Magik always assumed people were exaggerating when they spoke about Gotham, however being here it was clear that they were just being kind. The city stank of fear and crime, with the noise of police sirens filling the air. Normally Illyana would’ve enjoyed seeing a city full of gothic structures like this, an appreciation she had developed while
away, however here all the architecture just added to the atmosphere of despair she felt around her. It was grim and dark, and just being here gave her a sense of what it had been like during her capture. All she wanted to do right now was to escape; to return to the comfort of her favourite spot back at home at the Sanctum, tucked up next to the roaring fire, a great tome of magic in her hands. She could almost feel the warmth of what could be, but the crisp wind of the cold nights' air knocked her back into reality, and she continued gazing out at the room tops.
A sharp pain from her hands caused her to finally turn herself away from the skyscrapers around her. Her hands were beginning to bleed ever so slightly, a result of her having dug her nails into her palms while waiting there. She grimaced, picking at them slightly to take her mind off things while she waited, and when that didn’t work she took her eyes back towards the rooftops around her. They soon settled on a small shop across the street from the rooftop where she was stood.
Rags and Tatters. She smirked, realizing why she’d been told to wait here.
As if on queue a voice spoke from behind her.
“
Thought you’d be taller honestly.”
Reactively she turned as he spoke, her Soul Staff materializing into her hands as she did so instinctively. She lowered it once she saw him, however, simply taking in the strange nature of his outfit. His “suit” seemed to be made up of some kind of crazy quilt of rags and sewn-together patches, as well as pieces of old worn fabric. The whole ensemble covered him from head to toe, painting him in a palette of greens and browns, save for the two white slits that made up his eyes. A dark green cloaked tangled around him, flowing in the wind, as he perched on the rooftop edge in front of her. He was a peculiar sight indeed, with the air seemingly growing quiet around him. Despite the quietness however, Magik swore she could hear voices radiating from him. Voices screaming silently. Voices crying out in emptiness. The sound of lost souls.
“
You must be Ragman.”
“
Yep, that’s me, the old Keeper of souls.” His voice was much more charismatic and cheerful than she had expected, with a New Jersey twang. As he spoke, he pranced forward from where he had been stood and approached the young magician, circling around her as he continued. “
And let me tell you, yours does not feel good from where I’m standing.”
The comment wounded Illyana slightly. Strange had told her that there had been something off about her soul and energy when he had initially found her, however, she hadn’t thought too much of it, believing at the time that it was just
polluted from her time next with fath- Belasco. But hearing now that it was still like that unnerved her immensely. Her left hand clenched up once more, with the pain from her nails returning slightly. Numbing her. She kept her tongue, and just let out a smile.
“
Noted. Nice of you to answer my call. I take it Rook warned you about me already?”
“
Actually, it was the chimp. Warned me that some crazy blonde was coming my way to try and get me to sign some suicide pact and parade down into Hell with her.” She stepped forward about to correct him, but he continued. “
Sorry to rain on said parade though but it’s a big no from me.”
“
Why couldn’t you have just said that on the phone an hour ago and not have wasted all of our time?” Annoyance filled her voiced. She raised the staff slightly in anger, her scowl fixated on him.
“
Because…” He said sly, as he grabbed Magik gently on the arms, and rotated her body slightly so that she was facing towards Gotham harbour slightly. “
Because of that.”
She blinked in confusion, attempting to see whatever it was that this buffoon was trying to show her. Then as if a veil had been lifted from over her eyes, Magik watched as the apartment building she was staring at erupted into flames. Her eyes widened as she looked on in horror. Without realizing, she moved forward towards, only to be stopped by Ragman, catching by the arm and placing a hand reassuringly on her shoulder.
“
Yeah, I didn’t notice at first myself. Something seems to be covering it up so that regular people can’t see it. And what’s weirder is that the fire-”
“
Hellfire.”
“
What?”
“
It’s hellfire. That building is reeking of the stuff, I can smell it from here now.” She shuddered slightly as she got another waft of it. The flames just made this wretched city seem even more like Limbo. Whatever spell it was that had been stopping her from noticing it must have been extremely powerful.
“
Great, because regular fire would just be too easy!” Ragman moaned, flinging his arms up in frustration. “
Well, either way, the fire’s not burning anything. The building’s fine. The flames are just there.”
“
Which means that’s something crazy magical is happening in there.”
“
Bingo.”
Magik groaned slightly. This was not something she had been prepared to deal with tonight. All she had wanted was to recruit Ragman to her team and then move on out of Gotham. But it seemed fate had other plans for her tonight. Taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip on her staff, now wielding the staff with both hands.
“
Come on then, let’s get this over with, Keeper of Souls.”
Before Ragman could protest, the floor beneath the two of them erupted into a bright yellow light as Magik summoned a stepping disc, and in seconds the two of them had vanished from the Gotham skyline.
Master Bruce
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