Chapter 1: Old Enemies, New Problems
In the great amount of time he spent as a denizen of the Velvet Room, never has he felt this worried.
He had been tasked with the grand honor of assisting remarkable guests on their larger than life journeys and he was always more than pleased when they had completed their quests with new-found strength and increased wisdom. The world those guests and their friends lived in were, for the most part, safe from harm.
Yet at the same time, it was currently moment's away from destruction.
There was a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that wasn't going away anytime soon as he was currently seated in front of an empty table, frown plastered on his face. A great disturbance would soon befall the realm outside of the Velvet Room and following it would no doubt be infinite terror, but just what was it?
"Master, you seem perturbed, is something the matter?" A feminine voice beside him spoke up, laced with concern aimed towards the man in the chair. Igor turned towards the voice and replied.
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with Margaret, for now at least," Igor said. He couldn't hide the worry in his voice as he knew a great occurrence was about to take place. Soon, the nagging feeling he had felt begun to increase into somewhat of a great annoyance. For a moment, he sensed was could only be described as pure (and yet, vaguely familiar) maliciousness and the feeling made his hairs stand on end. Quickly, he stood from his chair and looked around the room as if searching for something.
"Master!" Margaret yelled, compendium slightly opened in her hand as she too stood from where she was seated. She scanned Igor's rapidly moving visage only to be confused. The look on his face was something she never saw from him before. Was it shock, anger?
Fear?
Igor checked the room over once more before he felt the familiar dark aura once more and a look of realization dawned upon his face. He whirled around to face Margaret fast enough to make her think he would've snapped his neck before speaking in a clear and troubled voice. "Margaret, I require you to wait here for a moment; I need to leave the Room and request an audience with somebody."
Margaret's breathing hitched for a second. "You wish to speak with...?" She never finished her sentence for Igor was already walking towards the entrance of the Velvet Room.
"I shall return in due time, for now, your main task is to wait here and make sure nothing goes awry in the Room," Igor spoke while facing the door. With noticeable hesitation, he grabbed the knob of the door and turned it slowly and pulled. The door creaked open loudly before letting in nothing but pure blinding light. Igor took it in stride and proceeded to exit the room, shutting the door behind him with a loud slam.
Margaret stared at where Igor once was for a few moments before returning to her seated position with an audible sigh. "It would seem we are soon to encounter a force that would require power beyond our wildest dreams." With that, she closed her eyes and began to hum a tune.
Time was never a luxury the denizens of the Velvet Room ever worried about. As the Velvet Room was an anomaly outside of time itself, questions about it would only return more of such. Mere minutes could have actually turned out to be long hours, while long hours could have actually proven to have been mere minutes. Yet, ever since her sister left and the completion of the journey of the last guest, Margaret felt as if she had been in the room with her master for an eternity. Over-exaggeration was a childish habit of her sister, for Margaret believed it could beget confusion unto those who were foolish enough. She never enjoyed the antics of her younger sister as they easily annoyed her to know end.
Yet, why did she feel as if she was beginning to miss that?
Margaret shook her head, how human of her to feel attachment to something, it was a weakness that could distract her like it did her sister. Then she remembered the promise she made to her guest. How if the same fate would befall him as her sister, Elizabeth's, guest, then she too would leave her duty in the room to save him. She chuckled, now she was beginning to contradict herself; she was becoming more and more like Elizabeth than she realized.
Very quickly, she banished the thoughts from her mind and begun to read the compendium in her lap.
Light. Blinding light.
As Igor walked through the Velvet Door he was assaulted with a bright light, it was always a hassle coming here, but it wasn't his place to complain. He'd be out of line and would be in grave trouble. He shut the door behind him and stood still for a while, focusing on where he needed to go. Finally after a quick moment, a clear visual came to his mind before he turned back towards the door he just shut. He placed his hand on the knob and gave it a squeeze before twisting it and opening the door once more.
However, when the door opened completely, the Velvet Room he resided in wasn't on the other side. Instead, standing in front of him with his back turned to Igor's face was his Master. Having spoken to him on many occasions before, Igor knew what to. He placed his hand on his chest before bowing out of respect.
"Master, it is a pleasure to stand before you once more," Igor spoke. The man in front of Igor slowly turned towards him, shortly before speaking to Igor.
"At ease Igor, I'm sure you are not here for ill reason," Philemon spoke. His voice was calm, and yet it easily called upon authority. Most of his face save the bottom right half of it was covered in a white mask that stretched out on one side to resemble a golden butterfly wing; on his body, he wore a black suit under a white blazer and white pants. Igor stood up straight and looked at his master Philemon in the face before speaking up once more.
"Surely you felt it to did you not Master? The aura of pure collective evil and malice. It was not weak, I fear for the worst." Igor looked downwards, his frown being overshadowed by his long, beak-like nose. Philemon looked upwards, a sigh of irritation escaping his mouth.
"Yes my loyal servant, I too felt the aura. It would be impossible for me not to due to the origins of that evil being my opposite." Philemon brought his head down to look at Igor once more. "This time, he has a goal in mind, no longer is he being held back by the bet we made, no, this time, he wants a war." Philemon once again turned away from Igor and looked out into the endless abyss. "Though our game was far from over, Nyarlathotep was forced to be banished to parts unknown to those of lesser existence. I felt as if it was only in exile that he would be able to cause no harm to humanity, and yet..."
Igor took his hesitation as an opportunity to talk once more, "And yet, him being the collective maliciousness of mankind has only forced him back into this realm Master. However, he has increased in power and is back with a vengeance. We cannot eschew retaliation in the matter, or else it will return to us tenfold." Philemon turned back with a small chuckle, looking towards his servant.
"Nyarlathotep is playing by his own rules now. I cannot lie, the game we have made has truly become interesting. However, I feel he will go too far with what he might do soon. Igor you are right, we'll need to strike back with a powerful force. A force with more might that any that stood before it." At this, Igor furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and curiosity alike. Just what was Philemon talking about he wondered; a powerful, unbeatable force unlike any before?
"Master, I humbly ask that you please expound your suggestion," Igor stepped back, gazing upon Philemon in true curiosity and eagerness. What Philemon was about to say would truly send Igor for a loop.
"Do you recall when I created you Igor?" Philemon asked.
"I would hope that I would, Master," Igor replied. "You told me why I was created and went over the basis of the current game you are locked in with Nyarlathotep."
"Excellent, truly excellent." Philemon smiled at Igor. "Due to Nyarlathotep avoiding the rules of not interfering, I created you help unlock the potential in the souls of the guests of the Velvet Room, correct?"
"Yes, Master however I-," Igor was cut off.
"Each guest was unique and remarkable in their own way and they wouldn't be where they were today without the help of you, Igor!" Philemon now was practically ecstatic, almost excited over whatever he was going on about.
"Master..."
"Igor, Nyarlathotep is returning to the world that banished him and no doubt, will he ignore the concept of mercy. I refuse to let him do unto this world what he did to the Other Side." Philemon walked towards Igor and placed his hand on his shoulder, staring deep into his wide eyes. Igor recalled the incident that created two parallel universes, Nyarlathotep was truly chaos embodied. Fitting for his title of Crawling Chaos. However, Philemon bringing up the existences of the previous guests of the Velvet Room had left Igor at a loss.
Unless...
Igor's eyes widened even more at the sudden realization of what his Master was leading on finally dawning upon him. His breathing hitched out of shock before he stepped back, unable to keep himself from grinning any longer, he spoke up.
"Master if I may, I believe I finally understand just what you wish for," he spoke. Philemon looked upon Igor, though most of his face was hidden, one could easily tell he was smirking.
"Yes Igor I believe you have. Nyarlathotep is moving fast, perhaps too fast. I don't believe I can stop him from enacting his master plan, but knowing him, there is always a way to somewhat reverse what he has done. A catastrophe will fall upon the people of Earth, I unfortunately have no doubt in that. However, if my plan works, than Nyarlathotep's victory can be halted just yet."
"Yes Master, I see now, with their power, nothing is out of reach," Igor said.
"Nevertheless it will be a tough task for them. I cannot stop myself from even thinking it to be nigh impossible, but it would seem that we have no other choice my servant." Philemon once again turned away from Igor, crossing his arms and appearing aloof. "Nyarlathotep my friend get ready, for a might that you have never encountered will bar your path. An encounter will be unavoidable and yet I find myself looking forward to the moment of collision."
"Master, what is your next wish?" Igor asked, once again bowing with his hand covering his chest. Philemon turned his head so Igor could only see his profile.
"Gather the attendants and prepare the Velvet Room, Igor. Leave it to me to gather the guests."
Igor nodded his head in understanding before speaking once more. "Your wish is my command, Master." With that, he turned towards the door that he entered and opened it again. Leaving with a wide grin plastered on his face.
When the door to the Velvet Room opened, Margaret closed the compendium in her lap and looked up. Her face was generally devoid of any emotion and she spoke in a calm voice.
"Welcome back Master," she greeted. Igor waved off her greeting politely and returned to his seat in front of the table.
"Margaret, I have an important task for you," Igor said.
"Whatever may it be?" Margaret asked.
Igor placed his elbows on the table and interlaced his fingers under his very long nose. "I ask that you find your sister for me. I understand that she wishes not to return until she has completed what she set out to do, however, our current situation shall also occur in conjunction with her goal. This leaves her with no choice but to return."
"Master, just what are our current intentions?" Margaret questioned, eyebrows furrowed.
"That question shall be answered when you see her next, and I won't be the one to give you the answer. Now go," Igor demanded. Margaret stood, bowed and then left.
Igor stayed silent for a few moments before he began to think to himself. His conversation with Philemon left Igor antsy and he could no doubt wait no longer for what was to occur.
"I must admit that I am delighted to once again give my guidance," he said.
"And to none other than our previous guests!"
So this is something that's been on my mind for the past few months. I figured, why not actually flesh it out and make it a real thing, eh? Sorry about the short chapter, I'll try to make the ones after this longer (6k at least). I will warn you, at max, expect an update at least once a week, College is unfortunately a thing and it takes up most of my time nowadays. I probably should've worked on this over the summer where there was more time on my hands.
Anyways, critique is always accepted, and of course reviews are always nice.
Stay Golden!