Flight of the Moondove Phoenix - Part One

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Two pale skinned, humanoid creatures walked unattended through the lowest mapped level of the palace in Eclipse. One was the enchanting and undaunted Goblin Queen of the city, Gemini. Beside her strolled a male that stood slightly taller than her, with matching skin coloration and discoloration, but his hair was cropped shorter to his neck and his eyes were larger and darker. His clothing was also vastly different than the queen, a black fitted tunic clinging to the defined muscles of his torso and a loose wrap of linen draped around his waist.

Even if there were anyone to eavesdrop on them, they’d never understand as the two had a unique language of their own, as identical twins tend to develop.

“It’s a new requirement that you’re there.” Gemini spoke in their twisted tongue, to her brother, Thanatos.

“Why? It’s never wanted me there before.” He replied gruffly as they moved leisurely down the dim corridor.

“It’s in addition to new bargain I struck to remain here. Just as letting the knowledge of the auctions slip was part of this new contract.” Gemini explained, “And since it knows about you, it will likely do much more than remake me as the zodiac if I go back, so just do it. Besides, it has a special reward system for you. We’re going to meet with it now to learn more for that and your intended purpose in being at the auctions.”

“Feels like a waste of time. And a trap.” Thanatos grumbled as they stopped before one of a myriad of doors lining the isolated hallway.

“A paper contract that it and I signed was drafted, besides, we both know the word of the Faerie.” Gemini tried to soothe her minutely younger sibling even as she opened the door and then stepped within.

Thanatos said nothing as he followed after her and into the darkness. The room was eerily void of everything except the quiet clicking of the Goblin Queen’s heels on the floor. As the walked, a humming began to reverberate from the edges of the darkness towards the two elf type creatures, causing both to stop.

While Gemini remained calm, Thanatos tensed, drawing the long curved glaives from their magically hidden sheathes.

“Oh such enchanting twins, a lady of composure and a young brash warrior. the humming came together to an echo of voices, decidedly male.

“We don’t need an introduction- just tell us what we came here for to fulfill my end of the contract.” Gemini commanded to the choir in the darkness, using a universal language rather than the tongue she spoke with her twin.

A sudden whirlwind came to life around the twins with Thanatos bringing Gemini to him to act as a shield.

“Oh, you needn’t worry about protecting her from here and now.” The monstrous cacophony of voices chuckled at a jarringly close distance.

Both Gemini and Thanatos looked at the source of the voices, a True Fae of the Arcadian Pantheon that had a large almost bulbous body with several sets of long gangley arms, half of them holding theatrical style masks with different expressions. The mask it currently wore on it’s dark gelatinous head with a black skull resting within, was a wide grin as the being was amused by the twins.

“Explain his part in our contract, Collector.” Gemini demanded as she remained in Thanatos’ protective grasp.

“Very well, but only so we might move forward with the festivities. And I’m sure I needn’t remind either of you that should either of you fail to comply with such demands, I shall whisk away the most unusual Goblin Queen the Eclipse has ever seen.” The Collector cackled with glee, it’s undefined torso and lower limbs stretching to encircle the siblings.

Thanatos shot his sister an irate glance before returning his full attention to the Gentry before them.

“Very good. We’re agreed then. Here are my terms for you, twin of the twins.” The Collector mused as it circled around the two, “You, my vault dwelling friend, shall guard each of my possessions during the auctions. The other fulfillment to my ends, your lovely sister here cannot know. And telling her would violate the contract, so I shall need to tell you privately. Now seems like the best time for her to leave us for moment, yes?”

Gemini opened her mouth to protest, but a pulse of wild magic silenced her into a stone statue. The entity known as the Collector extended it’s neck until the masked face came to an inch of Thanatos’, still wearing it’s wide grin, “You will pick one auction item from each batch and delight in the carnal pleasures of the flesh with them.”

“You’re fucking sick.” Thanatos spat through gritted teeth, “What the fuck does that do for you?!”

“I needn’t explain my whims to you. Your lovely sister signed to these terms already, but she cannot know this specific term, else I whisk her back to my gallery for my private collections.” The Collector chuckled, “Now you know the rules and I know of you. I can easily take you into my menagerie as well, so I suggest you behave and follow my terms so your sister may continue to rule with her freedoms. Besides, this batch of items has quite a number of interesting options. You should have your sister here show you what you’ll be guarding and once a decision is made of your choice, you will bring them back here. My beautiful constellation of Gemini here shall be barred from entering with you or even piercing the veil of darkness at it’s entrance.”

Thanatos glared murder at the Gentry, still with a defensive stance around his stone sibling, “I will only do this to ensure her safety from you.”

“I am glad we are agreed then.” the Faerie laughed, “Now, you should take her from this space so she might unlocked your options, and maybe suggest you also garner a key for yourself as I know you prefer subtly. I shall have this space ready for your pick after one sleep.”

“Fine.” Thanatos gritted his teeth again as he sheathed his weapons and they disappeared from view, his arms coming around the statue of his sister as he gently lifted and carried her to the door they’d entered from.

Once beyond the portal, the door shut with the hellish echo of the Collector’s voice ringing in his ears and mind. As he set Gemini down, the stone began to flake of her body and she gasped for air.

“I’ve got you..! He’s gone now. We’re safe.” Thanatos held her still, switching back now to their secret language.

“I am sorry to have involved you, but there’s not much choice with it.” She sputtered as her lungs sought air.

He shook his head, “No.. I know. You told me how difficult it was being his personal plaything. I will not endanger you and you will not go back there.”

“So how can I help you keep our end of the bargain?” She asked, knowing he couldn’t tell her what his specific tasks was.

“I will need access to each of the cells that can and could eventually hold goods for the auction. Especially seeing as they’re public knowledge now. I may need to patrol this as it were the vault.” Thanatos offered as clearly and deceptively as he could.

— — — — —

The monstrosity that was known simply as the Collector left the space that linked his domain to the palace of Eclipse, leaving his just as hideous minions to prepare the darkened space to harvest the Glamour that would be produced there. It moved back through it’s door and into a stunning garden bathed in brilliant sunlight. As it slinked through it’s domain, the Collector passed several Changeling statutes of stone, it’s arm swapping masks to a twisted scowl as it examined the living decorations. But those faerie knew better and remained still.

The Collector moved with great strides towards the main gate of his floating prison that only mirrored Elysium, leaving a trail of visceral sludge in it’s wake. But once the Gentry saw it’s guest, the masks switched again to a more pleasant smile than it wore for it’s meeting with the Twin Deaths.

“Ah, Chimera my dear friend.” The Collector’s choir of voices greeted the attractive white-haired being, whose current guise was of a male garbed simply in a robe that exposed most of his sculpted torso to the eyes.

“Collector, I hope you’ve been busy working on our contract while a I’ve been waiting.” Chimera grinned at the inhuman creature.