Blood and Flame
Characters: Jack Russell, Danny Rand, NPC Badguys Setting: The dark underbelly of New York Content: PG-13 to R (Brutal combat and dark sorcery) Summary: A first encounter between two heroes, and the promise of dark adventure to come...
Sotheby’s Auction House didn’t deal in the Occult. At least not the real occult. The kind of artefacts that might draw the attention of the authorities (government and sorcerous…). But Blackpool Holdings had no such worries. The heritage townhouse in which the auction took place had a dark and storied history.
The entrance was guarded by a small man with cruel features, who looked at Danny questioningly. "By the pricking of my thumbs..." the man recited. "Something wicked this way comes," Danny responded. Apparently satisfied, the man allowed him to pass.
It was all Iron Fist could do to not vomit, upon entering the space. I swear on my soul, I will burn this place to the ground… Danny promised himself. But not tonight. He had a more important mission
Dark, satanic rites had been performed within this place. Its walls were inscribed with runes binding the souls of murder victims to this place. Their anguished life force serving to protect the place from magical scrutiny.
Danny noted the large main room in which a dozen or so men in dark suits congregated. His attention immediately focused on the man he was looking for- his target for the evening. Slate grey pinstripe suit and crocodile green loafers. The man was bald, white and sallow-looking.
His target took a seat in sea of chairs and Danny took one four rows behind. At some unspoken signal, the rest of the men took their seats. It’s like a Wednesday matinee of Star Wars. All men, and no one sits next to each other… Danny thought.
A tall, thin man who looked like a clone of Vincent Price took the podium. “Good evening, patrons of the forbidden arts…” he purred. Danny briefly considered the possibility that this was Vincent Price, or someone inhabiting his corpse. The fact that this was a possibility wasn’t reassuring.
“Allow us to begin. The first item is an idol of Mayan origin…” he said, indicating a bloodstained skull. Danny would be forced to endure an entire evening’s worth of this... But the chance to track down the Hood was too good an opportunity to miss. Danny settled in for a long night...