The Only Escape
Everything about the day was unusual. Even the sun seemed restrained in its splendor, and the shadows cast by the morning light moved almost imperceptibly, but steadily, eagerly, towards night. As they arrived, Gilbram stooped in front of the enormous mirror that occupied his extravagant study. "Ornament", a word too weak to capture the majesty of even the most wretched object reflected therein, might have been what simple folk had called it. "Priceless", more, still. Most would be reluctant to enter, if not for the liability of being so close to artifacts of such power then for fear of them, Gilbram's demeanor aside. The ceiling of the Argent chamber vaulted almost to eternity, and the books would be his stairs. Since childhood, Gilbram had been enraptured by such things. The magical arts were more than a passion. Sleepless nights had begun creasing his face back then, and now concern was threatening what little youth might have remained had serenity been given reign over his expression. Something had moved. He saw just the suggestion of it, but enough to make him sure. The blot had slid like a very fast leech. He couldn't tell where, but the mirror had betrayed the thing. His eyes caught the fluid retreat only because he was nearly facing the betrayer when it happened. So, he stooped and examined. There, he found not a hint of the pest, but himself.
Hard he glared into those eyes. What had been lost through his years of pursuit? While he was chasing power, his family awaited his return; but obsession led him only away, and in spite of all of his powerful trinkets, he hadn't the power to effect any recourse. It wouldn't change him, but the realization hurt every single fleeting time it hit. Rarely did anything create the gravity required to pull him away from his books and look into the eyes of the man he had become.. to consider what he saw. "Obsession", a word too weak to capture the intensity of even the most reluctant thought reflected therein, might have been what simple folk had called it. Gilbram straightened. "Ambition", more, still. He saw, now, the eyes of the man that he had dedicated his life to becoming... "Master", someday, perhaps.
"I am here." The creature said in a icy rasp. Gilbram spun at the voice and fell as he lost his footing. Candlelight revealed the leech to be a very dangerous looking humanoid that had been lurking just outside of his periphery. The thing was slender, with shadowy, wicked portusions hovering just an inch from the back of its wrists with a length that extended over a foot from the ends of its knuckles. Its eyes were vaguely luminescent crimson circles set against black orbs that followed Gilbram's scrambling crawl like spotlights on a spy.
"You were looking in the wrong place." It clarified. "You could have been looking everywhere.. Watching shadows…" It trailed off, quietly noting the rest of the observation to itself, eyes set firmly on its prey. The scholar's mouth was trying to work against the panic.
"I didn't come to hurt you, but I haven't decided whether I'm going to." it said haltingly.. unconvincingly.
"What do you want?!" Gilbram asked desperately.
"The Horn of Malephaise."
"I don't have it!"
"I know. I watched without thinking.." It shifted oddly, ".. when you watch without thinking, you understand." The creature started towards the master, "I understand that you understand little.." one menacing footstep followed another. "..but that you know a great deal.." It approached as might a god child with a terminal secret to share "..and I understand your fear, but there is far less than there should be, Gilbram. You will understand that soon... briefly.." It stopped and bent to him. "Where the key pieces?"
Gilbram gestured frantically towards a tome whose contents were secured with otherworldly bindings. The creature rose, then turned and approached the book with predatory purpose. As it did, he readied his spell. In a flash, he was on his feet, and three ice shards rocketed towards the monster, the sonic boom shattering the ornamental mirror and all of the windows nearby. Diving through the projectiles, a shadow with claws raised aggressively to its sides matched speed with the spell and passed apparently unharmed through the barrage without producing a sound. It crashed harmlessly into him like preternatural smoke in a storm, unwrapping the horror as it did. One claw was buried in Gilbram's chest.
"Restraint... to spare the ornaments.." It seemed to mentally confirm. "I want to play a game, so I left your heart."
Gilbram grasped at its arm for a hold, anywhere that might take the pressure from the wicked implement that was suspending him from the ground, pinning him to the wall. "... what.. are you..?" he choked.
The thing's face twisted into a peculiar expression of depraved satisfaction.
"I'm Heketch. Let's play. If you win, you escape. High draw." What might have been a low laugh seemed to issue from its upper chest; a rumbling, catching sound that sent malevolent vibrations through Gilbram's wound.
Heketch lifted cards of some kind from his pocket. With his thumb, he pulled one away from the others and furrowed his brow at it, then pulled another and showed it to his victim with a bitter grin full of insidious barbs.
"You win."
He placed his other claw over Gilbram's heart.
".. no…"
The monster watched intently as he finished the job just half a heartbeat slower than the wager had dictated. He couldn't restrain himself, despite the prize he knew he owed the man.
"Easy escapes..." he spat, letting what presently remained of the scholar fall from his claws. The noise would have to be investigated, of course, so there wouldn't have been much time for fun anyway. The disappointment was fleeting. He grabbed the book and wrapped it tightly in his arms, and then himself tightly in shadow.
Once he had the horn and just a few other tools, he could open the portal. It was the only escape... the only way to free himself from the oppressive light of Indines.. to shepherd the necessary elements of the Dark World through... to make this place his home.