Prologue: Inkarnation

A grandfather clock chimes on the hour, making a low, dull, hollow sound. You wake up. You are not where you fell asleep. You are not alone.


The room is some kind of parlor, with wooden furniture and blue velvet. A chaise, a loveseat, two armchairs, all arranged around a small, round table with a checkerboard top. Ivory chess pieces are still arranged mid-game on top. Behind the armchairs is a decorative mantle, decorated with various candles in assorted, non-matching candlesticks, providing the majority of the light in the dim room. The other source of light is intermittent, a flash of lightning from the large windows along two walls. Thunder follows, momentarily deafening out the heavy pattering of rainfall crashing against the glass. The opposite two walls each have a closed door. One is flanked by a pair of bookshelves, their contents containing even at a glance a wide array of differently-styled occupants, with some books being thin and rigid with bright colors and large, bubbly words, and others appearing as if ancient tomes. Both shelves feature this phenomena, it seems.

The other door is flanked by two cabinets containing displays of jars and urns in equal disparity, and in front of one stands a short-haired woman carrying lit, handheld candle holder. She finishes placing an urn in one cabinet and gently shuts the glass door, before turning around. The half of her face that is light by the candle shows no visible surprise as she regards her three guests with intense eyes, even leaning forward to better look at them.



"Oh, you're awake, then. All three of you?" she says calmly, her eyes appraising the three guests one at a time. "Good evening. I realize you may be startled or confused, and I promise to answer all of your questions, but I urge you to try to remain calm. You are safe here, I promise." A faint smile pulls at one corner of her mouth as she finishes appraising the three guests, and straightens up again.

"First, how about introductions? Call me Artie, please... and do sit back down. If you move too quickly you might get nauseous, especially if you aren't used to the air pressure or the climate. Would you mind telling me your names? Do you remember your names?

~

A sad smile crosses Artie's face as she flops down on an open seat and sighs. "A dozen times, and this never gets easier. Well, I suppose that's to be expected," she says more to herself than any of the others. Looking up at Jezebel with her hawk-like eyes, she adds, "At least you clearly remember your name. And you are certainly acting like yourself. Thank goodness; You always were one of my favorites."

Artie claps her hands together once, loudly, and sits up straight. "Right. Questions, then. You are in a library. My drawing room, specifically. Although I doubt it will make sense for now, what I want is simply for you to be safe. And there will be no need to break out; In fact, you are free to leave whenever you wish. With that said, you may wish to at least wait until I've said my piece, for three reasons. Firstly, there is only one method by which you may return to your respective homes, and for you I imagine it will be rather novel." Artie pauses, then snorts to herself, covering her mouth and nose as a smirk crosses her face. "Apologies, that was unintentional. Second, your loved ones will be in danger from a threat none of you have any knowledge of, but I do. Third, it is quite stormy outside, and I haven't got enough umbrellas for all of you."

Standing once again, Artie walks over to one of the bookshelves and begins looking through it, her finger tracing in the air just above the spines. "There really isn't a simple way to explain this, but at least the magical and supernatural isn't foreign to you, so here goes: You are from different worlds than this one. I've pulled you out your own and into mine to protect you from a great danger, and to equip you to return and fight against that danger. It may sound melodramatic, but it is true when I tell you that reality as you each respectively understand it is at stake." One by one, Artie pulls out a total of three books. She holds them up before the guests.

"To put it bluntly, I pulled you from these. Consider them your biographies, if you will." She steps towards the group and gives each guest a single book. "You may read them, but I recommend caution. Start at the beginning, and stay clear of the middle or the end. There are some things better off unseen."

~

It wasn't the first time she had woken up from unconsciousness. Car crashes, a blow to the head, a few too many drinks when they had manage to get hold of some booze. Even an unfamiliar face peering at her wasn't new... the location was however. Even as Artie advises against it she forces herself to stand, to look for danger.

She fighst the nausea as she takes the place in. The shelves they were filled with... books? She'd never seen so many in one place, in good condition, in a building in good condition. 'Fueline would go crazy over this place.' She mutters to herself. Long red hair, unkempt and tangles, falls to her shoulder. Her clothes are warn, covers in grease, and clearly have been patches up many times, with a couple of holes she's yet to see to. Tatoos of birds, mechanical parts, patterns she had just liked the look of peek out under her clothes, clearly covering a large part of her body.

'Axel.. or Kinsey. Guess it depends who's asking.' her eyes fall to the other two with her and Artie. All three looked odd. Clean for one. How did the blonde one manage to get away with that headpiece without having been a target by thieves. One of the prestiged? One who got to live in the city?

'Whoa hey now. Magic? That bs from stories? ' Supernatural, being pulled form another world. What?

As the books is handed to her she looks at it confused. A paperback, average sized. The pulpy cover shows a desert road with a heavily modified truck, spikes and flame decals included. On the drivers side is what could be considered and attractive, grizzled man, and in the passenger seat someone who looks suspiciously like her.

The Death Roads: The First Race. She wasn't the best at reading, though she'd taught herself hear and there from what scraps of manuals and the like she had found. One reason the rest of the lot kept her around. She flipped it over to see two small pictures of a similar style on the back. For more adventures of Gear, Axel and the others check out the next in the Series, Derby of Death, and Drift to the edge.

"Do they not have folk tales in your world, Malin? Wives' tales? Fables? Interesting... I always find it somewhat odd when authors presume storybook worlds don't contain their own genre. But then again, magic is much more common to your people, so perhaps it reeks of inauthenticity when fairy tales fail to mimic your reality," Artie says, sitting down and letting the three peruse their own books.

She smiles and nods when Jezebel compliments the image on her own story. "You think so? I like to think I made improvements this time, but I suppose I'll take a compliment on my older work, as well. Even if it isn't as life-like." Artie gestures at Jezebel herself.

As Kinsey tries to stand, Artie begins to protest and leans forward as if to stand herself, or help Kinsey stand... but sees she isn't needed and sits back down. "Very resilient, I see. I suppose that's to be expected. And yes, magic is real... depending on where you are." She gestures around the room. "Here, it is rather rare, but not impossible or unheard of. Where you're from, it doesn't exist at all."

Artie spreads her hands and gestures to all three of the guests. "In this place, you three are all widely accepted as fictional characters. Made up figments. I have no doubt that you all have a plethora of memories and experiences that would call that persective into question, but the fact remains, you belong inside the worlds within those books. But, for one reason or another, you were... let's say forced out. You would have gone to Oblivion, too, if I hadn't given you life in this world. If you require a demonstration as proof, that can be arranged... tomorrow. I'm quite exhausted tonight. Three in a single day is taxing."

"And again, I would like to reiterate that you are not captives here. You are free to do as you wish. You may remain in this world, difficult as it will be for you to adjust. Or, you can return to your own worlds, and likely die to the monster that invades it. Or..." Artie leans forward, a serious look crossing her face. "...you could work together. Go as a group, one by one, and right the wrong in your respective worlds. Destroy the invaders, save each other."

She sits back. "You have plenty of time to consider. And, to some degree, you can change your minds later. If you do decide to 'flee', as it were, I will let you know that the window latches are along the sides, and unlocked. Please don't shatter the glass in an attempt to escape."

Standing up, Artie turns towards the door flanked by urns and walks over to it, opening it and standing in the doorway. "I'll give you three a moment to yourselves while I prepare tea and some snacks. You can get acquainted with your surroundings, consider you options, perhaps share stories of your own worlds; That ought to prove that I'm not misleading you about that detail. Do remember what I told you about reading too far ahead in your own stories, and about the window latches, if that becomes relevant to your plans." With that, she leaves and shuts the door behind her. If anyone listens for the telltale sound of a lock or latch closing tight, they do not hear it.

The rain continues to patter against the night-stained windows. True to her word, Artie returns after about ten minutes with a small tray, topped with a tea set and a plate of cookies.

"Oh, wonderful! You're all still here. And the windows intact, no less. Excellent." She sets down the tray in reach of everyone and returns to her seat.

"Please, help yourselves. The tea is honey and lavender, it should help you relax. So, have you had enough time to consider my proposal?" She looks around at the room, as if searching for something, and after a few seconds she cocks an eyebrow. Rather than say anything on the matter, she turns back to the group and offers a polite smile. "I take it by the fact that you've bothered to stay means you're at least open to the possibility?"

Artie's eyebrow raises as Kinsey mentions drugs. "Do you have any memory of taking anything before now? I would love to know... I'm always trying to determine the true nature of my magic, and maintaining a high would be a very interesting piece to the puzzle." She smiles, and raises her tea. "And this is what I'm on. I already told you: Lavender."

To Malin, she explains, "Cars are carts drawn by magic, not by beasts" She glances over at Kinsey once again, as if expecting another protest at the mention of magic, but either way, she looks back to Malin and adds, "Oh, I'm so glad you enjoy it! You're very welcome."

To Jezebel's question, she replies, "Well, to some degree, that's still up to you. Inside each of your books, a creature much like a doppleganger has taken your place. It is... not intending to be a perfect copy, however. It, unlike the rest of you, knows the books pages, even while within it, and can use that knowledge to alter it. If you return on your own, you will become just another character, and very quickly the doppleganger will use its power to destroy you once and for all."

"I propose you fight fire with fire. If all three of you go into a book together, you will have two outsiders on your side. They wont be as powerful as the doppleganger, but they are quite undefined by the pages of the book, and so the enemy will have little to no control over them. At least not immediately."

"If all three of you agree to work together, and help each other return their worlds to normal, then I can return each of you to your original worlds. They won't be... perfectly unaltered. But you can return to your friends and family once again. Perhaps get back to your lives' goals? Or even settle down once and for all, if that is your wish."

Artie sets down her tea cup and sits back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other. "If any of you reject this proposal, it will not be a burden on the others' choices. I can, in time, summon another person from another world suffering a similar invader. You all do have the option of simply going back to your own world and... well, giving it your best shot. But that has never worked, not even once. You may choose to remain here, as I've said, but you will need to become comfortable with the fact that your old world will, over time, become entirely lost to you."

"And before anyone even considers asking, no, I will not find you another world to inhabit."

Artie chuckles at Kinsey's losing battle to explain cars in a suitable fashion, but she waves her hand almost dismissively when Kinsey asks how she can be useful. "To Malin and her world, your understanding of technology is indistinguishable from magic. Almost all engineering operates on principles of physics and chemistry that often do not change from world to world... you may very well be the most knowledgeable - and thus powerful - women in this room."
To Jezebel's question, Artie replies, "No, you won't be changed at all. In fact, the book will not acknowledge you exist, at first... and it is in your interest to keep it that way. After all, the doppleganger can read the story, even within the book... but they are not omniscient. So long as you do not interfere with the plot of the novel, it will not realize you have entered."

"But..." She adds, holding up a finger. "...you do not have endless time. The original protagonist - one of you - will still be recognizable. And while the story will not attempt to follow you, major characters will recognize you and confuse you with the doppleganger. Over time, this will cause complications. And if the doppleganger discovers you, it will write you back into the story as soon as possible in order to destroy you once and for all."
Artie's smile fades, and she shakes her head. "Be very cautious of that sort of thinking. You are more than is written in your book, I can tell you that much... you have thoughts, feelings, and memories that have never and will never appear in the pages. But would you exist if the book did not? I cannot say... and I could not tell you what the book's author thought about you beyond what is written. I can tell you that when I summoned you, I did not feel as if I was creating life, but pulling you from somewhere else. Let that be enough for you."

Between Malin and Kinsey asking about time, Artie shakes her head again. "Time is a strange thing, and something that none of us perceive perfectly. Suffice to say that past and future are no different from each other besides perspective. When I read your books, I have quite a bit of control over time in your world... I might read fast or slow, or skip back and forth. I can reread it as many times as I wish. Your confusion only comes from visiting a perspective outside of what is normal."


Letting all the introductions play out, Artie waits for a lull in the conversation, then asks, "If you will all permit me something of a personal question... after taking in all of this information, about various worlds, doppelgangers, each others' worlds... what frightens you the most? Do feel free to lie, if you wish, but know that I don't ask frivolously." She pauses, looks around, and then smiles. "And after that... who would like some dinner, or perhaps some sleep? I would offer a tour of the library, but I myself will need to recuperate, and so I'd like to make certain the three of you are comfortable before I retire."

Artie chuckles. "Hell it may be, depending on your point of view. But no, this is not the worst place you could be, Miss Gloome."

She stands up and begins to gather up the tea supplies. "A very natural fear to have, Princess Malin. Although I wonder if you really are a static thing, something true and preordained, unchanging regardless of the forces that push and pull on you... wouldn't that make you little more than a character written in a book?"

When she has completed regathering the snacks and refreshments, she smiles at Kinsey. "Would you be as afraid if you went to a world with technology beyond your understanding? Or would you believe that you could learn what you do not know? If so, how is that different from magic?"

She tilts her head and laughs. "I apologize, ladies... I ask questions for my own understanding, not to judge your fears. I promise, come morning, I will give you something to ease your nerves. But to do that, I must retire soon. Please allow me to show you your rooms, and the rest of the library - the kitchen is a must, of course - and then allow me to get some rest. I will have a busy morning... no doubt you will be busy shortly thereafter."

She opens the door she used before and holds it for the other three, beckoning them to come along, and giving them a minute to collect themselves. Once everyone who wishes to has exited, she begins the rather short tour of the facility.

The hallways are long, dimly lit with flickering, electric lanterns, and dotted with doors. Each door, according to Artie, leads to reading rooms, lecture halls, and even one copier's room. Peeking in the door will reveal each room has a different layout... some with a lectern and rows of desks and chairs facing it, others with larger desks outfitted with writing supplies, all grouped in clusters and facing each other. Each room, invariably, has more books in it, and separated in some kind of category, for they at least look similar to each other with a cursory glance.

At one point, Artie takes a door and enters a rather clean and aesthetically non-conforming kitchen. The appliances (perhaps unfamiliar) are largely chrome and shiny, stainless steel to anyone familiar. The stove gas powered, the countertops are a blue-veined marble. The cabinets, on the other hand, are wooden and carved, fitting much more coherently with the rest of the library. While Artie goes to the sink to rinse out the used dishes, she invites everyone to make use of the kitchen as they see fit, so long as they clean up after themselves, and gives a quick summary of where everything can be found. Looking through the pantry and the refrigerator finds it stocked to the brim, and the spice cabinet lacks nothing, containing spices and herbs both familiar and strange.

Artie finishes putting away what she used for tea, and claps her hands together with a smile. "Well, I hope you all make yourselves at home. My quarters are just across the hall, out that door." She points to the door in question. "The other bedrooms are also there, and you will find them all clean and with made beds... pick any that suit your fancy. There is a clock in each room, and instructions next to it on how to make it wake you up at a specific time, if you like. You will also find the door locks from the inside, and the key is in the nightstand drawer. I myself will never enter your room if the door is shut, locked or not, but I understand this is still a strange place for you all. Goodnight, ladies." She takes her leave.