The Parthenon hotel: A man's nightmare

[Spellbinder]

IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LATEST EVENTS IN THE PARTHENON:

"In all time lines... I see ruin..."

"It should have been YOU dead, not Blaze..."

"You will sever all your ties with Illustra and the Six and leave your penthouse immediately..."

:: The words hit him like daggers. He pictured himself in the dark as the words surrounded him and cut into him like knives as his blood was spilt every which way imaginable. Only he wasn't able to feel any of this. In fact for reason, Cameron wasn't feeling remorse. He was just feeling defensive. ::

"Why am I doing this? Why can't I deal with this! I need to deal with this! It's going to kill me!"

The Dream Zone

MORGAN: No Cameron King....THAT pleasure belongs to ME!

<< a grey fog slowly gives way to MORGUE....specifically Morgue that the Six had first been in during their journey into the Citadle....ther were doors swinging back and forth...with an eerie light peeking out ....Cameron had no choice but to go in. Everything around him was grey...with the faint sounds of screaming and terror in the air....and blood spatters on the walls and various other areas.>>

 

[Prophet]

:: Suddenly Cameron found himself within the Morgue that the Six had their very first caper. It was just as cold and frightening as it had been before, but for whatever reason, Prophet felt compelled to enter. He needed to for some reason. He stepped in as he was surrounded in grey. He could hear screaming but there was nobody there that he could see. Though now reaching the walls, he touched them and when he looked back at his hands, they were covered in blood. Prophet tried desperately to gain control of his mind to escape the dream, but he just couldn't. Something wasn't letting him. He called out in frustration. What was going on? ::

"Hello! Is anybody there?! Hello!?!"

:: His voice echoed off of the stone walls as the screams didn't die down but seemed to continue to ignore his prescence. Cameron King was scared. Scared like he had never been before ::

 

[Spellbinder]

<< Morgan appeared in front of him...in a blast of lightning and thunder...wearing her savage, unholy "Inferno" costume...as her eyes glowed , her hair flowed ....and her teeth gleamed>>

I'm here....dear sweet Cameron

<< she back hands him...and sends him flying OVER a few metal dissection tables..and into the tiled wall...near a large metal container filled with what could only be described as blood.....several doors in the cadaver refrigiration unit were open...others were closed....and the room reeked of death...as a myst hung low in the air>>


this is it for you boy...your final stop on a road that shouldve ended LONG AGO!

 

[Prophet]

:: Suddenly a Blast of Lightning and Thunder revealed an Inferno Version of Spellbinder. Oh God! Was she back? Was she going to kill him in his dreams? He had to try to wake up! He needed to stop this. But of course Cameron had no time to react as he was backhanded and thrown into a tile wall as he landed in a large metal tank of some substance that tasted, felt and looked like blood and human decay. Prophet found his body struggling to reach the surface and when he did he coughed up a massive amount of blood as he also simultaneously vomitted on the cold ground next to him. The smell of the room was finally getting to him. He looked up at Morgan as he crawled out of the tub and stood at his feet. ::

"Morgan! PLEASE Don't Do this AGAIN! PLEASE! I BEG OF YOU! PLEASE! I AM SORRY! I AM SORRY FOR WHATEVER I DID! I JUST DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE TO DIE! PLEASE MORGAN! Think this THROUGH!"

 

[Spellbinder]

<< Morgan laughed..as the thunder drowned out cameron's crise>>

SILENCE!

<< she pointed to a door on the refrigiration unit..which opened...and the slab came out...cold...with a tough of myst flowing around it>>

your place has already been prepared! its just a matter of HOW to destroy you......let's see now.....


<< walking back and forth...ADDING to the agony of uncertainty by mockingly pondering the ways>>

an eldritch bolt, demons, beat you to death.....oh wait.....how about decapitation.........JUST LIKE BLAZE!!

<< bringing forth the decayed, severed head of Blaze Fielding as she waves it menacingly close to his face....maggots were coming out of the mouth and nose>>

MY SISTER! she DIED to save you....and you didnt DESERVE HER heart OR her loyalty! SHE DIED and YOU LIVED!! and now you're going to JOIN HER! youll have ETERNITY to tell her how THANKFULL you were....you LYING, MURDERING SON OF A BITCH!

 

[Prophet]

:: Morgan's maniacal laugh filled Cameron's mind as it seemed to be the only thing he could hear. She silenced him and though every single fiber of his being didn't want to be quiet, for whatever reason, he stood silent. She went over the ways in which to dispose him. He was udderly shocked and at a loss for words. And then, the severed and decayed head of Blaze Fielding appeared before him. With maggots and all. He was repulsed as a maggot fell from her nose and hit his feet. Though he wanted to turn away, he didn't. It had been the first time that he had actually been FORCED to deal with her death. Cameron was being broken down, and what was even worse was that Morgan Victoria, his seeming arch nemesis within the Six was the one doing it. He jumped back at Morgan's words which hit him like daggers in the chest as he fell to his feet ::

"Please! Morgan! This isn't the way to go! Get her face away from ME! I can't deal with this! I didn't want this to happen! PLEASE Believe me for once in your life! I am sorry! Oh god.. Oh god.. it's my fault.. It's my fault she died! What have I done!?"

:: Flashes of Blaze's death flashed before him. He had watched in amazement as Morgan brought the Soulsword down in a quick swoop and cleanly cut off her sister's head. It fell to the ground and rolled as if it were nothing and landed at his feet. He looked at the shocked and look of anguish on her face, but even then, he did nothing. He said nothing. He just stared back. Almost with no sense of what had just happened. He had let it happen. Cameron had let it happen and for the first time in his entire life, he felt remorse for his actions. He felt the pain of her death full force as tears streamed down his eyes. He held his head in his hands and cried screaming out to Spellbinder ::

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU WANT FROM ME MORGAN! SHE IS DEAD! IT'S MY FAULT..."

I'm SORRRRYYYY!!!!!

:: His scream echoed within the cold and unconcerned Morgue as the words just seemed to go right back to him as if they meant nothing. Please wake up Cameron.. Please WAKE up! But he didn't ::

 

[Spellbinder]

<< Morgan hissed with contempt as she flung the severed head away...it disappeared into a stepping disc as she snatched Cameron forward... and held his face RIGHT TO HER'S...he could feel the bitter cold aura....the evil, the contempt and rage that lurked in Morgan's soul licked out at him like a tongue from a snake....as her glowing violet eyes glared into his>>

you ARE sorry cameron king. all your life you have stepped on and used people. every where you go, someone is used for your amusement or success..no matter WHAT cost to them. You toyed with me...you WANTED me to break down and lose control...no matter WHAT THE COST to the city or those I cared about....it was ALL ABOUT YOU!! and now...you are going to PAY!


<< she dragged him forward....and slammed him down on the slab....strapping him in..as she stood along side him....now holding the soul sword above her head>>

You're going to DIE! and NO ONE IS GOING TO SAVE YOU FROM THE HELL YOU DESERVE!!

<< the lights in the morgue suddenly began to strobe...painfully removing the shades of grey....and thunder boomed in the air as she was about to decapitate his head.....but suddenly...and for him THANKFULLY....the slab quickly pulled in...and the door shut...there was DARKNESS..and the raging thunder mixed with Morgan's evil laugh...and then SILENCE....as he now found himself lying on the ground.....in Ororo's Garden...but there was stil that dreamy fog that made everything look mysty...and even the garden seemed a bit "over cast" it its appearence...but there was no sign of Morgan..no screams of terror....>>

 

[Prophet]

:: Cameron screamed as he thought that these were his last few precious moments and in fact his entire life flashed before his eyes, only not the good stuff. It was the times when he had used his powers and his arrogance to manipulate those around him. Like when he cast a mental invisibility on an elderly woman and then robbed her when he was a child. The time he SHOT a rival gang member in public and used his powers to augment all the witness' memories so that they would clearly say that Cameron had acted in self defense and even when he used his powers to control the mind of two police offers as they were arresting members of his gang and let his "family" kill the cops in cold blood, with no traces that anyone had ever been there. All of these events seemed to be catching up with Cameron King. He had lived a cruel and insufferable life, constantly using his powers and his personality to get what he wanted at no care of the cost to others. Suddenly flashes of his plans to make Morgan go over the edge flashed in his mind. As he closed his eyes to take his final judgement, he now found himself on the ground taking in an odd floral scent. He looked up and he was in Ororo's Garden, but not the one he ever remembered being in, it was so foggy. He could barely make out anything. Was this still a dream? ::

"Where am I? What's going on? Morgan!? Ororo?"

:: He was udderly perplexed, not knowing if this was some scheme to finally get rid of him or if he was still dreaming and in the Parthenon. Whatever the reason, Cameron wasn't going to be able to escape. He was going to have to face these demons if he wanted to live ::

 

[Ororo]

:: a wind blew forward...and dried leaves swirled and flutterd in the breeze...as a silouhette emerged....and there stood Ororo.....wearing her white goddess dress...but with a black chocker w/spikes on it...and a black cape that was asymetrically fastened by a red rose. her hair was gathered up...with two ringlets hanging down in front that elegantly framed her face. it was an unusual look for the older yet beautiful sorceress....::

Ororo: what are you doing here Cameron King? you are not welcomed!

::this was a bad thing. Gentle and serene as Ororo was...she was still possesed of great power. She'd beaten down Belasco and held her own against Darkchilde AND Spellbinder. She was no slouch..and it was clear from her past history that if crossed...she could be as deadly as Morgan was::

My Garden is not the place for avaricious men...who cannot treat others with decency. BEGONE!

:: she raised her hand....appearing to be ready to summon a bolt of lightning...or a mystic force bolt.....::

 

[Prophet]

:: Cameron saw Ororo appear in front of him as he let out a deep sigh. This was definitely not over. How was he going to answer her question? HE didn't even know how he had gotten there. He would have to be honest with her, which would be a stretch for Cameron. ::

"I! Wait! Ororo! I don't even know how I got here.. I was in the Morgue.. at the Citadle.. with Morgan.. and now I am here.. I was trying to apologize! I was trying to show I am sorry... I just.. i've messed things up so bad.. at least don't KILL me before I can make this BETTER.. I just am not sure HOW yet..."

:: In his mind, Cameron had an idea, but it wasn't something he was going to do lightly. It would change him so much and his life would be so differently. Could he take that risk? Could he do without it? ::

 

[Ororo]

reflection

::Ororo lowered her hand...and looked upon the young man..with stone faced disdain::

Ororo:why the change, cameron king? why NOW are you suddenly so solicitous? is it merely because you want to survive? ALL humans ....even those as amoral as you want to survive...its instinct. Morgan may be a demon sorceress...but she makes no secret of that. we know her for who she is..and we help her as we can. while YOU...you have done nothing but make things WORSE every step of the way. Blaze Fielding and Haleigh Davidoff are dead because of that....their blood is on your hands.

::the wind blows...and her black cape begins to flow behind her::

dreams are but a facet of reality. what you will not deal with in waking consciousness..you WILL BE FORCED to deal with in your subconscious...and no one..not even a telepath can prevent that.

 

[Prophet]

:: Cameron looked up at her as she questioned him. Eventually he was going to have to answer them to someone. ::

"These have been a LONG time coming, Ororo. Did you ever think I act the way I do for a reason? I am sure you have, you aren't stupid. I was forced to grow up at such a young age! I had to raise MYSELF! I grew up on the streets, I had to do things that nobody ever should HAVE to do to survive. I've robbed, killed, beaten and tortured.. It's not something i'm proud OF and it's not something I have fully dealt with either.. I don't know! Sometimes I FEEL as if I don't have a conscience! You would THINK that after the things I have done I would feel remorse I would feel regret, but I don't, Ororo! It's like I have used my powers so much that I blocked out my emotions, let my brain take control instead of my heart! I DON'T want to do it anymore, Ororo! I don't but I don't know how to stop it!"

:: That was essentially the truth. He had used his powers since the age of twelve. He saw THEM as his family. The only thing that protected and saved him during his time on the streets. He used them solely for him and then the Six came along and everyone just expected him to be able to use his powers to help anyone else. It wasn't that easy. His powers had given him EVERYTHING in his life. His fortune, his friends and his influence. It was like he COULDN'T live without him. He wasn't blaming his POWERS for being such an amoral asshole, but rather himself, for letting himself become completely consumed in his own personal conquests and desires. He let himself use his powers as a crutch and now all of his manipulations and power plays resulted in Morgan Victoria and the Inferno. He was headed in a downward spiral that he almost didn't WANT to get out of. He was so self destructive that he couldn't even realize it himself. ::

 

[Ororo]

::Ororo motioned for him to stand up...as she turned her back..and began to leave. if he didnt follow...he would be left behind...and who KNOWS what would befall him then.::


Ororo: so here you are now, at the end of what has been a road faught with turmoil. what you have done to others...was RETURNED to you by Morgan, Alison and this new "sphere" you were in the moment your path crossed with thiers. You were unwilling to entertain the notion that there were powers in this world beyond your control. things you could NOT control to your advantage...and in your attempts to do so...you nearly destroyed EVERYONE. The pain of that realization has been too much for your psyche. The irony is that though you are a telepath...yours is a very fragile, vulnerable psyche and soul.

::leading him without looking back..she came to a section of the rushing, flowing stream that ran all through the garden and emptied into the roaring water fall near her citadle::

you've come face to face with a life that has been less than sterling. we ALL do at some point. Your remorse...your admission are the FIRST steps forward. Are you prepared to make the changes NECESSARY?

 

[Prophet]

:: Cameron immediately stood attention to the statuesque and powerful Goddess as she began to walk away. Listening to her words, he began to follow her. What she was saying was making a lot of sense. It was strange though, it was nothing that anybody hadn't said before to him, though this time it was much less harsh words. Cameron followed the woman, intent on proving his new path. He soon found himself near a rushing stream that ended in a beautiful waterfall. This would be amazing to see without all of the fog that seemed to hinder it. She never looked back. It was as if the decision was completely his and she could care one way or another. This for some reason made Cameron even more bent on following her. ::

"I am prepared Ororo.. I think I know what I need to do, but I am just not sure I can deal with the consequences..."

 

[Ororo]

::Ororo 's reflection waved and fluxed in the bubbling stream that rushed along...as she heard Cameron's voice, it seemed to be filled with genuine resolve.::

Ororo: then go forward with your eyes and heart open. deal with your tests as anyone would have to...but this time...do it the RIGHT WAY. There is hope for you yet, child. hope for all of you....and because of that....the city..and even the world you live in...will live to see many more summers and winters.

::thunder clapped as a tornado formed arouned Ororo....and she vanished....and Cameron was now awakened by the elemental fury..finding himself back in his suite....with a linger wind IN the suite..and a dried LEAF falling out of the air.....a dream?....or something ELSE?::