Fantasy Cirque de Monstres (1941) first edition

[Lady Luna Ravenswood]

Agrat laughed.


"Oh...if I would have known you were here I would have worn better clothes."


She let Sammy's body fall limp to floor. Agrat stood in her demon form. Unlike Nora she wasn't towering over human's rather she stood at a modest 5'7.


"Let me see last time I ran into you.....35 years ago? That little incident where I killed several important people."


She smiled devilishly at Aleistar. She only did that to try to phase him, she wanted to see if the years had changed him.


"I say you have quite the trouble maker son....he has been plotting with my daughter Meradiana. you know, the one that dated a pope."


She looked at her hand.


"Now here is my deal, make your son stop contacting my daughter and I will go on my merry way...."


Sammy twitched slightly on the floor. She could hear voices but her body was drained. She could barely move and she could barely breathe.


Some....one.....help....

 

[Airagog]

Aleistar, looked around, thinking to himself. "Hmmm, I could do that... I could do that. But then what of them? What of those that are all around you? I'm not sure what the gentlemen think... Maybe ask them?" He said as the color began to drain from the world and his smile only grew wider, "They seem rather hungry though.... I don't know.. Doesn't this place seem rather odd?" He said as his voice trailed off, the sound stopping suddenly as the walls and floor seemed to grow less corporeal with every passing second as John lay on the floor panicking, trying to scream at Harper or Nora, but then, all at once. Nothing came out. The color was draining quickly. Black and white enveloping their world as it only grew like a cancer. Aleistar's voice not coming out but his words still being understood, "Though, talking to the gentlemen might be rather difficult."

 

[IceQueen]

Nanami sighed, shaking her head. "Whatever." She mumbled softly, holding one hand over her stomach. Looking at the picture Paul handed her, Nanami drew a soft smile to her face. "She looks just like her mother." She mumbled, before folding it up and putting it in her pocket. She was about to say something else when she felt something, disturbing stirring inside her gut. "Somethings wrong." Nanami said sternly, blinking as she was trying to figure it out. "Something is very wrong." She hadn't a clue what it was that was wrong, but something was going on, that was more strange than usual.

 

[Lady Luna Ravenswood]

Paul looked around, he knew what was going on. He stood up looking at them both.


"We need to leave....NOW!"


He motioned for them to follow him, he would find a way out. He had too at least for Nanami and Ignis. Mera needed someone she needed Cirque members.


"I have to get you two out of here."


Nora ripped her chains off appearing in the room.


"You two! Stop it! stop it now!"


She looked at the draining color of the place. Kneeling down and grabbing John, holding onto to him.


"Ruin it all.....that's what you two do....ruin it....cant take care of your own damn kids! Instead you torture us! Why? Why have children if your not going to care for them."


Agrat shifted slightly.


"Hmmmm.......despise your son I see....another thing we have in common...."


Her expression turned to anger when she saw Mera.


"How dare you speak ill of me! I cared for you, you just turned into a spoiled brat!"

 

[Axeykins]

"What? What's wrong cher?!" He looked at her worriedly. It was doubtful that he was going to get an answer anytime soon though as Paul suddenly shouted that they needed to go. "But wait! How?! This place is sealed tight. There's hardly any chance of us getting out easily."

 

[IceQueen]

Nanami rushed to get out of bed, tugging Ignis with her. "Iggy, just trust me, something very bad is here and we need to go save Mera. She needs us." Nanami said, rushing out behind Paul. "If you need me too, I will blast a hole though the wall." She grumbled, looking down at Paul. "Which is the quickest way out of here." She asked, looking down at him.

 

[Airagog]

John looked up at her shaking his head, "It's too late." His voice trailed off as their surroundings began melting, the walls becoming but thin lines that separated each of them. Aleistar becoming a black outline of a man, no discernable features other than a twisted white smile that stood out against the black outline. The shadows that once surrounded them and filled the halls now began to take shape, they took faces, faces of men. Laughing but not making a sound, all of them having a look of hysteria on them as more outlines formed around them. John spoke to Nora, his voice not being heard, but understood still. "Close your eyes, don't open them. Hold your breath and wait for eternity." He looked at Nora, holding onto her. This wasn't part of his plan. He didn't want to. She was in hell, but she was here now. Meaning he had gone through with it. They were all here. They were Nowhere.

 

[Lady Luna Ravenswood]

Paul shook his head.


"I have an idea, may just weaken me but it will be quick."


He offered a hand to both of them.


"Hold my hand, I will transport us just outside the wall. Less of a big bang. After that get Mera, and head to the inn in the next town over. I will meet you there."


Nora closed her eyes, still holding on to John. She was ready for death but, at the same time she wasn't. She wasn't ready, she had a daughter, a daughter who will most likely loose her mother. She felt sheer fear, deeper than she felt before.


"If we make it out of this I will take you to Nosferatu myself."

 

[Axeykins]

Ignis looked at Paul wearily, then back to Nanami. "You think you're up to it cher? I mean...you did say something was wrong? Or were you just sensing what was happening?" He looked at her with concern.

 

[IceQueen]

Nanami looked at Paul, and then back at Ignis. "I know there is something going on here and we need to get out. I am positive." She said softly, giving his lips a chaste kiss before grabbing Paul's hand. "Let's get out of here."

 

[Airagog]

John looked at Nora shaking his head as he held onto her and Harper tightly, the black around them starting to take form as the faces slowly grew to men. They were everywhere. Thin, almost two dimensional, with faces that were warped and twisted, all moving around Agrat and Aleistar. A few of them warped and twisted becoming horrible monsters, their teeth growing to sizes longer than their arms, still another appeared to grab his sides and hunch over only to have twisted nails and railroad spikes come from his back in a shower of black as their world was now devoid of color. All of them standing as black outlines against a black back standing on a thin black line above what looked to be an ocean of slithering beneath them. John's voice was lost now in the emptiness, but his message still could be understood, "Don't open your eyes. Whatever you do keep them closed." as his father walked closer to Agrat, "Isn't it glorious? The world and things that should not be. The only place that could open from one mad enough to cross over." His voice now seemed not one but a roaring crowd that was impossible to tell where from as his lips didn't move, rather it seemed the world itself was talking, laughing it's silent laugh as it taunted her by not saying anything at all.

 

[Axeykins]

"Yes...let's please get out of here quickly." Ignis nodded in agreement before taking Paul's hand." I really don't like being locked up like this..."

 

[The Fallow]

Harper clung to John, her eyes strained as she pushed them close. She shivered uncontrollably, her mind in panic and the world around her faded into unrecognizable terror.


She felt her body grow weaker, unable to sob and hardly strong enough the breath.


In her terror she felt the wolf pry at her, it wanted to survive, its spirit fighting against her as she let the world around her crumble. She flexed her arm, trying to push herself from John.


"John." She whispered. "I can't stop It." She lifted her head, closed eyes clentched in pain, her nose dripping with blood. Please, she pleaded with her self, it hurt. Every part of her ached as the world was drained, leaving her to face herself. The wolf would never listen, it only pushed harder. I can't do this, I don't want this. She began to open her eyes.


@Airagog

 

[Airagog]

John closed his eyes tightly, trying to pull Harper down as the shadows closed in on them, the black figures moving closer and closer, the silence of the world deafening as then all at once, everything stopped. The shadows froze, Alistair stood as a statue, even their breathing stopped, as if a perfect still frame.


Then, at last, came sound. The distinct sound of shoes hitting linoleum coupled with the occasional clink of wood on a floor. Then, came perhaps the most unusual sound to fill the void, whistling. More specifically it was the tune "Anything Goes". The source of these sounds was a stout older gentleman who was walking towards the group, seemingly on nothing at all. He wasn't too portly, though he did have a roundish figure, he wore a dapper suit, black slacks, coat, and tie with a white clean pressed shirt coupled with black shoes with a bowler cap atop his head, covering all but the sides of his hair which was pure white and cut short and clean, sporting a well groomed mustache and beard that was neatly trimmed and kept at an appropriate length. He was clearly old, though showed no signs of frailty. Rather, he looked as though age had only done him favors, tempering him into a gentleman of the highest caliber, walking with dignity and purpose with a cane in his left hand that doubled as an umbrella which he used for very minimal support.


He approached the group, assessing the situation as he did so. His face seemed to convey that he indeed expected this, however wasn't entire pleased, but wasn't entirely upset. Instead his expression was that of a gentleman who learned his assets needed a bit of correction. He first came to the shadows, stopping in front of them, still frozen and unaware as he gave a short cough, "My my, quite an unsavory bunch, eh? Be gone with you, I say." He said, his voice clear, his speech perfect as he gave a short rap with the end of his umbrella cane, tapping them as they suddenly faded and vanished, as if they had never existed. "Hmph. Quite the befitting end I say."


The older gentleman nodded as if satisfied and walked over to Alistair and Agrat, looking them both over, a look of disapproval on his face. "And you, this is all your fault. No matter, I shall correct this mess and ensure you don't go mucking too far into this business." He said looking to John. "Best to eliminate a problem at the root." He said to himself, walking over to John.


He looked the boy over. Definitely a far step from his father, in fact if not for his father he would be quite remarkable. Still, business was business. He turned his cane, gripping it by the end and tapping John on the noggin with the handle of the cane. "Up up boy, we must have a chat." He said as John fell down, his breathing returning as his eyes went wide, scrambling along the ground, reanimated as the gentleman stood back a few steps, holding his umbrella cane with both hand in front of him, leaning on it ever so slightly as John coughed and looked up, getting to his feet and backing away before looking around, noticing everything else was frozen and the black figures had gone. He shook himself, calming down a bit as the gentleman gave a chuckle.


John eyed the man, unsure of what to make of what had become of his situation as the gentleman smiled, "Rise and shine, my boy. I dare say you're handling this much better than people typically do. Usually there's screaming." He gave a slight chuckle as John tried to regain his composure. "Who.... who are you then? Why are they frozen? And..." He said looking around, moving his limbs, "Why am I not?" The gentleman in black nodded, "All very valid questions, I suppose tis best to start with the situation of those around us. I had decided that perhaps it was best to halt time for a bit, let both of us get secured and acquainted. I daresay your father is quite the troublemaker. But tis no matter, I fixed it. It is my duty to watch over my children, just tis best I don't get involved unless need be. I'm sure you understand, don't you my boy?"


John looked confused. He referred to John as his boy, and referred to Alistair as his son. Yet John knew that his grandfather was long dead and would have held no power such as this, nor looked like this. The man in front of him seemed off yet there was something familiar about him. Then, like a bolt of lightning, it hit John and he fell to his knees, mouth agape, diverting his gaze. "You're, you're the Father. The Alpha and the Omega. You're The One Above All. You're. You're God aren't you?" John said his voice full of disbelief. The gentleman gave a smile, "Very good! You are indeed a rather bright fellow, or you simply have a good deal of faith. Both qualities I wholeheartedly celebrate. Though, I do ask you get off of your knees. I appreciate the thought and respect, though there is more than one way to show reverence. He said holding out the handle of his cane, "In truth, I have come to discuss your existance, and why it cannot be. Do not grieve though, merely grab on and I will explain and tell you what your options are."


John gazed at God dumbfounded. He couldn't exist? What had he done wrong? Surely he hadn't messed up that badly. But, he put aside his doubts and grabbed hold of the cane as their surroundings changed to a dimly lit room with a much younger Alistair and an infant in his arms. He set the infant on a table with strange markings on it and began chanting. As he did so God spoke, "This is where it began. We are but phantoms and he may never perceive us. With your birth, your father began a string of events that would forever change history and would lead to quite a predicament."


John nodded, looking down as a glowing light began to fill the room, "Is he discovering the void then? The in between? And what child is that?" God shook his head, "Your father didn't discover The Inbetween, I would never be so careless. No, he is helping to form it, with you doing most of the work."


John shook his head, how was that possible? There's no way he could do that. Could he? No, he couldnt. As he questioned himself God cleared his throat and continued, "Even in other timelines, eventually you create it. If this sole experience was erased you would go to either accidentally create it or seek it out. As to how, the answer is simple. The mind is quite powerful, even more so since I shape mankind into my image, giving them my power of will. Yours is quite strong, and your faith deep. It is inevitable if you so live. However." He said as he raised and then brought down his cane, it making a clack as if striking a floor, the scenary changing again to that of a large room filled with doors. "Since your time line was lucky enough to have you use that so early in your life, you will never be able to tap into that again. And so I will offer you perhaps the greatest of choice."


As he said this John looked around him, the room was massive, larger than he could comprehend as he processed what God had said. It made sense. He couldn't exist. But that left him with so many questions. "What will happen to me? What will happen to the cirque?" God spoke softly, "you will have never existed. Their lives will have been very different and this would never have happened. But there will always be a cirque, always be a time and always be a place. As for you, you will be the only John Crowley to exist, and for that I offer you the ultimate choice. Behind every door, a world. You may choose which world, you may travel there. And you may begin again. Think of this as my apology for what I had to do. And John.." God said holding out his arms and embracing John. For a moment John closed his eyes and embraced him back, suddenly feeling exactly how small he was, as if he was for a moment aware of how large every thing was, "I'm sorry John. In truth I love all of my creations, even you. If there was another way I would do it. I only wish I could do more for you." He said as he let go. "I will always watch over you." He said as he faded and vanished.


John looked at the doors, every one a new opportunity, a new adventure, a new time and a new place. He opened one of the doors, light pouring from it as he stepped through, The Father's words echoing through his head, "There will always be a cirque. Always be a time, and always be a place." It would be another story, another life, another fantastical Cirque Du Monstres.