The Great Arising

44

"A demonic little girl with a living teddy bear . . ." The blackness that was Chxixsas' body shifted within his voluminous crimson robes, "Such a creature has been crusading against you. It is stirring up The Great Old Ones with lies and half-truths. It is confident enough even to threaten the likes of Cyaegha ." His pale blue eyes conveyed an honest sense of concern, even if his rigid, mask-like visage could not.

"Do you know who she is?" Torren-Wraeth asked. He was hovering a few inches off the ground, his foot still hurt from his battle with The Joker. Chxixsas had healed the actual physical damage, but flight was still more comfortable than walking. Eikichi stood nearby, with Dodomeki hovering, as always, at his side.

"No. Like The Slender Man and the contents of The Tablets of Ubbo-Sathla, the answers still elude me. There is much that is hidden, even from me. I have tried to Summon Yibb-Tstll, whose wisdom rivals that of Yog-Sothoth, and failed."

Eikichi arched a thin blue eyebrow. How could such simple spells 'fail' a Great Old One?

"Something is happening. Cthulhu cannot Contact Yog-Sothoth, and my attempts to Commune with Yibb-Tstll fail as well. Something is fouling our 'magic'. Yet you Summoned Shub-Niggurath, and Hastur's Spawn nearly succeeded in bringing their sire to earth. It makes no sense . . ."

"Nearly, father." Eikichi added, "They were stopped and Hastur remains in Carcosa. Perhaps that was The Elder Gods, tricking Cthulhu into doing their will."

Chxixsas brought a ebony claw to his porcelain white face, "That is a strong possibility. Though why they would prevent me speaking to Yibb-Tstll on your behalf escapes me."

"That may be the work of a third party. The Little Girl may be behind it somehow." Torren-Wraeth shook his head, "Or she may just be a pawn for something even more powerful, something that opposes both Elder and Outer Gods. Who knows the fullness of The Spaces Between? There are beings, entire realities of which we are wholly ignorant. A Hound of Tindalos or Dimensional Shambler might have so-" Torren-Wraeth jerked his head violently, his yellow eyes widening in horror. His mouth fell open, and the tendrils on his jaw began to writhe. "Ked's attacking New Yokohama!"

To be continued . . .