From: Alex Gray To: creative Subject: [SilentMobius] A Shadow Doth Fall - Prelude Date: 13 March 2000 18:28 This is fanfic that is "loosely" based on Silent Mobius. Assume all usual legal disclaimers etc... Cheers Alex E-mail - mailto:hitomi@ndirect.co.uk WWW home - http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Subway/7630/ ============================================ Silent Mobius with reference to own original characters and those borrowed from other sources. This story takes place some place between volume 7 and 8 of the original Japanese Manga series published by Dragon Comics. It could also be said to follow on from episode 22 in the new Silent Mobius TV series currently showing in Japan. Volume 7, Chaos, Dragon Comics, ISBN4-04-926073-5 Volume 8, Wargame, Dragon Comics, ISBN4-04-926091-3 The name and characters of Silent Mobius are copyright to Kia Asamiya. This story does contain strong language, sex scenes and a twisted mythology so continue if these do not offend. Characters: ** Original Silent Mobius AMP (Anti Mystification Police) Rally Cheyenne - Lucifer Hawk/Human hybrid, leader of AMP and other organizations. Mana Isozaki - Section Chief of AMP, exorcist Lebia Maverick/Maverlick- Visionaire (depending on your li ri Japanese) Kiddy Phenil - Cyborg Nami Yamigumo - Priestess Yuki Saiko - Yelper (esper) Lum Cheng - Sorceress (guest appearance from Volume 10) Grosporina - King of swords, Katsumi's old weapon, a living sword Police Robert DeVice (dead) - Katsumi's lover killed by Lucifer Hawks in 2029 Lucifer Hawks (entities) and Allies Katsumi Liqueur - Daughter of Gigelf Liqueur, former member of AMP, watched entities kill lover and then joined the entities against AMP Maximillian Ganossa - Apprentice of Gigelf Liqueur, works for entities Rosa Cheyenne - Rally's younger sister, works for entities ** Original Characters AMP Alexandra Shadow - Sorceress, prefers Alex Military Colonel Reece - Heads a department that has a dubious name, may be more (?) Hidoshi Natsume - Captain, serves as exec officer to Reece Koji Okuda - US Airforce Major Others Jamie Corin - Master Sorceress, teacher to Alex Gar - Minor imp (?), familiar to Alex Haru Corin - Grandson of Jamie Gods/Devils/Unclassified Red haired girl - Extremely bad news, alias Samantha De'Naime Charon - Ferryman to Styx Lloth - Ancient Elven Goddess of Chaos Kayrith - Dead Elder Goddess, past connections with Primeverse Glossary Entity - Demon, Inhabitant of Nemesis Hades - An outer plane, a hell Multiverse - Everything, all possible universes, and outer dimensions The Cycle - The life span of a Multiverse Primeverse - Very first universe to exist, no Order/Chaos/Good/Evil Forward "It is generally held that when God spoke the first Word to separate the Light and the Darkness, that this was the Incident which caused Creation. What is not addressed is what happened Before the Word, when the Light and the Darkness were as separate entities. What would have happened if the Word was spoken, but Something at the very moment of Separation managed to escape the effects of the Word. That Something would be of a nature totally Alien to anything that followed, totally Alien to the Word that God spoke. Let us be glad that nothing of this kind ever happened..." Quote from "The Musing on Nature" by Arch-Deacon Thrist Dhel, GalOrder 3rd Rank. ...but he was wrong... * * * * Prelude - Power Location: ??? Time: ??? The hooded skeletal figure of the ageless ferryman bowed in awed reverence as the smaller robed figure boarded its ferry. It waited for a moment to see if the figure would do or say anything. It didn't. It simply ignored the ferryman and moved to stand over at the far end of the vessel. Charon, seeing that the figure was simply looking out over the dark waters of the deadly river, caused the unchanging ferry to move off. Although the slender form at the head of the vessel had travelled with Charon many times in the past, it never knew what the mood of the figure would be. Sometimes, the figure would be communicative, and tell Charon of ancient secrets that even the ferryman did not know. At other times, like now, the figure would simply be silent, and even though Charon burned with a cold desire to ask it for more, it knew better than to disturb this one. Anyone, if they were wise, walked warily around this unassuming figure. The ferry cut silently through the dark waters, passing by the ancient boundaries that marked out the different Domains of the dark gods and devils that ruled this unholy land. As it passed one particular black ruin, the figure turned and spoke for the first time. "Did you know old friend, that before the river came that mound of rubble was the stronghold of one of the greatest gods of its time..." Charon's red eyes flared with a cold glee. This was one of those times when the figure felt like talking. One of those times that bought a nugget of joy to Charon's empty existence. "Who was it..." the dark ferryman hissed, trying to conceal its enthusiasm at learning more of an unknowable past. The figure turned its head, and a pale face smiled slightly at the ferryman's barely concealed need. For a moment it was silent, enjoying the simple act of teasing the ancient being. Charon tensed and tried to calm itself. The slight smile widened and then the figure spoke a name. The word and language had no meaning to Charon, but still it tried to retain the information. The figure watched with an amused expression before turning back to face the dark waters. "That stronghold commanded domains far beyond what even you can imagine old friend. It represented a power that made gods, both Dark and Light, cringe in fear. A power that crushed countless rebellions and uprisings against it. A power, against which even the combined might of entire pantheons of lesser Deities was useless..." The voice of the figure faded into silence as it contemplated memories of a past only it could recall. For a moment Charon waited, then daringly it spoke. "What happened..." The figure cocked its head at the question, and a dark smile lit the white face. The expression, and the dark glee that danced in the green eyes suddenly made Charon very much aware of the nature of the being opposite it. If it had been able to cringe it would have. "It grew... disrespectful..." the figure said quietly with a dark laugh. The red eyes of the immortal ferryman dimmed, and it turned its attention back to the task at hand. "You grow quiet old friend. Come, have you no more questions to ask?" For a moment Charon was uncertain what to say. The capricious nature of the figure always left it uncertain, especially when the figure was in a teasing mood. "No questions Charon," the figure asked. A mischievous grin flickered across the young face. "Well then, let me tell you something that may interest you. Did you know that sometime from now you will fall in love? You will have to choose between betraying that love and saving it. You will..." "Stop. Please..." Charon begged as it fell to its knees and groveled before the smaller figure. The figure laughed slightly to itself, then gently pulled the ferryman to its feet. "I'm sorry Charon," the figure said. It bent down and placed a black gloved hand into the deadly waters of the Styx. Charon watched aghast. It had seen great beings, even the Tsumi Balors, perish slowly from even a drop of those cursed waters. The figure however, drew a handful of water to the pale lips and slowly took a drink. "Here." The figure held out the hand to Charon. "Drink." For a moment Charon was too stunned to think. "Drink." The figure commanded again, and Charon was sipping the water before it even knew what was happening. The figure stood up watching dispassionately as the ferryman twitched and spasmed on the boat floor. The waters of the Styx reacted in sympathy to the ferryman's agony, causing the vessel to rock in the sudden swells. The figure glanced with an annoyed expression at the turbulent waters, and suddenly the river was as smooth as glass. The robe of the ferryman continued to twitch as it covered the subsiding convulsions of the skeletal figure. Finally, the moans and twitching subsided, and the ferryman lay still. The figure waited for a moment and then said "get up old friend." The black robe twitched and a hand rose to grasp the side of the boat. Charon opened... his... eyes. Disbelief, shock, and other emotions he had never felt before rushed through him as he SAW his brown fleshed HAND. "What..." he managed to stammer. "My apology to you old friend," the figure commented with a small smile. "I do so hope you enjoy it..." Charon could not comprehend or believe what had just happened. The boat, sensing confusion from its master, swelled unsteadily in the water. The figure looked at the uncomprehending expression on the ferryman's face and leaned forward. "Lyisha would never fall in love with a skeleton," it whispered. "She will however love someone who looks exactly like her dead husband..." It's laughter at the ferryman's horrified expression echoed across the dead land, and in the distance great forks of lighting struck the blackened earth. A hot wind rushed across the dark water, and the figure's laughter faded as it detected a very faint scent. "Interesting..." it said, as a distant scream of mortal pain caught it attention. "Well old friend," the figure smiled back at the form of the numb ferryman. "I have to be going. Thanks for the interesting journey and I will see you around." The figure stepped onto the black water and began to walk away. "Oh," it turned back to look at the boat. "Silly me - I almost forgot to pay you. There." A small silver coin clattered onto the floor of the ferry. "Don't spend it all at once now..." With that the figure walked off across the water leaving the crying form of the immortal behind it. (to be continued)