Arrival: Team Building

While the others made their preparations, Dante and Jack met the other two. Billy didn’t seem to hold a grudge, though he did seem a bit dejected. He had known Nick Sanderson – the face that Dante wore – and had figured that maybe Shaitan had returned but hadn’t recognised him for some reason. He was apparently the "Billy" that had been mentioned in Alice the Demon's diary as part of the "Creature Clique" run by the demon, Shaitan.

The Blue Spirit wore a blue mask and never spoke, though Dante found that they both knew American Sign Language and communicated with him/her with that.

At one point, though, Dante got to talking privately to Billy about the school. Billy explained that he never visibly aged and had no idea how old he was, though his joints weren’t what they used to be. One day he would just die of old age with no warning. Dante pointed out that if he died of old age then he’d gotten lucky, considering the circumstances.

Billy stated that he had been at that school and how it wouldn’t let him go. If he tried to leave, it would seek revenge. So day after day, year after year, he had to keep going back to the monsters and the students to live out his life in the shadow of this threat. Eventually he got his hands on a dagger and a special crystal that flared with the brightest light. With these tools he went down into the corridors beneath the school knowing that the light would destroy those that attacked him. Unfortunately, after awhile, the light wasn’t enough. The dark would press in around him and the creatures could close it.

Then, at the darkest point, he found a doorway into the abyss and saw himself reflected there only it wasn’t really him. It was a version of him that was hollow and empty. It was a horrible sight, but he placed the crystal to the hilt of the dagger, and thrust the dagger into the doorway/dark mirror, hoping the flare of light would force it closed.

Yet they had made a crucial error in judgement.

The Abyss wasn’t afraid of the light. Only the weird creatures who had roamed the school halls were afraid of that. When he slammed the dagger into the mirror door, it only threw the gates of the Abyss open wide. There was a sudden crash of energies and when he woke up he was on his back in the school yard and there were these things, these demons, whipping around above.

So Billy ran into the Hedge and didn’t look back.

Part of Billy almost feels glad that he freed those Fallen from that awful cage but not at that price.

Dante pointed out that Billy just admitted setting off the apocalypse and that most people he told would kill him out of principle. Billy stated that he knew that and so hadn't told anyone else. For some reason, perhaps because Dante was wearing his friend’s face, he’d felt compelled to tell him. Billy was quite despondant after that little walk down memory lane so Dante made an effort with a Presence + Socialise + Willpower pool of 11 to cheer him (and the others) up during the rest of the training day. The last thing she needed was a suicidal creature during this vital mission.

Besides, it was a little hard to comprehend meeting the person who caused the Apocalypse. Dante didn't really believe it.