Sleepless Night

[Seer]

<< Few places in this world hold the allure & mystery of Minerva's Aerie, a small but VERY NECESSARY privately owned island in the Aegean Sea.>>

<< Zooming across the flowing, churning waters of the sea. It is night time, a starry sky seems to be rumbling with the expectancy of a late summer STORM.>>

<< Inside the sprawling sprawling palatial mansion that is the center piece of this island are some of the worlds most bizarre and DANGEROUS artifacts and secrets. They are kept by the mistress of the mansion and islan, Alison Marble, a.k.a Harbinger.>>

<< Just as the sky outsie rumbles and turns with agitation, so too does the precog, as she slumbers in her large, spacious bedroom suite. Aside from the faint flickers of lightning in the billowing clouds outside, the only source of illumination in the dark room comes from the large red garnett jewel that sits atop her TIME STAFF, one of the most deadly & powerful talismans on the planet.>>

<< The Time Staff is many things to Harbinger, including a conduit for her own powers of precognition and temporal manipulation, and like most other mystical talismans, it has the basic function of offering a WARNING when there are any disturbances in nature, magick or in this case, the time stream. But as the garnett jewell continues to pulsate it's soft red light & hum a soft warning...that is lost on the precog herself, who tosses and turns in her very large, plush bed, clearly having a BAD DREAM.>>

 

[Harbinger]

Minerva's Mansion- Bad dreams

<< Alison Marble has always been a lucid dreamer. Her dreams often are MUCH MORE than a body deep in R.E.M sleep. This is both a blessing...and a BURDEN.



<< Zooming in on the slumbering Alison Marble's face, which is now showing signs of agitation, as she tosses, turns and makes audible sounds of distress.>>

<<FLASH!>>

<< Minerva's mansion, shaking....QUAKING so violently that it looks and feels as though it will CRACK in two at any moment from the foundation itself!>>

<< FLASH!>>

<< RAPID fire images of the Mansion's state-of-the-art Infimary. Doctors. Nurses. Medical staff. Machines beeping faster and faster. Heart rate. Vitals CRASHING. Voices shouting. Blood splattering. A WOMAN screaming in pain. A BABY crying out. VIOLENT black hued energies blasting out and about light lightning bolts>>

CODE BLUE!

<< images of a baby. sights and sounds of violent, terrible DARK energies. machines registering the crashing and DYING of a woman, a woman very near & dear!

No....must not let her....

<<FLASH!>>

<< ELSEWHERE in the mansion. The same dream.

Alison stands in the CENTER of the great hall of the mansion. Looking up, eyes SHUT tightly, her blue/black hair whipping in the winds, her teeth clenched as she STRAINS with all her will, focus and powers. She holds her TIME STAFF directly UP above her head. The garnett jewel now glowing BRIGHT red and humming loudly as her mystical energies flow around her and OUTWARD.>>

HELP ME!!!!


<< there are two women standing around her, holding hands, seemingly working in concert with Alison in the center. Their forms are largely silhouetted, but one has blonde hair and the other one has a red ruby gem that connects her black cape ton her black corsett.>>

<<FLASH!>>

::Alison FEELS the strain...she is LOSING her battle. Her BODY in her bed is REACTING to what's happening in her DREAM.::

The two women are supporting her as best they can, but they will give way and fall...and soon...SHE does too! She SCREAMS, collapsing from utter, PAINFUL exhaustion on a mental an physical level and as she falls in her dream, the mansion begins to rupture and SHATTER all around.

<< Images of Spellbinder, MorningStar, Rampage, Firebird, Persephone, Ruby, Silver Swan, Arsenal & Prophet, all in the same general area as Harbinger, all having been turned to STONE and frozen in the very moment/movements they were in....>>

<< Rapid fire up close views of EACH face with looks of pain, shock and terror for ever etched into them, before each of them is DESTROYED, CRUSHED by falling debris or EXPLODING.>>

NO!!!!

<< A woman's wicked laughter is heard in the very wind and air, all through Alison's dream AND in waking reality....and the MOON in the now visible skies above the rupturing mansion turns BLUE!?.....then RED!>>

<< Alison CRIES OUT>>

YOU CAN'T COME BACK!


<< A MASSIVE EXPLOSION, PAINFUL WHITE LIGHT, ENDS IT ALL>>

::GASP!?::

::Alison abruptly and VIOLENT bolts up right in bad, GASPING for her very life as she clutches her chest and EXCLAIMING!::

HECATE, NO!

:: But it wasn't HECATE that she saw in her dream OR in her room at this very moment. It was...::

<< with the sound of rushing winds and a crash of thunder outside, the VIEW in Alison's master suite quickly swings from her in her bed, around the room to the double doors to reveal...>>

PERSEPHONE: Circe. She's coming back for us.

:: It was VERY hard to surprise or astonish a precog. But in this moment, still REELING from her terrifying dream, her VISION. She fixes her widened colbalt blue eyes on her unexpected but not unwelcomed surprise GUEST. Ava Cassidine a.k.a PERSEPHONE, member of the Six and very close friend of Alison's.::

:: The precog, still breathing heavily as her hand rests on her chest, does not immediately respond. It has been a while since she had such an intimate, unchoreographed, VIOLENT vision like this::

...

:: a moment longer::

....Oh Ava

:: her voice returns to its normal tone, hightlighted by RELIEF to see a FRIEND rather than some terrifying foe or MONSTER::

....where....where have you been!?

:: She didn't even address what Ava said about Circe just yet as she slowly slipped out of bed, wrapping her black mini robe around her tall, feminine form and quickly pouring herself some water as she waved her hands and with a rushing, chiming sound, lights around the room slowly and softly illuminate to a low, comfortable level::

How did you know to come here NOW? How could you know what...WHO i just "SAW" in my nightmare...my vision?

::Again, Alison didn't MIND her being here, it's just that Persephone had been on a prolonged leave of Absence, following the Viper caper.::

 

[Persephone]

It had been months since Ava interacted with The Six--her family. She took a leave of absence after.....after it happened. She needed to step away, seclude herself from everyone and everything; HIDE. She needed TIME. She would send word to her sister Haleigh every now and then to let her know she was still alive....although Ava was certain Haleigh probably already had intel on how she was and where she was. But still, Ava knew it made Haleigh feel better to hear her voice rather than see scans or stats. But other than Haleigh, she kept to herself. Stayed on her mansion on Arie hoping no one would come looking for her. It may have been hurtful to the others, but she hoped they ultimately understood. After what had happened to her...she felt violated and embarrassed. She felt like she couldn't really face them...like she lost some sense of power and respect. Sigh....either way, Ava decided it was best to just stay away--for now.

However she couldn't ignore what she felt....or lack there of. As a God, she could sense her mother Demeter much like a mortal being overcome by the smell of flowers walking into a floral show. Their connection was that strong. As was hers to Hecate and Athena. But that sense...that overpowering feeling was gone. She knew why....it was the only reason. DAMMIT....

She needed to warn Alison.

Although she hadn't spoken to the precog in months, Ava still considered her a sister. They had an unbreakable bond since their ordeal in the other timeline. She would do anything for Alison, as would Alison for her....which is why Ava knew Alison would understand her abrupt departure. But after realizing what was about to happen, she needed to see her NOW. Approaching the bedroom of Alison Marble, she could hear the distress of the precog's voice as she spoke in her sleep. She could hear her tossing and turning. Ava pushed open the doors just as Alison screamed out "Hecate, NO".

"Circe. She's coming back for us."

Blurting it out, Ava saw how distressed Alison was and began to walk towards her. The goddess' long ebony hair tossled and slightly curled could be seen swaying from the light breeze blowing in through the window.

Alison: ...oh Ava....where have you been?! How did you know to come here NOW? How could you know what...WHO i just "SAW" in my nightmare...my vision?

Sighing, Ava walked over to the end of Alison's bed and took a seat as the precog grabbed a glass of water.

"I'm sorry...I just needed some time alone after everything that had happened. [turning towards her looking more urgent] BUT I had to come here....I can't sense them anymore, Alison! My mother...Hecate, Athena. It's like they dropped off the face of the Earth. There's only one reason that would happen. Circe."

 

[Harbinger]

Minerva's mansion

::Lightning flashed and thunder CLAPPED as the rain began to PELT the mansion. The winds WHISTLED as Persephone sat on the foot of the bed and got straight to the point about why she came here now.::

:: Running her hand through her blue/black hair, Alison, who by now had settled from her initial start when waking up, slowly moved toward the other side of her master suite, glass of water in hand. Before she continued on the topic at hand, ::

I'm relieved to see you here, Ava. We've ALL been worried...here and Stateside at Melrose Place.

:: She sits in one of the oversized, plush chairs near the dark fire place and she points at the fire place, with a rushing, chiming sound, blue mystic orbs swirl and crackle within the fire place and burst into a small, controlled "flame"::

:: she gestures to Persephone to come sit in the seat across from her. She KNEW that there was more to what was driving Ava right now than just her warning. Something had happened to her between the Viper caper and the time she went on hiatus from the Six and while she never openly talked about it and Alison CHOSE not to press it before...but now was a different story.::

Then it wasnt just a nightmare...it was a precognitive dream...a VISION. I haven't had one like THAT since...the Arklay mansion caper.

:: Only then, it was Alison who journeyed across vast distancees to make contact with and warn Persephone. Now it was the other way around. Now Ava was telling Alison that she could NOT sense Athena, her own mother, Demeter or even Hecate in any way, shape or form!::

Then it WAS Circe that I felt...SAW...attacking the mansion, destroying it, turning The Six & our allies into STONE and destroying them.

But how could she...

:: Alison paused and took a gulp of water::

How could she be coming back NOW? Hecate decapitated her body w/ Rampage's enchanted axe & reclaimed all the power she'd gained from her, passing it to her true avatar, Spellbinder. We were there, we saw it. It was all apart of correcting the sins of the past...your past so that things in OUR present would be right.

:: Alison sighed as she sank into her plush chair a bit more::

I'm acting like I dont know...or can't figure this out. I AM a precog, after all...

:: But that was just it...Persephone would have to explain to her that all magick users, ESPECIALLY Spellbinder, Harbinger, as well as Shadow Weaver and Isis, would experience a noticeable decline and WANE in their magickal powers due to another ultra rare phenomena, one that was ultimately catalized by the same events that caused the first RED MOON. This BLUE MOON was beginning to effect Persephone as well, her losing all sense & contact with her fellow olympians, her mother and Hecate.::

And speaking of that...

:: More thunder outside::

Why didn't you send a distress call to me...or your sister...SOMEBODY in the Six when you were ABDUCTED??

:: She'd let Ava answer this in her own way but she wanted Ava to REMEMBER that she could see/know more than most would suspect.::

 

[Persephone]

Alison summoned Ava over to sit with her by the now roaring fire. Standing, Ava walked over and sat across from the precog.

Alison: Then it WAS Circe that I felt...SAW...attacking the mansion, destroying it, turning The Six & our allies into STONE and destroying them. How could she be coming back NOW? Hecate decapted her body w/ Rampage's enchanted axe & reclaimed all the power she'd gained from her, passing it to her true avatar, Spellbinder.

"If there's one thing I know about Circe...she's like a bloody cockroach. Even a nuclear bomb can't keep her at bay for long."

Alison: I'm acting like I dont know...or can't figure this out. I AM a precog, after all...

"You are, however--"

Alison: And speaking of that...Why didn't you send a distress call to me...or your sister...SOMEBODY in the Six when you were ABDUCTED??

Alison cut her off, getting straight to the meat and potatoes of why Ava left. Hesitating, Ava scoffed softly and rolled her eyes shut. Alison was never one to mince words or beat around the bush. She knew it would only be a matter of time before she had to explain it to SOMEONE.

"Alison....It's complicated. I really don't want to get into that right now when there's far more pressing issues to deal with."

Reverting the topic back to the situation, Ava hoped Alison wouldn't press. But then again, this WAS Alison we were talking about.

"I know why you're having problems with your visions. You're of magick decent. As is Morgan. When the BLUE Moon appears, magick users powers are dampened. They can't fully control them or use them. Unlike the Red Moon when everything is heightened, the blue moon causes a reverse effect. That can be the only explanation."

 

[Harbinger]

Minerva's mansion

:: And, as Alison suspected, she hit the nail on the head w/ Ava. Ava, true to form, acknowledged Alison's clear shot BUT quickly attempted to redirected back to the more pressing matter at hand. Most members of the Six had learned some way to cope with Alison's precognition when it came to their personal matters, this was Ava's ::

Alison....It's complicated. I really don't want to get into that right now when there's far more pressing issues to deal with.

:: An ever so slight, knowing smile quickly formed across Alison's face but disappeared almost as quickly as she looked toward the blue mystic "flames"::

You got that right.

::Complicated indeed, but not in the way Ava may have though Alison meant. Alison was not one to be easily dissuaded from pressing a matter if she "saw" it, but in Ava's case, for NOW, Alison WOULD let it slide. There was another part to her nightmare vision she needed to tell Ava::

I saw more than just Circe attacking and destroying this place and everyone in it. I saw Delilah giving birth, in the infimary...and DYING.

:: Lightning strobes outside as the winds howl and rain continues to fall at a strong rate, pelting the windows around the mansion::

She dies BEFORE the mansion is destroyed. Her pregnancy has grown difficult as the months have past...and the baby she's carrying...there's something about it...

::Alison says with a cold and foreboding tone.::

Oh how I WISH she would have let Hecate remove it from her when she had the CHANCE!

:: A shocking thing to say, but from the moment the TRUTH about Bishop and Delilah's twisted past & destiny had been revealed by Hecate, along with the reveleation of her carrying Bishop's child, Alison was the FIRST to suggest Delilah accept Hecate's offer to break the curse on them and terminate the pregnancy. Ava had agreed with her and if anyone on the Six could handle Alison's blunt remarks and often understand where she was coming from, it was Ava. ::

But she made her choice, we've all respected it and supported her because she is family. But now her life is in DANGER. She will DIE in childbirth, not because of Circe...no, by the time Circe defeats ME and destroys the mansion, Delilah will ALREADY be dead.

She can't give birth in the states at any mortal hospital, her ONLY chance to avoid my vision is to come here for that. There's something else. I'm going to have to tell Bishop about this. He's going to have to be here, that is one key to trying to alter the time thread involving Delilah's fate. She made us promise not to tell him...and we honored that promise. But her life is at stake. I must BREAK that promise in order to protect her.

I'm going to have Alycia find him and bring him here. I planned on asking her to head to the states this morning ::several hours from now, where they are::. She can get to him quickly and bring him back here quickly.

Still...

:: she bows her head, placing her hand to her forehead as some of her blue/black hair falls forward a bit. There WERE some details that she curiously seemed to miss, like why SHE would be the one to have to fight Circe instead of Spellbinder, this current world's sorceress surpreme or WHO exactly the two women were that were trying to HELP her fight Circe::

I feel like...I'm MISSING something. That's not normal for me...My precognition...it feels like it's DIMINISHED in some way!?

I know why you're having problems with your visions. You're of magick decent. As is Morgan. When the BLUE Moon appears, magick users powers are dampened. They can't fully control them or use them. Unlike the Red Moon when everything is heightened, the blue moon causes a reverse effect. That can be the only explanation.

:: Alison immediately looks up at Ava with her colbalt blue eyes. At that very moment, a LOUD and forceful blast of thunder rocks the skies around Minerva's aerie and with another powerful strobe of lightning, the POWER in the mansion actually FLICKERS. THAT shouldnt happen under any circumstance, considering the cutting edge technology that drives and backs up the mansion::

Shards, Ava!

:: The witch says in a quiet but no less disturbed tone::

Then it's already starting! You've been cut off from being able to sense, let alone contact your mother, Athena or Hecate...and my precognition is diminishing...then Morgan, Karen and even Dominique are no doubt experiencing complications as well!

:: This confirms one other detail she saw in her vision, EVERYONE was to be at the mansion...it was their best chance to keep their safety and chances of survival up!::

The Blue Moon...

:: Ava said it was the END result of the Red Moon, complete with opposite effects.::

It was only a year ago that WE :: everyone excluding Ava, who was, by her very nature, immortal & 1000's of years older than all of them:: experience OUR first Red Moon. Circe was here then. Now, even disembodied and damned to the underworld, she'll have ANOTHER chance, under the BLUE moon, when magick on EARTH is at is weakest and no doubt that displaced energy will be well within HER reach in the Underworld.

This couldn't be happening at a worse time! And the others...both magick and non-magick users...they have no idea this is coming! Not only do I have to send Alycia to find and retreive Bishop, but I have to WARN them just as you have come to me. Will you help me?

 

[Persephone]

Ava inhaled a sharp breath as Alison let the topic of her abduction go. She knew it was only temporary because of the other current issues, but still, Ava was glad she didn't press--YET.

As Alison explained her vision of Delilah dying during child birth, Ava's eyes shut as she sighed. Delilah's decision to keep Bishop's child was her own choice...however reckless it may have been. But Ava had no right to throw stones or judge Delilah. But deep down she did wish that Delilah had taken Hecate up on her offer...an opinion she and Alison both shared. But again, she and Alison were not there to judge; only support their friend. But after hearing that Delilah would lose her life? AND that Circe would ALSO be involved? The situation became far more dire.

"As much as I hate to admit it...I agree, we do need Bishop in this situation. Delilah may hate us for cluing him in to what's going on, but it could be one of our only chances to shift the timeline in our favor."

Alison again began to beat herself up about her visions, but then realized what Ava had said about the Blue Moon. How it effected more almost half of the six and their allies. With their powers dampered AND Delilah's impending doom, the six were in a very vulnerable state.

Alison: This couldn't be happening at a worse time! And the others...both magick and non-magick users...they have no idea this is coming! Not only do I have to send Alycia to find and retreive Bishop, but I have to WARN them just as you have come to me. Will you help me?

"Yes, of course. But afterwards I need to search for my mother and Hecate. I need to make sure Circe somehow hasn't already targeted them as well."

Standing, Ava knew Alison would want to leave immediately.

"You have a better rapport with Dominique, go and handle the Bishop situation, and i'll warn Morgan."

 

[Seer]

Prologue

<< Harbinger stands with Persephone, the mystic blue "flame" casting a soft, almost spectral light over them both.>>

<< THUNDER CRASHES outside.>>

<< A horizontal 4-way split showing Alison's colbalt blue eyes, Ava's intense green eyes, The tightly shut eyes and tear streaked face of Delilah & finally, the unholy ruby red eyes and laughing face of CIRCE!>>

<< Faces, new and old, will be challenged and tested as the precog witch and goddess prepare to depart the mansion and begin the race against time and the blue moon.>>