#gregorio | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

twistedtummies2 · 9 months

Text

Dark Shadows (Commission)

A commission for @norman6321ify. This serves as the introduction of a new OC for him (you can learn who in the keywords/tags), and features the return of my Phantom Blot OC, Elias Inque. It's been a long time since I used Eli in a story, hopefully I haven't entirely lost my touch with him. 'XD This is planned to be the first of a probable series of stories. This first one isn't kink-based, but I DID manage to sort of sneak in a few hints of voraciousness here and there. ;) Not much else to say. Hope you all enjoy!

------------------------------------------------

It was a cool, bright, quiet night on Sage’s Island. On the campus of Night Raven College, all was deathly still. Even the spirits who roamed the grounds, from Ramshackle Dorm to the Cafeteria, seemed to be remarkably peaceful that evening. The moon was full, and the stars glittered like diamond dust. Everybody, it seemed, staff and students alike, was slumbering. In the Hall of Mirrors, the Dark Mirror floated in its usual place of honor. The symbol of Night Raven College, the Magic Mirror - which was said to have once belonged to one of the Great Seven - was a treasured item of power and prestige. It allowed students to come and go, but perhaps most importantly, the Mirror’s auspicious connections to the past were seen as a mascot for the cherished values of the students, and of the Great Seven themselves. Some past connections, however, are more notable than others. Rarely did anyone ever peek BEHIND the Mirror; after all, what was there to see on the back of the fabled object? The facade enraptured all attention…which is why one may never have noticed an oddity on the back of the reflector. Nestled into the framework of the Dark Mirror was a small piece of glass, the same obsidian shade as the Dark Mirror itself. It was roughly the size and shape of your average playing card, and seemed stuck to the mirror with some sort of adhesive; hardly something that had been there for centuries. For some time, the card-shaped mini-mirror had remained fixed to the back of the Dark Mirror without any issue…but this night, that would change. FWOOSH!

Without warning, the Dark Mirror suddenly lit up, a flash of green fire bursting behind its flattened pane. As the fires flickered out, the green, mask-like face of the Spirit of the Mirror formed in the center of the black void. Its eyes were closed; not in sleep, for the Spirit had no need of it, but simply in silent, endless, immortal contemplation. The meditative state was swiftly broken, however, as the Mirror opened its hollow eyes. It glanced around curiously, spotting no one in sight that could have roused it from its limbo-like prison. The droning, deep, resonant voice of the Mirror soon echoed through the Hall… “What form of magic, blessing or blight, brings me forth upon this night?” A low, sinister laugh was suddenly heard, whispering its wicked tone through the room. A moment later, the tiny mirror on the back of the great one began to glow, the black glass colored a vibrant, neon violet. The tiny piece suddenly rattled, vibrating and shaking free of whatever adhesive held it in place. The Dark Mirror’s mask-like face twisted into a bitter, cringing expression, and a wolfish growl left the Spirit… The laugh was followed by an equally malevolent voice, chanting an ominous spell: “Feed my power, dark eclipse. Free my form from the abyss. Dormant magic, now unchained…the Shadow King be whole again!”

Then, the Spirit gasped sharply, as the miniature glass on that clung almost parasitically to its frame shattered into a million pieces, which seemed to evaporate into a cloud of black mist. Moments later, a similar dark mist swirled in front of the mirror, and a shadow figure - tall and elegant - soon began to emerge. The Mirror focused upon the stately, humanoid silhouette. Its usual look of passive calm and nonchalance was fixed upon its features. “We meet once more; I am surprised,” remarked the Mirror. “I never expected you to rise.” “Still uttering rhymes, are we?” cackled the newcomer, adjusting a pair of spectacles that were hooked onto their sharp, aquiline nose. “Don’t bother asking how I managed that trick: I’ve been working on this for years. Those who need to know will learn…but for now…” The figure paused and sighed, stretching languidly. “Ahhh…I am simply, BLISSFULLY relieved to feel the WORLD around me again. I’ve missed all of this: the coolness of the air, the way things look in the nightlight…the sensation of burning heart VENGEANCE that fills my soul.” They giggled. It was a clearly unhinged sound. “Well. That last part I never stopped feeling, but you get the idea.”

The Mirror just blinked blankly. “Oh, everyone’s a critic,” muttered the newcomer, then smirked in the darkness. “Now then…my dear, DEAR Mirror…I have need of your assistance.” “What woulds thou ask, O Shadow King?” The Shadow King grinned, teeth glistening in the dim, bluish light of the empty Hall. “Why, for your help in destroying my long-despised nemesis, naturally! The one who was oh-so-kind enough to trap me in that distressing state for so long…surely, you can sympathize with my plight,” they mock-pouted. The Mirror was utterly unaffected. “Alas, such things I cannot do,” it replied, sounding neither like it was pleased to say this nor upset by it. “I have no power, save answers true, and transport to and from far-off shores. This knowledge, already, should be yours.” The Shadow King chortled. “Oh, you poor, simple, silly creature. So many years of wisdom and knowledge, and you still don’t understand,” cooed the dark mage, and approached the Mirror with a diabolical look in their yellow eyes. “I’m not requesting your assistance, Spirit of the Magic Mirror. Nor am I demanding it.” A fingerless-gloved hand rested upon the glass. “I’m simply GETTING it, whether you like it or not.” Suddenly, a crimson aura surrounded the Shadow King. The Spirit in the Mirror’s eyes and mouth shot wide open, and it began to shake violently, as if possessed by some unholy creature. The same red aura surrounded the Spirit, who let out a rasping, hoarse sound, as if trying desperately to breathe. The entire Mirror trembled where it floated… …Then, a flash of blood red light burst from the glass, and the Magic Mirror howled. In the darkness of that no-longer-so-peaceful night, the Shadow King laughed. “HEAR ME, WORLD!” he cackled, with wild glee. “NOTHING CAN STOP ME NOW!”

--------------------------------------------------------

“Doesn’t this seem weird to you?” This was when you came into the picture, for it was towards you that the question was directed. Both yourself and Grim - who trotted alongside you - turned your eyes up to the source of the query. The one who had spoken was a young man, of slightly above-average height, and lean-shaped. He was dressed in a black beret and a school uniform, which had the hallmarks of a student from Diasomnia. He also wore blue-violet tinted glasses, which did little to hide his shining green eyes…although they did nearly remove attention from the curious brown-and-black dog ears and tail he had. The keyword in that sentence, obviously, was “nearly.” You smiled at the demi-dog and shrugged. “I don’t know,” you admitted, honestly. “I mean…I’m a person from another universe, where magic isn’t real, now stuck in a world that basically RUNS ON magic.” “Nya! And they have ME as their brilliant, amazing guide and master!” bragged Grim, puffing out his chest. Both yourself and your other humanoid companion rolled your eyes and shook your heads. “Anyway,” you said, “I think a student getting enrolled mid-semester is far from the strangest thing that’s ever happened, after all I’ve seen, Eli.” “I suppose that’s fair,” Elias Inque shrugged back, stuffing his gloved hands into his pockets as the pair of you strolled through the Gothic stone passages of Diasomnia. “Still, even in this world, I promise you it’s not the usual way.” “Fair enough. I guess that’s why Crowley wants us to show the new freshman around,” you conceded. “That and it cuts into his time watching Breaking Fad,” grumbled Elias, then sighed irritably. “I could be rehearsing for the next audition right now, but noooo, Chief Jehan ordered me to do this for community service…” “Hey, you’re a member of the same dorm, and I’m guessing Malleus and his family are kind of busy,” you said with a smile. “Somebody who knows the place has to help the poor guy out. And besides, I imagine - with your talents - you could really liven up the tour.” You smirked as your words caused Eli’s chest to puff out and his tail to wag. “Well, I guess I DO have certain advantages,” he replied, then started to grin. “Indeed…this is really a shining moment! I shall present the most grand tour of the campus possible! This new student will be inspired beyond belief!” “That’s if you don’t monologue his ears off,” grumbled Grim. “What?!” snapped Elias, barking sharply and baring his teeth. “Nothing, ignore him,” you soothed. Eli glared at the cat-like imp, but relaxed nonetheless.

“Honestly, I just hope this won’t take long,” yawned Grim, and pouted. “Who does that Headmage think he is, makin’ me wake up at this hour for something like this?” “Easy there, Leona,” you chuckled and smirked. “You know, if you REALLY don’t wanna come with us, I could go back really quick and leave you with Billy or Tock.” Grim blanched at the very thought of being either devoured by the crocodile, or snuggled half to death by the giant. “Nope! No, this…th-this is fine!” he meowed, terror stricken. “I’ll go. Yep. New student? Totally looking forward to it.” Both you and Eli shared a look and snickered, then picked up the pace as you marched through the hall to find the new student you had been tasked to meet. The three of you soon arrived in the Lounge Area of the dorm. It was currently empty, save for a single student, who sat in profile to your position upon an ebony sofa. He was dressed in a uniform similar to Eli’s, and somewhat short in stature, standing at only about five and a half feet. His build was average, and his demeanor was generally unassuming: his hair cut in a sort of “pageboy” style, but with messy bangs, and colored a sort of blackish-brown hue, almost like oil. (Which was not to say the hair, itself, was oily; in fact, you could not help but notice it was very well washed.) His face was fair-skinned and youthful beyond compare, downright boyish; much like Lilia, he seemed too young for college, but you had come to learn that appearances were often deceiving. Case in point: despite the generally unremarkable appearance of the young man, there was one part of him that caught your attention: his eyes. Two pale yellow eyes, the color of citrine stones, were fixed upon a book he was reading in his lap. The eyes were sharp and bright, indicating a keen mind and intellect…yet something about them seemed faded and almost empty, as if these eyes had seen and known some things few others could imagine. You weren’t sure why, but something about them struck you as unsettling…and perhaps a little sad. “Hey!” Elias called out. “Are you the new freshman?” The young man looked up…and smiled wider, a cheery brightness filling those strange eyes as he put the book under his arm and stood up. “Yes, that’s me!” he confirmed, in a light, lilting sort of voice. “My name’s Felix. Ah…who are you?”

“Elias Inque,” grinned the dog boy, and shook the new student’s hand warmly. Felix turned to you next. “You’re not from my new dorm,” he observed. “Why are you here?” “The Headmage sent us to help Eli show you around,” you chuckled, and shook the youth’s hand, introducing yourself. “Nice to meet you,” Felix said. “Same to you, Felix…?” “Sinistro.” “That is an AWESOME name,” commented Elias. Felix just laughed. “Well, thank you! Glad you like it. Sorry, but it’s mine to keep,” he smirked. “Ha! I’m proud enough of my own name, thank you very much.” “And I’M the Great Grim!” interrupted your feline-esque companion, stepping forward with a whip of his trident tail and a broad grin. “You can applaud, if you want to. I’ll also accept kneeling!” Felix just blinked at Grim, then looked up at you. “Do people usually keep talking pets here?” he asked. “NYA! I AM NOT A PET!” yapped Grim, stomping one foot and pouting petulantly. You chuckled, reaching down to scratch behind Grim’s ears. You waited till he started purring to explain the situation to Felix, regarding your institution at the academy. The young man seemed quite astounded. “Wow…you mean there really are other worlds out there?” he gasped. “Oh, there’s gotta be at least a couple,” butted in Elias. “Sebek was telling me about this one time a bunch of little things called Tsums showed up on campus. The Headmage still doesn’t know where they came from!” “Does the Headmage ever really know anything?’ drawled Felix, dryly. “See?!” Grim exclaimed. “Even the new guy gets it!” You and Elias laughed, then looked quizzically at Felix. “I’m surprised you formed an opinion so fast,” you said. “This is your first day here, isn’t it?” For a moment, a flicker of anger showed on Felix’s face, and he glanced off to one side. “Let’s just say Headmage Crowley and I have some…history together,” said Felix, in a grim sort of voice. His demeanor quickly changed, however, and a sly, mysterious smile replaced the dour expression in an instant. “So! Are you all ready to show me around?” “How did you know that’s why we’re here?” asked Eli. “Because the Headmage said so,” replied Felix. “Ha! For once he actually did something helpful!” exclaimed Grim. “Yes,” said Felix, more to himself than the rest of you. “For once.”

“Come on then!” cheered Elias, and clapped a hand on Felix’s back (you noticed the young man flinched from the impact). “No better way to start than by showing you around the dorm itself. Then we’ll head out and start looking around the Castle, and move on from there.” “Sounds like a plan to me!” you chirruped. “Just stick with us, new guy!” grinned Grim. “And try not to get lost, huh? It’ll cramp my style.” Felix rolled his eyes, and gave you a look. “Is he always like this?” he asked. “Most always,” you confirmed with a nod. “But seriously, do stick close by us.” “They’re right,” said Elias, seriously. “Diasomnia isn’t a literal maze, like Heartslabyul, but it can get pretty close, with all the winding passages. The rest of the campus is so big, meanwhile, it can be easy to get lost. So make sure you don’t lag behind.” “Don’t worry,” Felix chuckled. “I’m very good at keeping track. And besides, I think I know this castle better than you might expect.” “Ahhh,” grinned Elias, a twinkle in his eyes. “Real big Night Raven fan, huh?” “You could say that,” answered Felix, cryptically. “Well, let’s see just how good your knowledge of this place is,” Elias replied, daringly. “Follow me!” With a bold spring in his step, the Phantom Blot marched away. Felix followed him complacently, while yourself and Grim took up the rear. As you walked through the lounge, the four of you passed by a mirror. You paused and did a double-take. “Something wrong, Prefect?” asked Elias, pausing as he noticed the way you tarried behind. “No, I…sorry, I think I need to get my eyes checked,” you replied, shaking your head in a baffled manner. “I’ve been telling you that since day one,” smirked Grim. You gave him a tickle for that one, then continued walking. But even as you went, you couldn’t shake the feeling something was off. You weren’t sure why, but you could have sworn Felix’s reflection in the mirror…didn’t really look like Felix at all. It looked like someone much older.

----------------------------------------------------

Much of the tour was uneventful. Elias was very excited when he showed Felix around Diasomnia itself, and even more so when you all popped in to see the theater. You wandered around from Hall to Hall, pointing out various spots of interest, such as the cafeteria, the lab, and so on. You all went out into the courtyards, where Felix had a big laugh over the story of Grim scorching the statue of the Queen of Hearts. However, you all steered clear of both the PE field and the botanical gardens: the former because the last thing any of you wanted to do was have Vargas suddenly start yammering in your ears, and the latter because if there was anything worse than that, it was risking waking up Leona Kingscholar, who doubtlessly would be taking a catnap there. Your group soon looped back inside. For most of the exploration, Felix seemed calm and casual. Perhaps a little too much: his reactions were ones of only mild interest, and occasionally amusement. Both yourself and Eli were a bit surprised by this. “For somebody who claims to be a big fan of this place, he doesn’t seem impressed by a lot of this, does he?” you whispered to the dog demi, as the four of you began to trek back into the castle itself. By now, Felix had begun to lead the way, alongside Grim, while the two of you paused the trip a couple of times to point out important places. “You noticed it, too, huh?” Elias whispered back. “I swear, it’s as if this guy has seen this place a million times already…even if he IS a huge fan, I doubt there’s enough, like, photographs or videos to even come close to living up to actually seeing it all live and in color, so to speak.” “You think he’s hiding something from us?” you asked, noting the suspicious tone of Eli’s voice. “I think it’s too early to make a leap like that,” Elias chuckled, but he still sounded suspicious. “What I DO think is we’ll want to keep a very close eye on this one.” “Where to next?” Felix’s question interrupted the pair of you, and you picked up the pace to catch up. “Well!” Eli grinned, clapping his hands together and taking the lead again. “Before we head back to the dorm, last thing I wanted to show you are some of the major classrooms. This IS a school, so you’ll want to know where all the classes are.” “That’s fair,” said Felix with a nod, and pointed to one of the doors. “This is Professor Crewel’s main classroom, yes?”

Eli blinked, surprised. “That’s…correct, but how did you know? He doesn’t have a plaque up.” “Just a lucky guess,” said Felix, with an innocent smile. Elias seemed doubtful. Deciding to intervene before anything could go potentially haywire, you stepped forward to point out some other spots. Felix Sinistro glanced between you and each door with only the vaguest interest…until… “And this room,” you declared, “Is where Ancient Curses class is taught!” The moment you said those words, Felix’s eyes brightened, and he visibly seemed to perk up. “Oh!” he exclaimed. “You mean they moved it to here?” You blinked. “Moved it?” you asked, and looked between the door and Felix. “Did it used to be someplace else?” “Before you came here,” nodded Felix. “How do you know that?” Elias asked, frowning and stepping closer, hands on his hips. “You’ve never been here before, let alone long enough ago to know that.” “Nya! I don’t think even I knew that!” Grim exclaimed. “YOU don’t know ANYTHING,” Elias sniped. “HEY! I KNOW LOTS OF THINGS!” Grim screeched. “Uh-huh,” you smirked. “And who was it that didn’t even know about the existence of Halloween, winter holidays, or even the true source of those black rocks you liked munching on?” Grim flushed, sputtered, and pouted. You patted his head with a wry smile. Elias, however, was still looking with a dubious glare at Felix. The young man had seemingly frozen up, a look of guilty apprehension on his face; the expression of a rabbit that had been cornered by a fox (or, in Eli’s case, a hound). However, the look quickly faded, and the young man smiled. “I have a family member who used to come here to Night Raven, way back when Headmage Crowley was just starting up. They said Ancient Curses was their favorite course, and they showed me a picture they took of the outside.” “Why would they have taken a picture of that?” asked Elias, arching an eyebrow. “Good memories, I guess,” shrugged Felix, and turned away from him. A deep look of sorrow, something nostalgic and painful, suddenly filled his eyes. “Oh, I wish…” “You wish what?” Felix built his lip. He was staring at the door to the Ancient Curses classroom, but it didn’t seem like he was actually looking at the door itself. More as if he were gazing straight through it. “Never mind,” he murmured, then shook away the look of gloom as he gave his usual rather mysterious smile. “Shall we move on?”

Elias said nothing. He looked Felix up and down, then stepped aside, sweeping his arm out with his usual theatricality. Felix bowed his head thankfully and hurried along. You frowned, glancing between him and Inque. “I guess that explains a little bit,” you said. “Does it?” was Eli’s enigmatic response. “I don’t get why you’re so suspicious,” you frowned. “I guess it’s the thief in me,” smiled Elias, almost bitterly. “As well as the actor. Hiding my true feelings and putting on a new mask is part of both of those things. I can’t shake the feeling there’s something he isn’t telling us.” “Do you think it’s something bad?” “Oh, I’m SURE it is,” snorted Elias. “The question is if it’s something IMPORTANT.” Without elaborating on what that meant, Eli adjusted his glasses and hastened after Felix Sinistro. You watched the Blot run ahead of you, draping an arm over Felix’s shoulders and saying something to him as they pair went along, clearly trying to show a friendly and humble face. “Putting on a new mask, indeed,” you muttered. “Nya! Come on, minion!” meowed Grim, tugging on your pant leg. “We can’t fall too far behind!” You knew the little monster was right, so - shrugging off your musings and observations for the time being - you picked up the pace to follow the rest of the group. Whatever secrets Felix held, you’d know inevitably. It seemed to be a running thing in this place.

----------------------------------------------------------

Not so long after looking at the classrooms, Elias’ stomach had started to growl. He suggested stopping to eat some lunch, and Grim had uproariously agreed with the suggestion. (Cats and dogs agreeing with each other…truly, this world WAS magical.) Felix raised no objections, and you certainly had none. For one thing, after all, denying Grim food always led to disaster. And so it was that - after picking up some food from the cafeteria - the four of you settled down in the courtyard outside the main colonnade of the castle. Eli and Felix sat on a bench, while yourself and Grim stood in the shade of the nearby apple tree. “Nyaaaaah…HIC!” hiccuped Grim, and patted his pudgy little stomach with satisfaction. “Mmmm…that sandwich was mega tasty! I couldn’t eat another bite!” “I’ll believe that when I see it,” you mumbled. “How does the cafeteria food seem to you?” Elias asked Felix. The dog boy was resting back on the bench, a smirk on his face, one hand behind his head while the other rested on his full belly. He licked some stray crumbs off his lips as his tail wagged happily through the gap between the bench back and the seat. Felix, who had just finished his own sandwich, smiled back. “Much better than I…expected,” he answered. He had noticeably hesitated before saying the last word, as if he’d planned to say another and caught himself before giving it utterance. “Thank you for treating me. And thank you for the tour! It has been most informative.” Elias shrugged. “I suppose that’s a good thing,” he said. “He’d probably be happier if you had said it was entertaining,” you told Felix with a wink. Elias, who heard you, blushed. “I guess it’s been that, too,” said the yellow-eyed youth, then looked back at the dog-eared boy. “So, I presume after this we head back to Diasomnia?” “I see no reason not to,” Eli replied. “Now that the tour of the campus is done, I think you should begin meeting more of the students, especially our housewarden and vice-” “SPEAKING!”

You yelped and jumped in alarm, as something swung down out of the tree in front of you. Even Felix and Eli were a bit startled by the sudden, loud arrival. Grim was so particularly startled, he let out a yowl and scrambled to his feet, diving to hide behind his legs. He peeked out after a moment…and three out of four of you (Felix was the sole exception) sighed with relief as you recognized the intruding interrupter. “Hello, Lilia,�� you said, with a slight smile. “Nya! You tryin’ to give us all heart attacks?!” Grim snapped sourly. Lilia Vanrouge let out a twittering sort of laugh, his sharp, vampire-like fangs glinting in the sunlight as he blinked his large raspberry-colored eyes at you and your group. He was dangling upside down, hanging by his legs from a lower branch of the apple tree. “Nope. But if your own heart attacks you, I wanna see!” he sang teasingly, winking at Grim. The cat-like little imp growled, the blue flames on his ears briefly crackling with an angry orange hue. Lilia turned his head and grinned brightly when he noticed the pair of Diasomnia students sitting on the bench close by. “Good day, Elias!” he said, in a warm greeting. “How is your community service going so far?” “Well, after today, I might finally be done,” answered Eli, adjusting his glasses and smiling back. “And a good day to you, too, vice-housewarden.” Lilia nodded, then nimbly flipped down from the tree, landing easily on his feet. He cocked his head slightly, hands on his hips, as he looked at Felix, who was staring with a wide-eyed look of great surprise. “And you must be the new boy,” he purred, and extended a hand. “Nice to meet you, youngster! Welcome to Night Raven!” “Um…h-how do you do?” greeted Felix, somewhat awkwardly, and shook Lilia’s hand. “So far, so decent!” chirped Lilia, then smirked. “Might I add you have a very firm grip. That’s refreshing! Most young people haven’t learned how to properly shake a person’s hand.” “Ah…thank you, I think?” blinked the yellow-eyed young man. “Lilia, this is Felix Sinistro,” Eli coughed importantly, gesturing with a hand between the pair. “Felix, this is Lilia Vanrouge, the vice dorm leader of Diasomnia.”

“I’ll introduce you to Malleus later,” Lilia chuckled to Felix. “Were you boys just having lunch?” “How did you know that?” you asked. “Oh, ‘the Great and Powerful Phantom Blot’ here dropped some crumbs onto his vest,” answered Lilia, and gave a teasing smirk in Eli’s direction. “Now, how can you face your adoring public like that, young man? Really, I know you’re just a big puppy, but try eating a little less savagely, alright? Remember, you are from Diasomnia.” The words were more playful than scolding, but Elias mumbled an apology anyway, hastily and fastidiously brushing himself off, looking rather miffed at his untidiness. Felix looked between his fellow Diasomnia members curiously. “Phantom Blot?” he repeated. “As in…THE Phantom Blot?” “You know me?” Eli exclaimed, perking up excitedly. “I know the name,” replied Felix. “But I thought the Phantom was long gone by now.” Eli’s ears drooped, and he looked somewhat chagrined. “I see. Well…then I’m going to presume you DON’T know me,” he chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “Elias was a very bad boy not so long ago,” explained Lilia smirking with half-lidded eyes as he strolled behind the bench and leaned on it, right between the two newer students. “He used his powers to become the newest Phantom Blot. Thankfully, the Prefect and their friends were able to stop him from being TOO naughty…” Lilia reached out and tousled the top of Eli’s head, mussing his hat and the hair underneath. Elias grumbled and flushed, trying to straighten it all out again. “So that’s why you’re doing community service,” presumed Felix. “Basically,” nodded Elias, and indicated you. “They were able to help convince Crowley and Chief Jehan NOT to expel me, after all the ruckus I caused. But I still have to make up for everything I stole.” “Eli can transform into a creature made entirely of Blot,” you informed Felix. “He can manipulate the ink to take on any shape he wants, and use it in all kinds of ways. The problem is that he only has a set time limit to use his power, or all that buildup of Blot can cause a pretty nasty Overblot situation.” “How nasty?” asked Felix. “Try ‘literally ate us alive,’” shuddered Grim. “Hey, not my fault you both tasted so good,” teased Elias with a wicked wink. You blushed. Grim growled. Lilia just rolled his eyes. Felix whistled, sounding impressed.

“That must be quite a power to see in action,” he remarked. “Well, the less often I use it, the better,” chuckled Elias, then smirked himself. “Although I suppose I AM quite impressive, aren’t I?” “But not very humble,” muttered Grim. “I heard you boys are heading to Diasomnia when I showed up. Mind if I join you?” checked Lilia. “Not at all, Vice-Dorm Leader!” declared Elias, and patted his knees, stretching as he stood up. “Ahh…let’s get moving. I think it’s time we finished this runaround.” Your whole group agreed, and began to follow Elias and Lilia as they led the way through the grounds towards the Hall of Mirrors. As you began walking, however, none of you noticed the sneaky, sly, almost sinister expression on Sinistro’s face. The young man with the brass-toned eyes let a chuckle cluck in his throat as he took up the rear. “Impressive, indeed,” he whispered to himself. “This seems like the perfect place to begin…”

-------------------------------------------------------

“We’re almost there now!” Lilia announced in a sing-song sort of way, as your group of five marched across the grounds of Night Raven College. “Good,” sighed Grim. “My paws are KILLING me…” “Want me to carry you?” you teased. “Nya! The Great Grim isn’t supposed to be carried around by a mere human!” scowled the cat-like imp. You chuckled, then looked towards Elias. The dog boy’s expression soon caused the smile to leave your face; he was glancing about cautiously, ears flicking here and there. “Something the matter?” “I don’t know,” Elias murmured, then gave you a sort of quizzical look. “Do you ever get the feeling you’re being watched? That the eyes of some strange, eerie thing may be upon you?” “I get the feeling you’ve been getting way too into your rehearsals for The Vampire Count,” you blandly responded. Elias pouted and paused. “Rude,” he grumbled. You smirked and playfully scratched behind one of his ears. He blushed and swatted your hand away with a half-hearted growl. A giggle left you, and you picked up the pace, pulling ahead of him. “Come on, ‘Phantom.’ Don’t get scared of your own shadow now,” you teased. Elias smiled after you, and prepared to resume the walk… …But just as he was taking his first new step…something went horribly wrong. A wave of unfathomable coldness fell upon the beastman, who froze in place. He glanced back over his shoulder, as if sensing a presence behind him. His green eyes widened behind his glasses, and his mouth gaped, as he beheld a strange, gangly figure, with dead white eyes, colored black all over, like a living shadow. He opened his mouth to scream…just as the shadow reached out with claw-like hands and flew at him. “A-AGH…!”

The pained cry from Elias caught all of you off-guard. You all turned fast. Worry filled your eyes as you saw Elias stagger, shaking slightly. His eyes were squeezed tightly shut, and he gritted his teeth, groaning and growling with pain. He shook his head violently, as if it were aching badly, and he was trying to clear out the cobwebs. “Elias?” you called out, greatly concerned. “What’s wrong?” Lilia fretted, clearly worried about one of his own students. Elias opened his mouth as if to answer…but as he did so, he let out another cry - a sort of gargled, pained shout - his eyes going wide behind his glasses… …Then, to your horror, those eyes seemed to fill with black ink, as if it was being poured into them form some unseen tap. The ink soon spilled out of the eyes, and a similar substance came flowing from his mouth. “Eli!” you shouted in shock. “Wh-what’s happening to him?!” cried out Grim. “Is he Overblotting?” asked Felix, stepping back with a look of apprehension at the horrible scene. “He can’t be! He hasn’t even used his powers lately!” Lilia exclaimed. Whatever was happening, you soon saw its true effects. The black goo soon finished dripping, forming a strange, bubbling pool of dark, inky fluid upon the ground. Elias groaned, his eyes returning to their normal color and rolling in his head before he collapsed to the ground. His beret fell from his cranium as he hit the grassy turf with a thud. The moment his body made impact, the black goo suddenly began to rise, the pool growing larger and forming some strange, massive, inky shape. The shape became bigger and bigger, expanding and taking on more solid form; Lilia stepped in front of all of you, as if to protect you all. “Back up!” he hissed, and yourself, Grim, and Felix readily obeyed. The former warrior glared defiantly as a pair of limbs, ending in three sharp claws, burst from the ebon-hued muck. Then, a large head - with a great, gaping, fang-filled mouth - opened wide. Two green eyes shot open, and the inky beast roared to life. It floated into the air, a drifting mass of Blot that glared down with cruel intent at your party. It vaguely resembled Eli’s Overblot form, only much larger in every way, and without a speck of humanity to its appearance. “Elias?” meowed Grim, nervously. “That’s not Elias,” said Lilia grimly. “It’s not even a Phantom. It’s some sort of…Blot Shadow.” “What’s a Blot Shadow?” you asked, somewhat timidly. “I don’t know,” shrugged Lilia. “I just made the phrase up right now.”

You would have rolled your eyes if the situation hadn’t been so perturbing. The Blot Shadow roared with animalistic fury, and swooped at your party, jaws open and claws bared. All of you dropped fast, ducking and hitting the ground as the creature glided over your heads, and flew into the air. “What now?” Felix asked, worriedly. “You and the Prefect should take care of Elias, try to get him to safety,” ordered Lilia, then looked at Grim. “Ready to put those flames of yours to good use, little Grim?” “With pleasure!” grinned the cat-like monster. Lilia smirked and nodded back, and the four of you scrambled to stand once more. You were all just in time, for the Blot Shadow snarled and reeled back with its claws, summoning spheres of dark energy. It pitched them like baseballs, hurling them in the direction of your quartet. Quickly, you and Felix dove aside. Lilia stepped forward and raised his palms, uttering a strange incantation. A grid-like forcefield formed in front of himself and Grim, blocking the balls of dark power. Once he had an opening, Grim leaped into action. He took a deep breath and - PHOOSH! - spat out a ball of bright blue fire, straight into the monster’s face. The Blot screeched and clutched its inky face as the fire burned straight through. “WOO-HOO! TAKE THAT, YA BIG JERK!” hollered Grim…but his excitement was short-lived. With a sound like an angry tiger, the Shadow sneered as it pulled away its taloned hand, and its inky form restitched itself, healing the wound. “Oh, that is unfair,” muttered the cat-like creature. Grim yelped as, right then and there, the Shadow flew towards him, ready to slash at him with its terrible talons. Lilia, however, was a bit too quick: he whipped out his Magical Baton, holding it out like a sword. “FOREST STRIKE!” he rapped. The Shadow shrieked as a column of vines seemingly appeared out of nowhere and speared straight through its inky center before retreating. The spectral behemoth floated backwards, snarling in pain…but it wasn’t long till the hole in its midsection healed up again. “Nya! We’re just slowing down!” Grim yelled in frustration. “How do we stop this thing?!” “I’m not sure yet,” said Lilia, twirling his rod and smirking daringly. “But I do know I haven’t had this much fun in AGES!” While Lilia and Grim were focused on the monster, you and Felix hurried to Eli’s side.

“Are you alright?” you whispered. “Eli, talk to me!” The beastman moaned; his eyes were closed, and he seemed barely conscious. “We need to get him to the infirmary,” said Felix with a frown. “Obviously,” you muttered, then added aloud: “Help me get him up, we need to move him out of here right now!” Felix nodded, and the two of you hoisted Elias up, slinging his arms around each of your shoulders. “What’s…what’s going on?” mumbled Eli, his voice slurred as he blearily blinked his green eyes. “Trouble,” you answered. “Come on, help us out, big guy…” Elias groaned, and began to stumble forward, with you and Felix helping to support him. You hoped you could get him out of sight, while Lilia and Grim kept the fiend distracted. It was a vain hope. The Blot Shadow swooped at Grim and Lilia again, and as it flew into the air, it did a double-take, spotting the trio trying to limp away from the scene. With a bellow of primal rage, the Blot lifted both clawed hands, and summoned a gigantic orb of dark power between its taloned mitts. Then, it thrust out its limbs, and shot the wrecking-ball-sized sphere towards Lilia and Grim. Lilia agilely skipped out of the way, but Grim was thrown back with a yowl by the shockwave as the dark sphere exploded upon the ground. Lilia rushed to check on the imp, who smacked into a nearby tree trunk…and with them momentarily dealt with, the Shadow was now free to attack its new targets. Yourself, Felix, and Eli skidded to a halt as the Blot Shadow flew into view, barricading your path with its massive form. “Did that come outta me?” murmured Eli, seemingly stunned. “Sure looks that way,” you nodded. “I suppose there’s more than one Phantom Blot, even now,” commented Felix. Elias looked about to say something, but there was no further time for words. The Blot Shadow reared back its fist and hurled another ball of black Void Magic in your direction. You weren’t sure what came over you, but suddenly, you gave Elias and Felix a hard shove. The pair grunted and growled as they were thrown aside, sprawling onto the grassy floor as you stepped in to take the shot… THOOM!

The sphere of magic exploded; a squeal left your throat, unbidden, and you felt the ground seemingly jump away from under your feet. Your ears rang and your head felt light as you were hurled through the air, as if yanked by some invisible pull-line. You rolled across the ground, hitting it hard…and, with your whole world spiraling, you swiftly fell unconscious. You were out for the count, but the story was not yet over. “PREFECT!” wailed Grim, seeing what had happened. He and Lilia rushed towards your fallen form…only to stop short as the Blot moved to block them. It snarled and swiped its claws, backhanding the pair and knocking them over. “I must be getting slower at my age,” mumbled Lilia sourly…then his eyes widened as he saw the shadows claws reach down to scoop up your unconscious form. The fanged creature’s glowing, gaping maw opened wide, as it dangled your puny form over the abyss, intent on swallowing you alive. “NO!” screamed Grim. “LEAVE THEM ALONE!” The Shadow seemed to grin evilly. While Lilia and Grim watched with horror as it started to lower you into its ghastly jaws, Felix half-lay on the ground…a cold, unfeeling expression on his own face. It seemed like this would be the end for you…but then a single word cut into the forbidding scene, interrupting all action. “Stop.” It was not shouted. It was not uttered in desperation. Instead, the word was spoken with icy conviction and stern firmness. This, perhaps, was why the Blot Shadow halted in its intended meal, and turned its glowing green eyes downward. The ink monster scowled as it looked down to see Elias Inque - swaying slightly on his feet, his skin deathly pale, sweat smearing his brow from whatever curse had been inflicted on him - glaring up with a frosty gleam behind his purple-tinted spectacles. “Put them down,” he growled, viciously. The Blot Shadow just roared back at him. Eli responded with a dramatic battle cry of his own, which made the beast jump back in apparent surprise. “I AM THE PHANTOM BLOT!” screamed Elias. “ME! You are a cheap copy; a hollow, beastly husk of my own real might and ability. Whatever you are, and however you came to be from me, you are NOTHING compared to the true article. You think I’ll allow myself to be bested by some faker?! I THINK NOT!”

So saying, Elias Inque spread out his arms, mumbled some unholy chant…and in a moment, his body seemed to be shrouded in a cloak of ink, with an Executioner-style hood covering his face. Lilia and Grim smirked as they saw the dog boy’s glowing eyes behind the cowl. “Now THAT,” Grim snickered, “Is the Phantom Blot.” Elias thrust out one hand, and sent a cannon-like blast of pure blot launching towards the ink monster. It splattered across the creature’s face, gunking up its own glowing green eyes; the demon howled and clawed at the sticky goop, the hand that grasped you dropping your body fast. You might have been sorely injured had you hit the ground, but instead, Lilia pounced forward and - with all the graceful majesty of a leaping panther - caught you before you could smack into the forest floor. “Felix!” he shouted. “Get the Prefect out of harm’s way! We’ll handle this.” “Yes, Vice-Housewarden!” said Felix, whose cold-blooded expression had disappeared before anyone could notice it. He held you bridal style, and hurried to carry you away…glancing back just once with a rather annoyed look at Elias before disappearing into the shadows of some nearby bushes. Elias staggered back, breathing heavily as he halted his attack. His inky cloak was already growing drippy and at risk of fading away; whatever had happened, it left him feeling drained and exhausted, as if his own life’s blood had been drawn from his arteries. The Shadow had, by now, torn away the glue-like ink and let out a ghostly, bloodcurdling sound of vengeance. It lifted its claws high over its head, intending to smash them down and rend Elias to shreds. Lilia, however, was quick to react. “Grim!” he shouted. “Together, now!” Grim nodded, and blew a jet of blue fire at the demonic entity. The Blot Shadow hissed and whirled about, intent on attacking the little monster…but then Lilia thrust out his magic rod, and began to launch shot after shot of icy spears at the creature. The Shadow let out a confused, hysterical warbling noise; with frosty cold freezing it on one side, and crematory-level heat melting it on the other, the inky beast couldn’t focus! “Finish it, Elias!” snapped Lilia. “YOU HAVE TO FINISH IT NOW!” Elias nodded. The Phantom Blot wasn’t sure how he knew what he was about to do would work…but, nevertheless, he somehow knew it was what had to happen. “I don’t know just what you are, but you came from me,” he snarled. “SO BACK INTO ME YOU GO! RETURN HOME!” He thrust out both hands…and what looked like a pair of fanged maws formed where his fists had once been. The mouths opened, revealing a ruddy glow, like some internal furnace…then, a bellowing, mechanical sound - like some enormous vacuum cleaner - echoed across the area. The Blot Shadow let out a desperate, panicked scream as its inky form was drawn towards the Phantom’s mouths. The suction caught it by the tail-end of its ghostly form, and it clawed at the air, as if trying to grab hold of the clouds themselves, as it went spinning in two separate parts into the glowing spaces. Halfway through, the creature split clean in two, the head vanishing and becoming naught but two long, scrambling, taloned limbs. The hands clawed at the air one last time before disappearing completely, as the creature was sealed away from whence it came. The moment the Blot Shadow disappeared, Elias Inque’s hands changed back to normal…and a few seconds later, the shroud of the Phantom Blot disappeared, leaving Elias, himself, standing there. He panted, his eyes crossed, swaying even more than before where he stood…and let out a single, short belch. “URP…ugh…end scene,” he groaned…and flopped onto the ground like a dead fish.

Lilia and Grim hurried to Elias’ side, trying to wake him up. As they struggled in this endeavor, Felix - still holding you in the underbrush - smirked with clear interest. “Intriguing,” murmured the yellow-eyed young man. “It seems the students of Night Raven College are stronger than I thought.” With a malevolent cackle, Felix shrugged…then turned away and carried you off, heading to infirmary. He had a lot to think about.

-------------------------------------------------

You felt the world begin to re-establish itself, as your eyes blearily opened. Your head felt sore, and when you reached up, you realized it was bandaged. Frowning, you started to sit up and looked around; you were in the school infirmary of Night Raven college, lying on one of the beds. A thrumming vibration against your legs caught your attention. You looked to see its source and smiled; Grim lay curled up over your shins on the covers of the bed. “He hasn’t left your side since we got here, I’m told.” You looked to the source of the sound, and gave a wider, albeit rather tired, sort of smile. “Eli,” you sighed out, as you saw the half-dog laying on the infirmary bed beside you. You frowned, worry creasing your brow. “What happened to the Blot Shadow?” Elias shrugged weakly. “We defeated it,” he said simply, and turned his head away to stare at the ceiling. “Thankfully, neither of us was hurt TOO badly; you apparently have a mild concussion after your fall, but Nurse Mimzy thinks you should be back on your feet soon enough. In the meantime, I’d lie back down; rest is what you need. You nodded, then bit your lip as you rested back against the pillow. “How about you?” you asked at length. Elias’ green eyes hardened. His face was set in a puzzled, angry sort of expression. “Magical Anemia,” he answered, softly.

“What?” you almost choked on your own spit. “Anemia is when you don’t have enough red blood cells in your system,” he informed you. “I know what it is, but what do you mean by MAGICAL Anemia?” Elias paused, then sat up in his own bed, rather unsteadily, before turning his head to look down at you. “You know that magical power is connected to one’s life force, right?” “Yes,” you replied. “That’s why its dangerous to Overblot: your system gets leeched of magic, spilling it every second you breathe, until nothing is left but a phantom: an empty, mindless husk of your former self.” Elias nodded. “Magical Anemia is exactly what it sounds like: it’s as if my power has been fractioned heavily. Whatever that thing was, however it appeared, it leeched something out of me…and then, when I changed in order to fight it, I used up my last reserves. I can’t even so much as make a feather float without passing out; until my energy boots back up again, I am confined to this infernal cot.” “I’m sorry to hear that,” you said, sympathetically. In a world of magic, having no ability to use even minor spells must have been galling, especially under the circumstances. “I’ll live,” sighed Elias, and melodramtically flopped back onto his bed, draping one arm across his face. “But alas and alack, till I recover I cannot so much as LOOK at my beloved stage…I asked Silver to bring me some of my Shakespeare, at least then I can have something to occupy my time…” You giggled despite yourself. Elias smiled at the sound, but you both turned solemn again quite soon. “What do you think happened?” you asked, seriously. “I have no idea,” Eli answered, shaking his head. “But I have this sinking feeling it’s not going to be an isolated incident.” You gulped nervously. Elias scowled, his face becoming a stoic look of dangerous determination. “No one ‘overshadows’ the Phantom Blot,” he vowed. “As soon as I get out of here, I’m going to start looking for answers.”

“I’ll help you,” you promised, and extended your hand across the space between the beds. “Whatever happened here, we won’t allow it to happen to anyone else if we can help it. Right?”

Elias smiled and reached out with his own hand.

“Right,” he promised with a firm nod.

The two of you withdrew your hands, and you raised an eyebrow questioningly.

“So…since we’re both stuck here for a bit…why don’t we start with you telling me your theories. Have you got any ideas on where we can start when we’re out of this place?”

Elias frowned. He turned his head in his bed to look out of the window behind him.

Green eyes glared as he spotted a familiar figure, with oil-colored hair and yellow eyes, walking along the grounds. Their yellow eyes danced with strange light, which contrasted with their demure appearance. He bared his fangs, eyes narrowing as he watched them disappear in the direction of Headmage Crowley’s tower.

Elias Inque’s green eyes flashed with a familiar, almost feral glow. A vengeful hiss left the teeth of the Phantom Blot.

“Oh, trust me…I have a few ideas…”

TO BE CONTINUED…