[hider=original script] - John strangled twin brother in womb; Twin brother was supposed to be next Laughing Magician - Ancestral magicians aren’t happy - Cheryl was a witch. Prodded into history, learnt magic - discovered her lineage and the spirits of their ancestors, as well as the prophecy around John’s twin, and got taken before she could warn John - Now she’s being used to re-incubate johns twin who was supposed to be laughing magician successor - Ancestors are manipulating Cheryl into sending John dreams and visions to draw him in as their magic is now focused on resurrecting his twin - They need John’s soul and suppressed magical power/blood to bring his twin into the world, and to leave a hollow shell body for him to inhabit - John cannot overpower the collective magic of his ancestors alone so he summons a demon - Nergal - and strikes a bargain; John’s soul for the power to defeat the spirits and expel his twin from Cheryl. Nergal agrees, and grants John magical prowess beyond the power of his ancestral spirits - John’s spell goes awry; John’s soul is bound to his twin’s, as well as the collective spirits of the ancestral Laughing Magicians. Cheryl dies, and John’s twin - powerful, but still without physical form - drags her soul to Hell. - John, soul-less, transports himself to Hell in pursuit of Cheryl and his twin. He finds them in Mammon’s kingdom, with his twin amassing power. - John’s twin is now one of the most powerful magical beings in Hell. - Without his soul, John has no magic, and is unable to defeat his twin, and beseeches Nergal and Mammon to help him. Neither Demon believes they have any stake in the fight; John points out to Mammon that his twin could topple him and seize his kingdom for his own. John points out to Nergal that as long as his twin has his soul, Nergal can not claim it while either John or his twin are alive. John points out that his twin will eventually slay both demons regardless of their intentions or participation. Both demons agree to help. John hatches a plan. - Mammon and Nergal allow John a glamour to approach his twin without being vaporised. Once close enough, John proposes a bargain: despite all his twin’s power, he is still just a spectral being, and this unable to live a real life on Earth, or enjoy any physical pleasures and experiences. In return for the safe release of Cheryl’s soul and her resurrection, John offers his body as a host to his twin - His twin accepts, releases Cheryl, and possesses John - thereby returning John’s soul to his body as well. - John, and his twin, are now mortal. However, Still too powerful for Nergal and Mammon to slay. John, now whole again, uses his magical power and battles his twin internally, and manages to wrestle control for a split-second - and kills himself. Dead, Nergal lays automatic claim to John’s soul, tearing it from his twin, removing the anchor that he needed. - Now just a fractured spirit of a 20ish-year dead fetus, Mammon easily banishes John’s twin, along with the spirits of the Laughing Magicians that orchestrated the disaster. - Nergal acts quickly; per a secret bargain made with John, Nergal releases his soul, resurrects John, and attacks Mammon. John has previously pledged to aid him using the power of the Laughing Magician, synchronicity, to usurp Mammon’s throne. - However John double crossed Nergal, knowing he was too unstable to become a Lord of Hell, whereas mammon was content with his position; John warned Mammon, who easily fends off Nergal’s attack, slaying him. Mammon flays Nergal, and fashions his hide into a coat for John as a gift of good faith - and then ejects John from his kingdom, deeming him dangerous, with the coat a symbol that they are ‘even’ - there will be no such good will in future encounters. - John returns home and reunites with Cheryl; despite their survival, both have found the experience traumatic. Though fond of each other, they agree that they should separate, as John is marked; he uses the power of the Laughing Magician to hide Cheryl completely, and vows never to return to England to ensure her safety. - In the pits of hell, Nergal slowly recovers, plotting revenge on John. [/hider] [hider=rewrite script] Mountain Goats - Maybe Sprout Wings Start in a halfway house after release from Ravenwood. Reaching out to Chas for a sofa to sleep on while he finds his feet. [/hider]