Wanda was deep into her studies with Agatha when they felt it. A shift in the flow of magic in the Abby. They looked at each other and then immediately went to the mirror table. Everyone had felt it, but one individual was noticeable absent, Blade. Nico then spotted him with his gun pointed at a stranger. Everyone immediately rushed outside. As they approached, three monstrosities appeared behind Blade.
Before anyone could warn him, music started playing. That caught everyone's attention, however Wanda managed to keep her eye on the intruder. The moment the music started, he ran towards the Abby. The monsters started attacking, Wanda yelled, "Magik! He's getting away!" Magik reacted by placing a portal in front of him, but instead of falling in he did a spin step out of the way.
The monsters began demanding everyone's attention, but Caretaker told Wanda and Magik to go after the intruder. They made their way inside, the music then changed and in that moment of silence they heard a noise coming from the chapel.
[The Only Cure - The Hollow]
They immediately went down separate hallways hoping to box him in. Wanda quickly but carefully went down the left hallway. She made it to the chapel doors without issue. Both she and Magik entered at the same time from opposite sides. Only to find the chapel was empty.
Then they both looked at the ladder leading to the bell tower. The music was growing louder which covered their own entrance. As they made their way up to the top, they stopped when they saw him. Wielding a giant blade and swinging it down hard on an object that was lying on the ground. They were stunned by the sight of that giant blade bouncing up into the air, only for the blade to disappear into nothingness.
Magik was left stunned by what she saw, so was Wanda if she was speaking honestly. But, she managed to snap out of it faster and made a crate go flying and smash against the back of his head. He dropped immediately and lost consciousness, as if to prove his connection to both the monsters and music. When he lost consciousness the music stopped, and later would learn the monsters disappeared with the music. Magik said, "We need to restrain him and get him to Caretaker."
With a combination of ropes, and magic bindings they managed to secure him to a chair next to the mirror table. While Blade talked about putting him in a less comfortable place, Agatha pointed out that there wasn't any place on the grounds that suited their needs and let them keep an eye on our uninvited guest.
Caretaker then casted a spell to help identify the man, her arms lit up with runes and sigils. After a moment they just broke and disappeared. Caretaker looked exhausted, Agatha helped her steady herself. Then Caretaker said, "I don't know who he is, but I know what he's not and that's human." Just then the man began stirring as he regained consciousness.
He began stretching but stopped when he met with resistance. He was still for a few moments, then he slowly opened his eyes. His eyes met with Wanda's, then his eyes started darting around while the rest of his body remained still. He sighed and said, "Well this can't be good."
Then Magik said, "We at least we know it speaks English. Now what?" Caretaker stepped forward, eyes glowing, and said, "Give us one reason not to toss you into the nearest void." He blinked a few times, was he processing what Caretaker said or was he thinking of a lie? Wanda didn't know. Then he said, "For starters, as long as my anchor is here in this reality then that idea won't really work. For another..."
His head then turned towards Magik or more specifically the thing she was holding. The thing he was trying to break when they caught him.
"You really should not have grabbed that or really touch it for that matter." He said, and everyone looked at Magik and she looked at the item before immediately dropping it. Agatha immediately pulled Magik away and asked, "What is that item and why shouldn't she have touched it?"
The man said, "That is my anchor or part of it at least." Caretaker spoke up in her usual judgmental tone and said, "An anchor is a means to keep something in place. What's it keeping in place?"
The man unaffected by Caretaker's glare said, "Me and technically my predecessor's lures." Wanda spoke up next, "What kind of lures?" He looked at her for a moment, it felt like he was sizing her up. Then he said, "My predecessor was a creature that fed on despair, pain, and suffering while seasoning it with hope. However, it was also a creature without a place that it could establish itself. And that was a situation it took advantage of. So, it set out lures, looking for two types of people. First are the survivors, people who were either about to die, or were in a position not to be missed or could have their disappearance explained away, usually. The second group however were individuals it needed to play the role of killers. Their responsibility was to torment, hunt, and kill survivors. Killers tend to already have a body count before they're grabbed, whether they're capable of comprehending that fact is optional."
Everyone just stared at him trying to comprehend what he was saying. He continued.
"I was originally a survivor, and due to an arguably very stupid decision I ended up taking its place. Now I do not need to feed on despair, pain, and suffering. And I would've been content remaining in my own realm in isolation. However, I discovered that my predecessor had placed lures throughout existence, and I couldn't remove the lures remotely. So, I have to go to these places to destroy the anchors, because I can't leave until they are destroyed."
Robbie yelled, "That's bull! Things like this don't tell the truth unless they're forced!" He immediately transformed into the Ghost Rider and locked his eyes with the intruder. At that moment, there was a strong breeze flowing through. Which in itself was odd, but Wanda found stranger was the voice she heard on it.
"Duck. I need a mountain tempo in A minor."
Before she could question what she just heard, music began playing again.
[(Ghost) Riders in the Sky - cover by The Blues Brothers]
This time however, everyone could tell where the music was coming from. The artifact, or the Anchor. It started to float off the ground. Blade tried to shoot it, the bullets bounced off, Caretaker tried to grab it with a spell, no reaction. All the while, a growing storm that appeared out if nowhere and started outside was now strong enough to appear as if it's inside. They tried closing the doors with no success. Robbie on the other hand seemed completely unaware what his staring contest was doing. Realizing she needed Robbie's attention, Wanda cast a spell to fling a nearby vase at him.
At that moment three things happened almost simultaneously. First, the song ended. Second, the storm disappeared as quickly as it appeared leaving behind only the mess that was created. Finally, Robbie powered down, just in time for him to get smacked by the vase.
Robbie immediately fell to the ground holding the back of his head. The Anchor also fell to the ground. The loud clank briefly caught everyone's attention before it returned to the guy tied to the chair. He looked around, surveying the damage that was caused, as minor as it was. Then he said, "This was not my fault."
Caretaker in her usual stern voice said, "Care to explain what happened." The man looked at Robbie for a moment than he said, "Well, I believe he was trying to "expose" my true nature by lighting me up. Instead of burning away my "magic," he uhh... well, he temporarily turned my soul into a beacon. Thankfully those who could see it are small in number and it's a even smaller list for those who can follow it here. That being said, I sense at least three on their way here. I don't know how long it will take them, or who they are, just that they are on their way."
Wanda couldn't help but think that getting involved with this individual was going to be very complicated. Their biggest problem was that they had no way of verifying what he was saying. After a few more hours of back and forth, and a few attempts to divine his nature through his anchor. Agatha and Caretaker decided that while he himself wasn't a threat, that they couldn't let him wander off on his own. They unbound him and he formally introduced himself as Nicholas. He was given an empty room, but Caretaker insisted on a ledger giving information on those creatures that battled them when he first appeared, as well as the others he has command over.
Wanda figured it was a way to both keep Nicholas busy and give them much needed information on his capabilities. As long as he was actually being honest. Although that could be a long shot, especially if he was lying from the start.
....
Lilith was holding an odd relic in her hand. She found it in her sarcophagus, shortly after Faust had awaken her. She could feel the power radiating from it. If she used it as a focus she could enhance her own powers many times over.
Of course, as with all things there was a price. Any time she used it her connection to Chthon grew weaker, not that she cared too much about that. But as her connection to Chthon grows weaker she will become more bound to something else. This new entity hasn't made its demands known yet, and honestly she didn't know if it would be worth it.
Currently Faustus, along with a group she came to know as Hydra were searching for the missing pages of the Darkhold. They had improved success after Faustus fused her magic with gamma radiation.
Lilith thought it was funny what these modern people thought was the exclusive realm of science. She wondered how they would react if they learned what they thought as gamma radiation was really pieces of The One Below All.
For some reason they believe that if something can be explained or observed by science then it must be scientific. That fact that they need computers and equations to observe, baffles her somewhat. Even while she slept, Lilith was aware of the changing world. These so called scientists blindly believe whatever their computers tell them. Why? Because they built them and they assume their creations can't be wrong or deceitful.
But how best to show that, she pondered. Then she remembered there are individuals who are empowered by gamma radiation. If she starts manipulating the gamma radiation, she can rob them of their power. Even manipulate them without them realizing anything is a miss. Suddenly a small voice whispered in the depths of her mind. Encouraging her to think about certain possibilities. It was barely audible, so much so Lilith didn't even realize she was hearing it. However, that made it easier to influence her.
....
Nicholas sat in his room. On the surface he was writing about his killers, although he wrote the truth they had no way of verifying. In reality, he had been sending out his crows. Every time Magik opened a portal, Nicholas used that opportunity to summon a crow on the other side. It averaged to about a crow every couple of days.
He had quite a few out there at this point. Gathering information on both the heroes and villains, locating the other half of the anchor, as well as seeing what was available. He couldn't play this like Gotham. Sure he could use his killers to grab anyone who caught his attention, but without the brutal deaths to distract, certain individuals would investigate sooner than he was comfortable with. Maybe when everything kicks off into full gear he could operate with less possibility of being connected.
His thoughts were interrupted by a low distant pain. The kind of pain that told you that it was time to consider eating. Unfortunately, it wasn't something that could be fixed by eating a sandwich. He considered his options, he thought about sneaking out maybe seducing one of the non-powered women. Wouldn't be that hard, the problem is that Caretaker was watching him like a hawk. Constantly checking in on him, plus the regular tracking magic.
Which just left the three currently available. Nico, Magik, or Wanda. Maybe Hunter when the time comes, depending on whether they're male or female. But, that was still a ways away potentially.
Sure he was being friendly, Wanda was even being receptive. Magik was being distant, but given her background that wasn't surprising. Nico was bouncing between being friendly and being suspicious of him. And Caretaker was watching every interaction he had like a hawk. While annoying, it did help distract from the crows. Or maybe they just didn't connect it to him.
Then while sitting an the area between the dorms and the Caretaker's room Nicholas heard a hushed conversation between Caretaker and Agatha. Since the Hellhound pet, Charlie, was sitting in front of him staring at him. He listened to the conversation while staring back at the dog.
"Agatha, my concern is that Wanda is becoming too comfortable with interacting with that thing."
"So, we're going to kick her out because she's being responsible and trying to properly identify Nicholas?"
"Don't go putting words in my mouth. All I'm saying is maybe she would benefit if Strange taught her for a little bit."
There was a pause then something muffled was whispered. A minute later Caretaker and Agatha left Caretaker's room. Caretaker walk passed and instantly noticed that Nicholas and Charlie were in a staring contest. She said, "Why are you staring at Charlie and not writing the book?"
Nicholas without looking aways said, "I finished and handed it to Wanda." Caretaker made a huffing sound and walked away. Nicholas continued the contest with Charlie, he wasn't sure why, but he was committed to winning at this point. The fact that it helped convince Caretaker that he wasn't worth the effort of continuous observation was a bonus.