attempting to crack it half and bring the demon down to him. "He will just have to send another after I destroy you! Then another.. and another.."
He rips at the tree to bring it down. "I destroyed his army on his home plane. He /has nothing/ here!"
"And he'll just keep sending them, won't he." N'astirh laughs as woodchips explode from the trunk of the trees. "And the demons you defeat will recover, but be smarter and stronger. You'll make a strong army that in the end, even you can't defeat. It's delicious really."
The horse faced demon lets Piotr work up his anger. "Just a delicious as the little demon will be when we conquer her."
As the tree starts to topple, he moves to lean against the next one. "The only way to truly protect them is to stop him."
"I am not your pawn. Or his." Piotr slams his fist into the tree one more time with frustration. And then he tosses the stump to the side. "Illyana has already stopped him." he mutters as he turns to walk into the house. "You're already defeated. You just don't know it yet."
"My pawn?" N'astirh chuckles again as Piotr turns. "I never said you were. I merely made a suggestion if you wanted to keep them safe."
Piotr gets several feet to the house before the horse faced demon speaks again. "I'll have your consort, in chains at my feet. Then I'll come for her daughter. Gift wrapping both of them for Belasco's use…"
Is Belasco really defeated? He spoke to Piotr through that parchment in Ry'leh and now here's another demon mocking Illyana and threatening Piotrs family.
"Now… where is she … ah. The little demon is such a wonderful morsel - so much hate and rage she's capable of. She might be home late tonight. Don't worry, I'll take good care of her, you'll see."
Suddenly, the back wall of the house blows outwards, splintering forth as Piotr crashes through it, flying directly at the demon as he attempts to grab him by the throat and slam him into the ground. "NYET!" he roars, all that anger on the surface. And exploding outwards as his broken infernal arm starts to slam into the creature time and time again. "You will not take Keiko. You will not take Elena. You will NEVER TAKE ANYONE!" he roars as he attempts to beat the demon into a bloody pulp.
"Remember that when you revive and craw back to Belasco. He lost to Illyana. You will lose to me. Always."
Piotr is going to have to explain that and Keiko is going to have some work ahead of her to fix it.
N'astirh laughs as the big metal mutant bears down on him, fading back into the shadows even as Piotrs arms beats at him. Piotr can't get a hold of him though, the horse faced demon seemed to be expecting that response.
Into the shadows he retreats and Piotrs hand hits air. "It's not me that has to lose to you, Heir to Limbo. I'm but the messenger."
And then there's nothing.
Collapsing to his knees in the garden, Piotr slumps. He's useless. The demon's right. They're going to take away everything. And he won't accept the one thing that would help.
he's useless and there's nothing he can do about it. Even staying at the house.. being nothing but something for the demons to taunt.. he's got nothing. He knows nothing. And it's proven to him again.