I still suspect you of linking prompts together in subtle ways, and "mushrooms, doubts, and A constant" are no exception. So... you ate some mushrooms that you picked because they were a pretty purple-and-yellow colour, you're now having doubts about the wisdom of that, and a constant factor since then has been rushing to the toilet every 30 minutes, exactly?
A constant "About invasions," said Samual, just before Lord Derby continued his exegesis. Everyone looked at him except the King in Yellow, but there was a swirl of what might have been autumn leaves in the air and a smell of freshly mown grass. "There was an army forming at the Temple," he said, prompting their memories of his recent tale. "Yes," said Lord Derby. "But it sounds like those are pre-existing soldiers, not demons. For which I, at least, am profoundly grateful. A problem here still remains for me -- what of Labdaris?" "That's a constant problem," said Gray. "Labdaris was willful when he was a student and despite discipline he was always a borderline academic. No-one was really surprised when it turned out he'd been involved in black work, or that he was too far in to be extracted. I think there was a certain amount of schadenfreude when the King's Council passed the Resolution of Censure." "Yes," said Lord Derby. "But what is he doing here? Grace hasn't mentioned him, and despite how unhinged she seems to be I think she would have if he was involved." "Definitely," said Gray. "Labdaris is a constant self-publicist. His student thesis is in the Long Gallery because, despite his multitudinous faults, he is a very capable spellcaster. When you reach it and stand in front of it a copy of him forms out of the air and tells you about his achievements. It's fascinating and an intriguing use of the Power that makes use of the way that the body's weak magnetic field interacts with specific designs of Power. He always signs hi-" Gray cut off, and stared at the door that Lord Derby had come through. "Signs his work?" asked Lord Derby. Gray continued to stare at the door as though he'd seen a ghost walk through it. "Gray?" "Labdaris," breathed Gray at last. His voice was hoarse and ragged. "I never thought to look, I assumed... Dagda but he's good."
"Warlock Gray?" The King's voice was steady, a reminder that he was in charge. "The Safe Passage," said Gray. "It's signed by Labdaris. I know what to look for, I just didn't before. He was supposed to be disabled beyond recovery." "He was supposed to be killed," said the King. "I was against leniency, and I'm still not sure I shouldn't have ignored the Lords Magical." "Hardly lenient," said Gray. "That kind of brain surgery would have killed a lesser man. It was supposed to be an enduring punishment for his crimes." "Technically," said the King very quietly, "We are opposed to torture." "What does it mean that Labdaris created the Safe Passage?" asked Lord Derby. He started pacing, and without waiting for an answer asked, "Who arrived in it? Just me?" "No," said Gray. "The King in Yellow was the first to arrive. Except that he wasn't, Labdaris was and he brought the King in Yellow through with him. Then he left back through it. Or another Gate. It shouldn't be possible to open Gates in the Elizabeth Tower anyway, so forensic magic is especially hard there." "Labdaris brought his other Majesty here?" The King frowned and crossed his legs. "I find it hard to believe that Labdaris serves the King in Yellow." "Labdaris serves no-one save his own ego," said Gray. As he finished speaking the room dissolved around them again and they found themselves standing back on the yellow-brick observation platform above Carcosa.
Greg - I'm choosing to ignore your prompt interpretations, just for the record.
Ooh, this is good stuff. I can feel the end approaching now, which is both welcome and in need of being pushed as far away as possible so that there is more of this to enjoy.
3 comments:
I still suspect you of linking prompts together in subtle ways, and "mushrooms, doubts, and A constant" are no exception. So... you ate some mushrooms that you picked because they were a pretty purple-and-yellow colour, you're now having doubts about the wisdom of that, and a constant factor since then has been rushing to the toilet every 30 minutes, exactly?
A constant
"About invasions," said Samual, just before Lord Derby continued his exegesis. Everyone looked at him except the King in Yellow, but there was a swirl of what might have been autumn leaves in the air and a smell of freshly mown grass. "There was an army forming at the Temple," he said, prompting their memories of his recent tale.
"Yes," said Lord Derby. "But it sounds like those are pre-existing soldiers, not demons. For which I, at least, am profoundly grateful. A problem here still remains for me -- what of Labdaris?"
"That's a constant problem," said Gray. "Labdaris was willful when he was a student and despite discipline he was always a borderline academic. No-one was really surprised when it turned out he'd been involved in black work, or that he was too far in to be extracted. I think there was a certain amount of schadenfreude when the King's Council passed the Resolution of Censure."
"Yes," said Lord Derby. "But what is he doing here? Grace hasn't mentioned him, and despite how unhinged she seems to be I think she would have if he was involved."
"Definitely," said Gray. "Labdaris is a constant self-publicist. His student thesis is in the Long Gallery because, despite his multitudinous faults, he is a very capable spellcaster. When you reach it and stand in front of it a copy of him forms out of the air and tells you about his achievements. It's fascinating and an intriguing use of the Power that makes use of the way that the body's weak magnetic field interacts with specific designs of Power. He always signs hi-" Gray cut off, and stared at the door that Lord Derby had come through.
"Signs his work?" asked Lord Derby. Gray continued to stare at the door as though he'd seen a ghost walk through it. "Gray?"
"Labdaris," breathed Gray at last. His voice was hoarse and ragged. "I never thought to look, I assumed... Dagda but he's good."
"Warlock Gray?" The King's voice was steady, a reminder that he was in charge.
"The Safe Passage," said Gray. "It's signed by Labdaris. I know what to look for, I just didn't before. He was supposed to be disabled beyond recovery."
"He was supposed to be killed," said the King. "I was against leniency, and I'm still not sure I shouldn't have ignored the Lords Magical."
"Hardly lenient," said Gray. "That kind of brain surgery would have killed a lesser man. It was supposed to be an enduring punishment for his crimes."
"Technically," said the King very quietly, "We are opposed to torture."
"What does it mean that Labdaris created the Safe Passage?" asked Lord Derby. He started pacing, and without waiting for an answer asked, "Who arrived in it? Just me?"
"No," said Gray. "The King in Yellow was the first to arrive. Except that he wasn't, Labdaris was and he brought the King in Yellow through with him. Then he left back through it. Or another Gate. It shouldn't be possible to open Gates in the Elizabeth Tower anyway, so forensic magic is especially hard there."
"Labdaris brought his other Majesty here?" The King frowned and crossed his legs. "I find it hard to believe that Labdaris serves the King in Yellow."
"Labdaris serves no-one save his own ego," said Gray. As he finished speaking the room dissolved around them again and they found themselves standing back on the yellow-brick observation platform above Carcosa.
Greg - I'm choosing to ignore your prompt interpretations, just for the record.
Ooh, this is good stuff. I can feel the end approaching now, which is both welcome and in need of being pushed as far away as possible so that there is more of this to enjoy.
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