The Warning:
(New Alexandria on Earth #8193, in the year 1991 A.D., the Lothrin Estate, the Palisades, the Sprawling Gardens.)
Narrator
Chapter 33 = The Warning... Lothrin Estate in the Palisades District of New Alexandria of Earth #8193, in the year 1991 AD… The heavenly flaxen shroud of glistening stars encases the world in a great cosmic firmament as the phantom glow of the moon descends softly, illuminating the splendid grounds of the Lothrin Estate. The sullen form of a woman in a long black coat and mournful eyes looms before the graves of her parents. Kneeling, the woman places a single rose upon each of the ornate headstones. An annual ritual of remembrance that never gets easier.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"I've thought about you both a lot lately. You both were such powerful examples of what was truly good and just. This city looked up to you. Your lives helped and inspired so many. You taught me so much. And yet, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. This wound never heals. This pain never stops hurting. As the Knight-Raven, I know my path as I know myself. But as Anya, I feel like I'm still that scared little girl in so many ways."
Narrator
Anya closes her eyes, letting the grief and pain of the past year seep out into the consecrated soil of her parents' final rest. She stands once more as the sacred silence of the moment is shattered by the sound of approaching footsteps. Anya turns as her gaze locks with a pair of eyes she thought she'd never see again, eyes of a love long past.
Monica Bathory/Lady-Crimson
"Hello, Anya ... Sorry to drop in uninvited, but I could sense your pain from a mile away."
Narrator
The woman smiles meekly, sensing the palpable storming of emotions saturating the moment.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"Monica…"
Narrator
Mutters Anya in disbelief.
Monica Bathory/Lady-Crimson
"Yeah, it's me. I'm alive. Surprise."
Narrator
Responds Monica, her tone treading delicately on the uneasy surface of the situation.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"Three years. You let me believe you were dead for three years!"
Narrator
Replies Anya, her voice a choking toxic mixture of new found relief combined with the gestating pain of loss that has consumed her for the past three years.
Monica Bathory/Lady-Crimson
"I know I did. And I know I hurt you. That night in Scott's Penthouse, you tried to save me. I saw that look in your eyes. And in your eyes, I saw a future. A future with you I wanted so badly. But his control over me was too strong and to be honest I wasn't ready yet and there was the explosion"
Narrator
Explains Monica as she stares momentarily at her feet. She wipes a tear from her eyes before looking back at Anya.
Monica Bathory/Lady-Crimson
"I know it may seem selfish to you. But after all that happened that night."
Narrator
Monica begins to walk slowly towards Anya.
Monica Bathory/Lady-Crimson
"It was magic that saved me. It was magic that brought me back. I needed time to go out into the world. I needed time to understand the magic that resurrected me and what it means for me going forward."
Narrator
Continues Monica, her tone is gentle but unapologetic.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"Why'd you come back?"
Narrator
Asks Anya firmly.
Monica Bathory/Lady-Crimson
"The truth? I came back for you. I missed you, Anya."
Narrator
Continues Monica, smiling slightly. The dagger of her sincerity pierces into the monolith of Anya's resolve.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"What if I said I've moved on?"
Narrator
Presses Anya coldly.
Monica Bathory/Lady-Crimson
"No, I don't think you have. That door you opened to us that night is still open. I can still see its light shining through in your eyes. It's dimmer, but it's there."
Narrator
Monica slides past Anya's defenses and wraps her arms lovingly around the taller girl's neck, resting her head tenderly against Anya's warm bosom. Monica's scent washes over Anya, melting her icy façade as her arms close around Monica. She breathes deeply, embracing the woman in her arms just as she wanted to back then but never got the chance.Monica shivers against the cold night air as Anya trembles from the touch of Monica's warm breath against her neck.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"Come on, let's head back up to the house"
Narrator
Whispers Anya as she pulls away, gesturing for her prodigal lover to follow her. Monica smiles and takes Anya's hand as they both turn and begin making their way back up to the Manor.
Suddenly, the world goes completely quiet. Then comes a sound like steadily growing static accompanied by an unearthly sucking wind pulling the world towards some point behind them. The crackling sound grows until it is almost overwhelming. The two of them turn and look back at the graves of Anya's parents. The air churns and splits with a loud crack as a sparking purpelish rift forms between the two grave-markers. The sucking wind grows stronger pulling the roses from their graves.
Buffy Lothrin-Bathory/Silver-Light
"ANYA!!! ANYA!!!"
Narrator
Screams a voice from inside the swirling searing rift. Anya steps slowly forward towards the rift gesturing for Monica to stay behind her as the voice continues to call out to her.
Monica Bathory/Lady-Crimson
"Be careful, Anya!"
Narrator
Warns Monica nervously as Anya closes in on the rift. The cold cosmic sucking abyss of the rift tugs at Anya's mind. Red sparking lightning vortexes around the rim of the rift.
Buffy Lothrin-Bathory/Silver-Light
"ANYA!!!"
Narrator
Shouts the voice once more as she slowly reaches out to touch the rift's churning surface. Suddenly, a bleeding, trembling hand reaches out of the portal and grabs Anya. The savagely battered body of a masked girl erupts halfway out of the portal, clinging desperately to her. Anya steps backward, pulling her from the portal which closes behind her. This restores motion to the world. Anya looks upon the brutalized young girl unsure what to make of her. She is garbed in a silver-and-violet battle-scarred combat suit. The girl seems frantic and shell-shocked as she pulls Anya in closer, shoving a mysterious crystalline silver device into her hand.
Buffy Lothrin-Bathory/Silver-Light
"It's coming! It's coming! They're gone… They're all gone ..."
Narrator
Whispers the girl weakly before fainting into Anya's arms. Monica rushes up to her lover's side to get a closer look at the girl.
Monica Bathory/Lady-Crimson
"Hurry! Let's get her inside!"
Narrator
Orders Monica as she and Anya rush the girl up to the manor.
***( Varanuchi's Restaurant, Mid-Town, New-Alexandria )***
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"Our news made quite a splash today. Word is Edison is pissed about our joint venture. He really thought you were going to go with his proposal,"
Narrator
Muses Anya as Oskar gestures to a passing waiter to refill his glass.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"Yeah, no shit! According to my secretary, when she gave him the news that I was going with your proposal instead of his, he looked like he was about to blow a gasket!"
Narrator
Replies Oskar, amused, as he gestures a "head explosion" with his hands.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"With the expansive assets of both our companies, we could really do a lot of global good here. Through Delphi Tech, we could change the world! With the right focus, of course,"
Narrator
Continues Anya, cutting up more of her steak.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"I assume you have a focus in mind,"
Narrator
Quips Oskar playfully.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"I do, actually, yes. Oskar, what I am about to tell you does not leave this table. Do you understand?"
Narrator
Presses Anya, downing the last bite of her steak.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"Or what? You'll have to kill me?"
Narrator
Teases Oskar.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"I mean it, Oskar!"
Narrator
Barks Anya, staring Oskar firmly in the eyes.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"Fine… fine. At least now, I get to know the real reason you wanted us to start Delphi Tech together,"
Narrator
Responds Oskar, leaning forward in his chair.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"Three nights ago, I was visiting my parents when something happened. I got a warning. An impossible warning, but one that cannot be ignored."
Narrator
Continues Anya, leaning in as well.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"What do you mean, impossible?"
Narrator
Asks Oskar, taking another gulp from his glass.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"I mean, from-another-universe impossible. It was so strange. The world suddenly went quiet as if nothing else existed. Then there came a sound… It got so loud, it was overwhelming. And then, I heard something, a voice inside the static calling my name. Monica and I…"
Narrator
Oskar sprays wine from his mouth off to the side of the table in shock, causing Anya to stop mid-explanation.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"Monica? As in, Monica Bathory. Dead girl with a pension for drinking blood and not showing up in mirrors?"
Narrator
Interrupts Oskar. Anya nods.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"Well, shit! This story just keeps getting better. Anyway, continue"
Narrator
Mutters Oskar, leaning backward in his chair. Anya takes a quick drink from her glass and continues his explanation.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"As I was saying, Monica and I looked towards the noise. Between my parents' headstones was some sort of purple sparking rift. The voice was calling out to me from inside it. I approached the portal and when I did something happened. This badly injured young girl in a damaged combat suit burst from out of the rift and clung to me desperately. She seemed shell-shocked. I pulled her from the rift. I'm telling you, Oskar, she was hurt badly. She could not have been more than fourteen. She was frantic, terrified like she had just been through hell, you know?"
Narrator
Oskar nods, immersed in what Anya is telling him.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"She pulled me in close and gave me something, whispering something to me."
Narrator
Explains Anya, her gaze firmly on Oskar as her eyes narrow.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"And you're sure you weren't dreaming?"
Narrator
Counters Oskar with a grin.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"I'm serious, Oskar. I spend my life instilling fear in others, and yet, I have never seen anyone as terrified as she was."
Narrator
Presses Anya, placing a strange silver crystalline device of some kind on the table in front of Oskar. He picks it up and examines it as he shifts in his seat, breathing in the harsh gravity of the moment before turning back to Anya.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"What did she whisper to you?"
Narrator
Asks Oskar with a newfound seriousness.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"She was so weak the warning was short and, thus, not very detailed. She said, 'It's coming. It's coming. They're gone… They're all gone.' After that, she passed out. Monica and I took the girl up to the house. She's spent the last three days lying in a coma in the Knight-Gallery Med Bay. She seems stable, but I have no idea when she will wake up. Tenjin was able to access the device, establishing a connection to the A.I. Liahona. Liahona stored herself on the device, to aid us in dealing with the coming threat. With her help, Tenjin and I have spent the past three nights deciphering the device's contents and response planning."
Narrator
Anya finishes as she gestures to the device in Oskar's hands.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"How bad is this 'coming danger' exactly? On a scale of bad to mega-disaster?"
Narrator
Asks Oskar.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"How about, apocalyptic?"
Narrator
Responds Anya, her tone flat and heavy with the severity of the matter.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"What kind of timetable are we looking at?"
Narrator
Inquires Oskar, downing the rest of his glass.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"Three months, according to the device."
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"Shit. Well, good thing you came to me right away,"
Narrator
Responds Oskar in a mixture of surprise and concern.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"What exactly do we know about this girl?" asks Oskar, gesturing for another refill.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"That device contains a complete profile on her, me, you, Monica, and our dear friend Anko De La Vega. According to her profile, her name is Buffy Lothrin-Bathory. Born on Earth N.E.V. 11 in year 1981 in Boston to parents Jacob and Nora Millar. She is fourteen years old and is something called a 'Super-Speedster.' Apparently, she goes by the code-name 'Silver-Light.' Her profile says she became an orphan at age six when her parents were killed by the state. She was then smuggled into New-Alexandria and adopted in secret by Anya and Monica Lothrin-Bathory,"
Narrator
Explains Anya with an uneasy smirk.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"Well, there's a hell of a lot to unpack there."
Narrator
Counters Oskar with a chuckle.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"Wait… You said her parents were killed by 'the state'?"
Narrator
Presses Oskar, confused.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"Yeah. And by 'state,' I mean Nazis. In the history of her Earth, the Nazis won the war. So, what do you think?"
Narrator
Asks Anya sternly.
Oskar Turing/Dues-Excess
"I think I want to see what's on this device for myself"
Narrator
Answers Oskar standing up and putting back on his blazer.
Anya Lothrin/Knight-Raven
"I thought you might."
Narrator
Counters Anya, smiling as they make their way out of the restaurant.