Log:Visitor for David Flyte

The Madness of David Flyte 2020/01/28 Radical 9

Randal was able to dig up and tell Connor based on the things Randal was going to after breakfast with Grimm. The past three books are a switch from his other novels, and he's grown a cult following. In some ways literally. Some people are obsessed with his new genre shift. A few have gone crazy or become violent. The book before the more occult books was The Casablanca Effect, a post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland story with radiation zombies and the pulsing heart of a runaway nuclear reactor. The gradual erosion of flesh and health synchronous with the erosion of the survivors' sanity, written down diary style for the edification of dedicated readers. It flagged in sales compared to previous works. Then came the loose Trilogy: A River Runs Through Thebes, Beyond the Far Realms, and Darkness Between the Stars. A River Runs Through Thebes feels like a classically Lovecraftian piece. Very much about an unassuming author who chances upon an occult manual in the personal effects of his recently deceased uncle. The manual leads the protagonist into conflict with a secret society that seeks the manual's power to exploit humanity and the protagonist's new eldritch patron in equal measure. It largely concludes with a cliff-hanger as the protagonist falls off of a dock and into dark waters, the secret society collecting a book of the same approximate size and shape as the manual, but the protagonist is described as clutching a book of the same approximate size and shape as the manual to his chest as he sinks below the surface of the liquid shadow that is the city's reservoir. All suspense and creepy, flowery descriptions. Beyond the Far Realms is about a sequel to the previous book, but skips ahead in time. It covers the author's trials in unlocking the manual's power, learning about unknowable evil beyond the realms of reality. A new secret society is introduced, trying to prevent the manual from being understood and making attempts on the protagonist's life. The book leaves one questioning at the end if the author, forever changed by having their eyes opened, is still the protagonist of the series. Darkness Between the Stars feels like it could be a dramatic re-telling of Grimm's life, death, and re-birth as a conduit to the Qliphothic realms. The main character's name is Denebrielle Deepshadow. It goes over a normal life until the secret society from the first book brings about her death, only to have her reborn in shadow. It inexplicably skips from Denebrielle's re-birth to her sacrifice to open a passage for The Eternal Shadow Within Every Flame into the mortal world by a high priest of The Eternal Shadow within A Place of Words. In the book, the passage opens and The Eternal Shadow Within Every Flame unleashes its bottomless appetite for corruption upon reality, turning humanity against itself. It is the first of a strange pantheon of Elder Gods to be released. Flyte hasn't done interviews for the past year and a half while working on his last book.

Blank Asylum

Situated in the rural area to the southwest of Colonial Bay, Blank Asylum is the local asylum for the criminally insane. The windows are barred, and the walls are high around the grounds. A large wrought iron gate across the road leads onto the grounds proper. From that gate, a winding road through slightly hilly terrain leads to the main building. The building itself is almost like a building from a bygone era, built in the 1700's by Antiochus Blancovich, it inspires a 'gothic' feeling to the ara. It's little wonder that there are no residences nearby, other than a few scattered farms. If anything, it looks reminiscent of some of the castles in modern-day Great Britain.

Radical shows up at the gates, rather than teleporting inside. There is security here, after all. There's no need to get their hackles up. He hits hte buzzer to wait for the security folks to respond.

The gate guard steps out from his booth and heads over to the gate. "You got an appoint--ohh. Been a while since a Cape showed up. 'Specially using the buzzer," the big man grins. He's got some weight on him, but looks pretty strong. Short buzzed brown hair, a security uniform and hat. He looks around. "Not dropping someone off?"

Radical shakes his head, "No, sorry. I have a bit of an emergency. I need to speak to one of the inmates. Mr. David Flyte. He was brought in about...four months ago. My name is 'Radical'."

Officer Moore gives a nod. "Just a moment, let me radio in." He heads to the security booth, makes a call. A few nods and a conversation later, he hits a button and the gate buzzes and swings open. The officer steps out to give directions. "Just go down the road to the front entrance. A doctor will be there to assist you."

Radical nods, "Thank you, sir." He makes his way over to the front entrance, walking the full distance. Again, he doesn't want to get teh security folks nervous by teleporting while on the grounds.

Upon arriving at the front door, he finds the old doors closed by unlocked, leading into the lobby. The doors leading off from the lobby are locked by keycards.

Radical steps into the lobby, and waits for hte time being. Presumably someone will be by shortly.

The nurse at the front is a tall, skinny woman in pink medical scrubs. "The doctor will be with you shortly." She goes back to looking at her screen.

A few minutes later, the center door past the nurse's desk opens as a woman in her mid-thirties walks through. She has black hair in a bun, a white doctor's coat over blouse and dress pants, and dark-rimmed square glasses. She looks familiar. "Hello. I heard this was about a patient here? Mr. Flyte?"

Radical nods. "That's correct. If it's possible, I'd like to speak with him. The incident that caused him to be brought in seems to have had...longer term implications than originally thought. There's a person's life at stake."

The doctor's eyes widen. "Alright, come with me, then." Her badge says Lillian Grayson on it, which sparks the recognition. She's a colleague at CBSU, teaching psychology courses. "I'm afraid Dr. Flyte's attending doctor isn't available at the moment. David's condition has only worsened since he got here."

Radical furrows his brow. "Worsened in what way?"

"Hallucinations and delusions," Lillian explains as they walk down the hall. Past another set of security doors, there are rooms closed with little view ports. There's quiet in some, or groans and mutterings. One door has a peals of laughter sounding out from it.

Radical walks along with her. "Do you have some details about what those delusions were?"

Lillian pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "He's an interesting case. He speaks to things that aren't there. Sometimes he's calm, sometimes he's in a panic and shouting. He...preaches to the other patients. It's had a negative effect. We've had to isolate him." They turn a corner and walk a bit further. Then another set of doors. The fluorescent lights are depressing. One or two of the long bulbs flicker in this hallway. She stops at the second to last door on the right and motions to it. "This is his room."

Radical nods. "It's possible not everything is a delusion. That's the problem. Thank you, doctor." He heads to the door and peers inside.

The lights are out, but there's a barred window high up on the wall that let's in a little bit of light. There's a man seated in the corner of the room. The bed looks unslept in. His head perks up as Radical's eyes are on him.

David flight is dressed in simple patient clothing. His hair is wild, thinning and wispy. A pale blonde with strands of gray. He's about in his late 50's

Radical uses his magic and dimensional sight to look at the cell. It's possible that Flyte is experiencing things that are really there. "Mr. Flyte. My name is Radical. I need to ask you a few questions about what you did with Grimm."

David's head turns to the left. "The Key? I placed her in the lock. All the Master need do is turn her," he says in reverent tones.

Radical's eyes narrow. "I can see the rifts. How did you do that?"

Peering through the veil of dimensions, things look very different in Flyte's cell. It looks like there's a many-limbed starfish stuck to the corner of the room he's sitting in front of, spreading out in the room. Its limbs cross over each other and extend across the walls, floor, and ceiling, covered by many large red eyes that are half open. They don't move, but they are all trained on Radical.

There's no magic on this plane, but in that other dimension, there's overwhelming power. Akin to the magic felt through the rifts in Gabrielle. It's ancient. Dark. Hungry. Malevolent and corrupt.

"The book showed me the way. I procured it for research, but it was so much more. It let me hear the will of my Dark Master," Flyte says in lyrical tons. He chuckles.

Radical stares directly at the starfish, making it clear that he can see it. He wants it...and perhaps Flyte for that matter...to know. He turns his attention back to the man on the other side of the door. "You believe it's inevitable, I'm assuming. But is there a way it could be stopped?"

"Of course. Her sacrifice will open the way for the Eternal Shadow within Every Flame," Flyte rocks a little in his place. His head tilts curiously. "Stop it? Why would I stop it?" His shoulder hunches up and he laughs quietly as Radical stares down the eyes. "Yes, it watches you. It -knows- you," he croaks.

Radical makes a note of the name. "I'm not saying you would stop it. I'm asking what would cause it to stop. And I'm not surprised that it knows me. It should, if it's intelligent."

"Ohhh hoho. I know better," David Flyte raises a bone finger and waggles it as he tsks Radical. He's mad, but he's got some wits about him still.

Radical tilts his head, "Do you? The future is already written. I've seen it. Your master doesn't break through."

"What!?" Flyte spits out. "No no no, how can that be! She is the one!" he wails and grips at his hair.

Radical nods. "The threads of fate do not lie. They are what is written."

The eyes stay on Radical. Those half-open eyes are slowly opening wider. So slowly it's missable, but Radical can be sure they were not as open as they are now.

David stands up, still pulling his hair. "It can't be. N'zrathol WILL break through and consume this wretched world. The key will...no. No!" Flyte whirls around. His face is gaunt and his face twisted in madness. "What are you going to do to the Key!?"

Radical chuckles. "What do you think I'm going to do, Mr. Flyte?"

Radical is really hoping he's that deranged to actually just...spill it now.

Radical also takes a note of the name. Surely ther'e something about this N'zrathol in some of the tomes in Randal's library or his own.

David paces back and forth, just short steps before each manic turn in the small room. "No! You cannot be allowed to slay the Key before she opens the Lock! The Master will stop you!"

Radical chuckles. "I can guarantee that's not what happens. As I said...I have seen it." Wait. He blinks a few times. He's using this as a way to try to prod Flyte, but he really COULD look in Grimm's future. Or his own to see what the solution might be.

"She lives and doesn't sacrifice? Banishment, then?" David stops pacing and turns his head to Radical.

Radical shakes his head, "I excise the rift from her. What is done can be undone. That is the way of things."

"We won't let you!" David insists. "My Dark Master has new worshippers thanks to me. You won't leave here alive!"

The lights in the Asylum suddenly flicker out.

Next: Log:Radical Changes