The Keepers of Chaos: A Vault of Hell

Markos Amanodel: LXXIX

A Deal: LXXIX

By now, Markos had grown accustomed to the same old dream. Unlike his usual nightmares that spread themselves out indifferently horrifying detail this dream was.. So much more lackluster. Almost lazy. Burning wood filled his nostrils with clouds of smoke covering his eyes Markos nearly chuckled as the sight of a burning waterdeep filled his retinas.

"Had a little trouble getting in today. Getting to you tonight was difficult." His attention moved to his immediate left where on one of the many statues in Waterdeep was the figure of Ant'tran leaning against some holy relic flipping through the pages of a book.

"Really?" Markos replied in stride. He spun around the smoking crater pushing pieces of it aside. "Starting to get real uncreative here.." He modified his dreamscape to make the ground level once more.

"I didn't expect a.. Greeting party downstairs.. That wouldn't have been you who asked for that, would it?" Markos tried his hardest to ignore the blade against stone like the sound Ant'trans voice made when he spoke it was very much unnerving in a more traditional sense.

"I.. ok.." he felt slightly confused frowning his eyes. "Hold on.. A greeting party? Like down stairs in our house? Who the fuck is up at.. Well I assume it's night." Markos felt a moment of awkwardness while Ant'tran seemingly tried to not break from his serious tone. "Who, is awake at like one in the morning. Who is not asleep?" Ant'tran made a visible expression almost like facepalming without the hand.

"I.. don't know the personal lives of your little.. Group" Ant'tran interjected almost bearing a similar tone of awkwardness.

"And I don't ask the group to do anything for me.. Besides maybe buy some books but that's really all-'' as he mentioned books Ant'tran shut his own. He slipped his right hand upward, placing the book on a non-existent shelf of sorts. Reading the spine Markos recognized it as the book he had just finished. It bemused him.

"So.." Ant'tran started.

"Hold up." Markos quickly interrupted. "You said you were greeted? Are you telling me every time you've tried to talk to me you've had to physically sneak into the house?" He was so very confused by this requirement, freaking weak warlocks could have psychic powers for gosh sake. But he didn't?

"Heh.. don't you feel that pressure?" Ant'tran inquired.

"I'm insane!" Markos protested. However as he cried a far more real sensation burned into his palm cold steel with odd angles.. The handle of a dagger. "Oh... oh. That." A mutual understanding was met as red eyes met green. This was a new form, Markos hadn't seen before, long silver hair and an unscarred face with two deep red eyes similar to Kaylea.

"So. reconsidered our.. Offer?" Ant'tran walked about the burning city still populated by the screams of its victims. The drow was seemingly admiring his work that would come to pass. Markos grit his teeth.

"I have actually.." He didn't truly recognize his voice.. So much more hateful and angry. "I have a problem." Markos's yellow cloak was pushed aside flapping in a new wind indicative of his turbulent mind no doubt.

"Oh?"

"I'm.. pretty sure one of my friends is dead." He waved a hand summoning the image of Asher into the dream. Ant'tran frowned and nodded clearly recognizing the masked figure. Ant'tran snapped his fingers as a set of chairs and a table clearly from the Trollskull tavern appeared in front of them. The drow took a seat.

"Why do tell." Ant'tran pointed to a chair on the other side of the table. Markos sat down with a heavy sigh.

"Asher.. He was.. Clearly investigating the Gralhunds, monsters nobles who aren't the best.. But now he's gone missing... and we, I failed.. To tell him something about them. Now he's probably dead.. And.." Markos paused, trying to avoid letting his voice crack. "It's my fault." he took a deep breath trying to prepare himself for this mental blame. "I don't know what else to do.. Besides raze hell. I don't have the power to get in there.. To destroy them, and we aren't.. Relying on her.." he admitted bitterly.