Gerald Avery (tenebrisme) wrote in disorderic, @ 2018-03-24 23:47:00 |
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Entry tags: | dante avery, dedalus diggle, gerald avery |
WHO: Dedalus Diggle, Dante Avery, Gerald Avery, Dedalus' remaining un-evil exes
WHEN: This afternoon
WHERE: Diagon Alley
SUMMARY: The grand finale; Gerald's revenge reaches its denouement.
WARNINGS: Death. Creepy behaviour. Imperius.
The remaining three exes -- Humberto, of course, not among them -- crowded onto a makeshift platform, where the tableau would begin. They moved fluidly, all the expression in their profession a tool utilised as the conductor watched from the corner of a building. Gerald Avery, crisp in white linen, let his wand toward Delphia Tyndall. Without her theremin, her voice was still strong and she called to the audience, who stilled to listen. “Gather ye into the throng, England, and hear tell of the madness which befell thee. This tale - borne of birds, of serpents, of ashes and woe - is a drama in progress. And the outcome depends on --” she sucked in a breath, bellowing out the name that she had come to hate. “DEDALUS DIGGLE!” It would have been near-impossible to avoid or ignore the scene, even if someone wanted to. Luckily, the people were easy to lead: all it took was maneuvering of the Wandless by Dante to create a crowd, and the rest fell in line behind them like sheep. Even Dante had trouble looking away from what his father had set up. Would Diggle show, he wondered? Did he think they were bluffing? Would any of his friends? Dante refocused his attention on the growing crowd. No, Diggle wouldn’t be able to pass this up. His bleeding heart wouldn’t be able to let go. Sure enough, a small bowler hat-wearing wizard stepped forward, dropping his glamoured disguise. He’d woven through the crowd immediately; there’d been no time to call for help. “Enough of this! Enough of this, all of you! This is insane—can’t any of you see that this is utterly insane?” Dedalus cried to a throng of people that looked equally confused by his shouting as the scene before him. He ignored them, pushing his way toward the makeshift platform. “All of you—you need to come with me. I can help. I can get you somewhere safe,” the tiny wizard assured them urgently. Screams should have arisen when Delphine, aided by Gerald, killed the actor on stage with a cast of lurid green light. She then turned to Dedalus with her arm outstretched. “Deddy bear,” she crooned. “Come to me.” In a linen suit and a black fedora, Gerald appeared as the crowd of Wandless moved aside for him. “They like my dramaturgy, Diggle.” “No!” Dedalus shouted as Jeremiah Smyth dropped dead. He whisked around, wand raised, unable to keep an eye on both Dephia and Gerald at the same time. “You son of a bitch! These are innocent people! At least fight someone who’ll fight back,” Dedalus snarled. Gerald, however, would not be goaded. He looked at Delphia and then looked at Dedalus. His face erupted in a grin. “Kill him.” Delphia nodded solemnly, the hand outstretched molding to a claw as she made for Diggle’s neck. “Delphie, no!” Dedalus yelled. He shoved her hand away—not wanting to hurt her—and staggered backward into the crowd. He looked toward the only other remaining ex onstage, his expression desperate. “Bradford, please!” Bradford seemed like he wanted to help. As if his feet wanted to run toward Dedalus and Delphia, but his mind would not allow it. Gerald’s hold was - after all - absolute. “You know your role, don’t you?” Delphia nodded and jumped from the stage, grabbing Dedalus by the lapels, pulling him forward. The Wandless stayed where they were. Hapless. Gerald’s voice: “You thought you could out me, Dedalus. You thought you could fly high, like your namesake, but the truth is your wings burn but they do not find themselves reborn. Your Phoenix --” a hiss -- “lies.” Bradford stalked forward then, his rich baritone directed at Dedalus. “How does a tragedy end?” Dedalus shook his head. “This doesn’t have to end in tragedy. Please,” he lowered his voice and extended a hand to each of them. “Please take my hand. Come with me. I can help you.” “If they don’t kill you, they kill one another …” And Delphia, turning to Bradford, pulled a knife from her boot and threw it. And a red spot bloomed over Bradford’s chest. She turned to Dedalus. Gerald’s voice: “Kill her or die, Phoenix.” “No, no, no,” Dedalus whimpered as Bradford slumped to the stage and drew his final breath. “I can’t. I won’t.” With tears now streaming down his face, he raised his wand and attempted to send a petrifying charm at his former wife, hoping he could stop her long enough to rescue her from Gerald’s clutches. The petrifying charm hit its mark and Gerald smiled, a leering grin indicating that Dedalus chose wrong. His arm rose and he turned to Delphia, flourishing his wand, intent on turning her into a sculpture of living bronze. With surprisingly quick reflexes, Dedalus turned and aimed a purple fireball at Gerald’s wand arm before making a mad grab for Delphia and apparating away, taking her with him. Once again, Diggle managed to thwart Gerald’s plans. He groaned as the two vanished, hoping that his Imperius would hold longer than the petrifying charm. If it worked, he would be dead anyway. It was a gamble he had to live with. Do your work, Delphia. He turned to the crowd, casting a memory charm within a wide radius, affecting a shimmering dome near the stage. Many of the Wandless were within its circumference -- “You were called to watch Dedalus Diggle murder his ex-spouses,” he told them, his tone thick with drama. “You were held against your will. I was never present.” His grin continued to grow, curling into the corners of his mouth, until he too was gone. |