The Highway West Andrew 258
Chapter Eight: Reflections
"Because we are not given to know when we will die, we tend to think of life as an inexhaustible well and everything happens only a certain number of times. A very small number really. How many times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood? An afternoon so deeply ingrained in your psyche that you can't imagine your life without it?"
-Brandon Lee in an interview three days before his tragic death
He took the final steps with his companion. To his surprise, it was not with Cassie, Marguerite, Caliban, or Ruthie that he faced his final moment. It was the one creature who was his total polar opposite, the yang to his yin, Bucky. As he looked down the Pit, his stomach soured. In the end, he knew that the ultimate sacrifice would be his. He knew that for the others to live, he had to die.
Elijah nearly jumped out of his bed before he realized that he had only been dreaming. The thought struck him like a blow to the head. The last time he remembered dreaming was when he was a child. Chiyanbara training taught him how to master his mind and forge his will into a wall of iron. Unfortunately, the process also tamed his imagination. Elijah walled his sleep from dreaming. To his knowledge, he had never had a nightmare.
After rubbing his eyes, Elijah glanced around the room. All of his treasured possessions were here. Somehow Jack had managed to transport his soft bed, dresser, clothes, and books from Tagami Towers to the Bar. In the far corner of the room, Tagami's ancient oak desk waited for him. On the desk were Tagami's pictures and paintings, just like he had left them before Lucian killed him. Elijah walked over to the desk and checked the drawers. The scrolls, Tagami's legacy, were safe.
The mysterious Egyptian woman seemed more familiar to Elijah. Somehow she was tied to his past. The more Elijah pondered his past, the more questions he had. Why would Tagami send Elijah into the future? And how did he travel in time? Why did Tagami kidnap Elijah? Why did Tagami leave with MacDuff? Who was this dark woman? Elijah had tried to skim the scrolls but could not understand the language. It had to be an ancient root language for Mandarin Chinese. The characters were totally different than anything he had ever seen before, yet the pages looked as though they were no more than sixty years old. Attempting to translate the scrolls would take months that Elijah did not have. Elijah Kincaid only knew one way to solve the mystery earlier; the tapestry.
To his surprise, Caliban had not moved an inch since Elijah had retired to his room for the evening. Caliban sat quietly in Delilah's chair watching the tapestry. The tapestry flickered as though it were a small bonfire; the patterns and colors constantly mutated. Caliban seemed intent on discovering the timing of the pattern. Awed, Elijah joined him. "Have you found a method to the madness?"
Caliban looked over at Elijah, who was wearing black robes with a red dragon design on the back. "Yes. The patterns ahead of us change constantly, waffling between the colors and the darkness. I find that comforting, yes?"
Elijah smiled. "So the future is uncertain. I think I like that."
"Perhaps then you will not die as Cassie predicted, yes?"
Elijah nodded grimly. Caliban smiled wickedly. "If I can, I will lend you a hand, yes?"
Elijah groaned. "I have always suspected that there is a special level of Hell designed for those who abuse the English language."
Caliban chuckled. It sounded like gravel scrapping against a chalkboard. "In my defense, I am used to having my nights to myself. Speaking of which, have you slept well tonight? I expected all of you to be asleep by now, yes?"
Elijah sighed. "I. . .have had nightmares."
"After what we have been through, I almost expected it."
"Have you had nightmares?" Elijah asked.
"No. My kind does not dream as you do. Memories become movies inside of our heads. Sometimes. . .when we're lucky we can catch a glimpse of a future memory."
Elijah eyed Caliban with interest. "Are you saying that you can see into the future?"
"I believe that all of us can. Have you ever experienced Deja Vu? Yes. Of course you have. Have you ever known what was going to happen, even though you could not prevent it? I, and I believe others of my kind, experience this feeling more so than others. The full power of the mind has yet to discovered, yes?."
Elijah slumped into the leather chair disappointed. "I was hoping you could give me insight into what is happening."
"The dreams don't work like that. Its more of a sudden flash just before the event. I doubt it would help us much. However, if we brainstormed we might be able to piece together the clues we have been given, yes?"
Eager, Elijah pulled the chair closer to his friend. "Excellent. Then let us begin with the tests. I must admit that I am rather puzzled."
Caliban scratched his monstrous chin. "Yes. The tests have bothered me as well. Before now, I would have thought time travel would not have worked in that way."
"Why is that?"
Caliban shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure. Perhaps it is all of the science fiction that I have read. In the stories, a living being can not exist in the same second twice."
"Yet, each of us did this and we were okay," Elijah interjected.
"Yes. This could mean that either we never went back into time or that time does not work as we thought."
Elijah pondered his words. "True, but I believe that we did go back into time. I have paintings of Tagami that date back to the nineteenth century which would suggest that he also traveled in time."
"Or that he was a vampire."
"He was not a vampire," Elijah stated coldly.
"I remember that Delilah said something to the effect that you failed your test but Tagami saved you, yes?" Caliban asked.
Intrigued, Elijah tried to remember her exact words. "I believe so. She said something about a double paradox."
"Is it possible that Tagami was changing time at the same time as we were?"
"What do you mean?"
Caliban stood and began pacing in a circle as though he were a professor. "What if Tagami purposely acted to keep your history intact?"
"How could he have done that?" Elijah asked.
"Did you not say earlier, before you went to sleep, that MacDuff figured out who you were by mentioning Xanadu?"
Elijah smiled. "Yes, he did! How would he know about Xanadu unless he had been here or knew of the Five?"
Caliban stopped and pointed at the Chiyanbara. "Correct. Knowing who you were, MacDuff killed his own men. Tagami stopped you from killing him, yes? It was almost as though he knew you were going to attack MacDuff."
"He must have known about the Five also," Elijah added.
"Then, Tagami stopped you from changing your past and ironically created the situation that lead to you joining us," Caliban concluded.
"Irony had nothing to do with it. Tagami knew."
"I believe he did. If he stopped you from changing your past, then all of us must have travel through time," Caliban guessed.
"This line of reasoning is shaky."
"It is shakier than the skirt of a belly dancer, yes?"
Elijah laughed. "You have a keen mind."
"It is all that I will have left."
"I do not understand."
"The longer I remain in this form the more detached I become. Eventually I will lose all that I am and be left with nothing but a keen mind," said the Fallen.
"What about Cassie? You love her, do you not?"
"I do not know. Once I would have scorned her. She is not the type of girl I would have been interested in. I would have called her a pig and laughed at her. Now. . .she is all that stirs passion in me," Caliban told him.
"Then surely you can love her. Both of you will live almost forever," Elijah protested.
"Yes and as time passes the passion will slowly dissolve until I feel nothing. It is better this way."
"But you are giving up!"
"No. I'm giving Cassie a better life. She'll be able to find someone to love her. I know. I've seen him."
"Is there no way we can. . .end your curse?"
"I know of only one way. . .death," Caliban stated.
"That is not what I have in mind."
"And what do you have in mind for Marguerite?" Caliban asked, quickly changing the subject.
"Marguerite? What do you mean?" Elijah asked.
"It is now my nature to watch others. I can no longer stop myself. I noticed the look on your face when you were protecting her from the rest of us when we were trying to force her back through the portal. I saw how she watched over you when you were knocked out. You have a chance with Marguerite that I will never have with Cassie. Together you can be happy, even if it is for a short while."
"What is my life compared to a life that could live until the end of time?"
"You could always ask her to Assimilate you. That could stop your death," Caliban suggested.
"No. I may only be a mortal, but I am my own man."
Caliban continued to pace around Elijah. "Then for a short while, you could have happiness. Why not take it?"
"Would we be happy? I doubt it. We are alike and we can sense that. Cassie's vision has sparked a little curiosity. It is nothing more."
"Perhaps you should talk to her," Caliban suggested.
"Now is not the time."
Caliban studied Elijah. He would never risk pain for himself, but for others he would jump into the abyss. "Now is the perfect time. In a few hours or days we may be fighting this Shadow Lord and if there is a question of relationships it might hurt all of us."
The Chiyanbara considered his words carefully. "You are right. I will speak to her as soon as she wakes up."
Caliban nodded, slightly. "If I am correct, she is already awake. You might want to check."
"I will do that. Thank you," Elijah said.
Caliban smiled. Although Elijah had gotten used to his putrid face, Caliban's smile could sour milk. "You are quite welcome," Caliban replied.
As Elijah walked down the hall to towards the bedrooms, Caliban turned towards the tapestry. It had changed again since he had last looked. This time, two of the five threads merged, shifting to pink.
Like a child checking on a sleeping parent, Marguerite slowly opened the door to Ruthie's room. The vampire crept around the corner to see Ruthie sleeping on a large wooden bed with an immense lace canopy. Unlike her used furniture at Sister Mary's, Ruthie's beautiful dresser, desk, and bed were carved with the same intricate design. Marguerite wondered if she had stepped into a fairy tale. Marguerite decided that if this was a fairy tale, Ruthie would have to be the beautiful princess which would leave her in the role of evil step-sister.
The walls were covered with posters from Christian rock bands that Marguerite did not recognize. The stark contrast between the posters and the fancy furniture seemed odd to Marguerite.
On the desk was a small porcelain figurine of Jesus carrying the cross. Curious, she walked over to it and examined it. Unlike other images of Jesus that Marguerite had seen before, this Jesus was a strong man with large muscles. The porcelain Jesus carried His cross like a lumberjack. The face of the figurine looked familiar. It was almost as though she had seen this face before. The face was gentle, strong, powerful, and loving all at once. It had the splendor of an untamed mountain.
Ruthie turned rolled over in her sleep which alarmed Marguerite, who almost dropped the figurine. Returning the figuring to the dresser, Marguerite examined Ruthie.
She wore a long white nightgown that looked as though it had been teleported from the Middle Ages. Even as she watched Ruthie, her mystical blood rumbled with hunger. She could smell Ruthie's blood calling to her. It had been a long time since she last fed. Memories of Ruthie's sweet tasting blood caused her mouth to water. If she took a small amount of blood, Ruthie would never know.
Her eyes turned scarlet. She loved Ruthie more than she would admit, but her hunger loomed over her. It was liking being trapped inside someone else body and watching through their eyes. She felt her lower jaw extend and reveal her fangs. Ruthie's sweet sweat dripped off her body. Her ears detected every slow beat of her heart. Ruthie would sleep through the Assimilation and never know.
Step! Step! Step! Someone was walking down the hallway!
Ruthie opened her eyes to see a normal looking Marguerite standing over her. She wiped the sleep out of her eyes, stretched, and smiled at Marguerite. "Is something wrong, Honey?"
Marguerite looked towards the figurine and away from Ruthie. "No. I was just checking on you. We've had a couple of weird days and I wanted to make sure you're okay."
Ruthie smiled. "It feels good to sleep in a comfortable bed."
"Good," Marguerite muttered.
Ruthie propped a few of her fluffy pillows under her neck and smiled. "Sit down and we can talk," Ruthie offered.
"I should go."
"Is there something you're not telling me, honey?" Ruthie asked.
"No."
"Its Sylvia, isn't?" Ruthie questioned her.
The vampire took a deep breath. "We did our best, didn't we?"
"I still can't believe she willingly became a vampire. No offense," Ruthie said, trying not to be rude.
"None taken. A lot of people are fascinated with vampires. And I have to admit when I was a mortal the fantasy was nice. Think about it. You live forever. You never have to grow old. You gain power. . . a lot of power. But. . .you lose a lot."
"I see what you mean. I would almost be tempted myself," Ruthie admitted.
Marguerite laughed. "I can't believe that."
Knock. Knock.
Ruthie and Marguerite looked at each other, surprised. "Come in," Ruthie replied.
Elijah Kincaid opened the door. "Excuse me. I am not intruding on you, am I?" he asked.
"No," Marguerite replied quickly before Ruthie could respond.
"May I speak to you alone, Marguerite?" Elijah asked.
Marguerite looked over at Ruthie who seemed as puzzled as she was. "Uh. . .sure," she replied.
Cassie Byron thought about her new life as she wrote in her diary. She thought of all of the people she had met: Caliban, Ariel, Elijah, Marguerite, Ruthie, Bucky, Morrison, Jim Morrison, Delilah, MacDuff, the other old vampire that was wearing the cowboy suit, the black vampire with the dreadlocks, Sylvia, Jack, and the psycho spider woman. There seemed to be a pattern just outside of her perception. She thought that by writing her thoughts down she might contain and tame them. Frustrated, Cassie set down her diary and looked around the room.
Jack had brought most of her bedroom, including her neo-gothic industrial posters, to the Bar. Cassie wandered how many days it would take before her parents noticed that her stuff was gone. The next time she visited earth, Cassie vowed to call them.
She tried to find an interesting book on her bookshelf, but none of them appealed to her. Fantasy books seemed docile. Slipping into a silk robe, Cassie decided to scout around the bar. Maundering down the hall, she slipped bumping into a shelf. The force of the impact knocked a heavy hard cover book onto her head. Irritated, she picked up the book glancing at the cover: The Eternal War by Jamilla Ashante.
Curious, she flipped the book to examine its back. A large black and white photograph of an old black woman with thick glasses greeted her. Stunned, she thought she would drop the book. This was the woman from her vision.
"Well, what do you want?" Marguerite asked.
Elijah glanced around the smoky game room. He pulled darts from the wall and practiced hitting the target. His mind raced trying to find the right words. "I just wanted to express my. . .thanks for protecting me during my test."
Marguerite smiled. It was a soft grin, not the usual smirk. "No problem, you stopped them from making me go back. I won't forget that."
"I am sorry about your parents," Elijah added.
"Don't be. You didn't kill them," Marguerite replied, losing her grin.
Undaunted, Elijah continued. "I was not apologizing, but expressing empathy. I lost my parents, as well. All that I had was Tagami. Now he is gone as well. I know how you feel."
The smile returned. "Yeah, sorry for jumping on you like that. I'm a little sensitive."
"We are all sensitive right now."
The vampire sighed. It was her turn. She threw three darts and missed the dart board each time. "I'm better at pool," she said indicating green game table.
Concerned, Elijah gazed into her eyes. "Are you feeling well? You look as though you are sick."
"Gee, thanks."
"I mean it. You look unwell."
Marguerite wiped sweat from her brow. She could smell the blood pulse through Elijah's veins like a freight train. His blood would be healthy and taste like pure power. Kincaid's handsome face looked confused. Her instincts demanded her to take him. She could taste his flesh in her mind. As the blood exchanged, Marguerite would take him inside of her and drain him dry.
"Marguerite, I can help you," Elijah whispered to her.
Marguerite's scarlet eyes flashed, startling him. "No you can't!" she growled.
Elijah's first instinct was to draw Ascalon, but he had left it in his room.
It took all of his will not to flinch from her or attack. Calmly, he looked Marguerite in her scarlet eyes. "What is wrong with you?"
"You'd better leave! It has been a while since I have fed. I'm already starting to hallucinate!" she warned.
Nervous, he swallowed the spit in his mouth. "How much blood do you need?"
"It's hard to control. Can't contain it."
"How much do you need?"
"Don't know. Should only need a little to get me through the night."
"Will I be able to fight when the time comes?"
"I don't know. You should be okay after a few hours. Until then, you'll feel slow and sluggish."
"Do it."
Marguerite extended her hand to Elijah, who accepted it. As she moved closer to Elijah, she felt her mystical blood rage with excitement. Elijah closed his eyes and leaned his neck back waiting for the Assimilation. As she bit into his neck, Marguerite was surprised by the sheer power of his will and personality. Ruthie abandoned herself within the Assimilation, Elijah gently allowed Marguerite inside of his protective walls that were as strong as a cathedral. While she felt the weight of his will, he felt her depth of passion. He could sense the well of love that Marguerite had left almost untapped.
Both of them found it difficult to stop. It was almost as though both wanted to be drained dry. Through a sheer force of will, Elijah and Marguerite parted. Elijah had looked into Marguerite's eyes and found that she had lost her hard look. It was almost as though they had tapped the well. Marguerite looked towards the wound in Elijah's neck.
Elijah smiled, pulling the vampire closer. This time he kissed her neck. She breathed deeply, shivering. Slipping out of her leather jacket, Marguerite wrapped her arms around his waist holding him tightly. Elijah's blacks robes parted revealing flesh and white undergarments.
He stared into her glowing eyes, aroused with love. "Not here."
The vampire did not reply. She smiled slyly, holding Elijah by the hand, leading him to her room.
Cassie dropped the book on her bed. Jamilla Ashante was a professor of history and had researched myths from across the globe. The archetype that interested her the most was the end of the world myth. This mortal knew about the Eternal War and had appeared in her vision. She had to tell the others.
Caliban, she found, was watching the tapestry. Ruthie, she found, sleeping in her room. She mentioned that Elijah and Marguerite were talking in the game room. Curious, Cassie investigated and discovered a worn leather jacket left on the floor. Worried, she darted to Elijah's room and burst in. The room was empty and he had left his sword next to the bed. Frantic, she raced to Marguerite's room and broke through the door.
A shape that vaguely reminded Cassie of a horse wormed under the sleeping bag on the mattress in the corner. "Oh my God!"
Marguerite and Elijah poked their sweating heads out from under the sleeping bad. "Cassie, what the Hell are you doing?" the vampire barked.
Elijah blushed and hid under the covers as though he were a turtle.
"Sorry," Cassie muttered as she began to close the door.
"Cassie, wait!" Elijah called to her.
Cassie turned and opened the door slightly. "I didn't mean to interrupt, but I found a clue about my vision. Two of them as a matter of fact. I thought the five of us should get together and then I found Marguerite's jacket on the floor."
"And you thought someone attacked us so broke in here."
Marguerite smiled. "We'll she's party right."
Elijah and Cassie blushed. "Anyway, we're all meeting in the Tapestry Room. So, when your done, I guess ya can meet us there."
"So what's the big deal?" Marguerite asked Cassie.
"This," Cassie told them as she showed them the book.
"So it's a book? What's the big deal?" Marguerite questioned her harshly.
"The Eternal War is a strange topic for a mortal writer, yes?" Caliban muttered, deep in thought.
Jack lit his stogie. The stench of the cheap cigar flooded the room. "That's cause she's not a mortal."
"What?" Cassie asked, confused.
"She's a Sentinel. One of the oldest living humans on earth."
"I thought you said there were no more Sentinels," Elijah asked Jack.
Jack chuckled. "You weren't paying attention. I said there weren't any new Sentinels. A few of the older ones are still out there. Jamilla isn't much of a fighter. She's a teacher."
"So we should find the remaining Sentinels and kick ass," the vampire suggested.
"The problem is you can't find them. Eternals can't be tracked, except by their Guides," Jack replied.
Caliban narrowed his eyes at Jack. "And you are a guide, yes?"
Jack took another long drag from his stogie while he considered his words. "And I can only act on orders given from my boss. So until then, you're on your own."
"We have to find her. She was in my vision," Cassie insisted.
"You mean the one where I am dead," Elijah added.
Marguerite looked into Elijah's eyes and knew that he was afraid. She looked down to her flat stomach and tried to imagine it carrying a new life. "I guess we weren't exactly trying to change the future."
"Is the Shadow Lord mentioned in the book?" Elijah asked, trying to change the subject.
"All that is mentioned about the Shadow Lord is that he is the heir to Morgana le Faye," Cassie answered.
"Isn't she the one that screwed the fairies over?" Marguerite asked.
Although Cassie had never met Morgana, the image of her betrayal set her emotions on edge. A long buried racial memory still burned with hatred. "Yeah. She's the one."
Elijah took a long, deep breath. If he was going to die, he would rather fight than wait for his death. He had his brief moment with Marguerite. That would have to do. "We can wait no longer."
"Yeah, I'm not going to be able to rest until we start getting some answers," Cassie agreed.
The vampire took a quick look at Elijah. The next battle could be his last. She could try to protect him. No. That would be like trying to stop a force of nature, she decided. "Then let's get off our asses."
Caliban stood and began pacing. "The problem is that we know nothing about the Shadow Lord and do not even have an idea of where to start looking for him, yes?"
"We also know zip about the First Seal of Creation and what we're supposed to do with it," Marguerite added, frustrated.
The fairy watched Jack Covell smoke his stogie with a smile. "I don't suppose you could tell us what we need know?"
"I can't answer that one, sweetness. You know the rules."
Caliban stopped his pacing a foot short of the crackling magical tapestry. "We can use the tapestry. If it can show us MacDuff, then it should be able to show us this Shadow Lord, yes?"
Ruthie smiled, putting her hand on the Fallen's shoulder. The touch chilled him. "Good idea, Caliban."
"It would only show us the turning point in the Shadow Lord's history," the Fallen added.
"My Sensei taught me to know your enemy as you know yourself and victory will be yours," Elijah told them as he stepped closer to the tapestry.
Elijah stared into the enchanted threads that would lead him to the Shadow Lord. It was like trying to find a peculiar piece of sand on a beach. Every time he thought he found the thread, three more threads would distract him. It was almost as though the thread was hiding from him.
"I can not find it," Elijah muttered, frustrated.
Jack blew a smoke ring across Elijah's face. "A few of the Old Ones can cloak themselves like the Eternals. The tapestry can always find a single thread, but the user sometimes finds that the thread moves to hide itself."
Elijah gritted his teeth. "Then how are we to find out about the Shadow Lord?"
Jack smiled and wave his arms in an open gesture. "I'm not allowed to answer that question. I wish I could help."
"If we have Jamilla's guide to the end of the world then we have to have something on the First Seal of Creation, right?" Marguerite asked.
Jack chuckled as though a favorite student had just solved a difficult problem. "We have several volumes on magical and mystical items. I'd be happy to show them to you."
"You're the scholar, Dudley. You and Caliban should go with them," the vampire told the vampire hunter.
The thought of research brought a small measure of cheer to Caliban. "Good idea. We'll find the volume and return with it, yes?"
As Jack led Elijah and Caliban down the hallway, they discussed research techniques. Hearing them debate the correct method to establish an exact date made Marguerite glad she decided to remain in the tapestry room. Tired, Marguerite slouched on the couch next to Ruthie.
"So?" Cassie asked Marguerite.
"So what?" Marguerite replied innocently.
"What were you doing licking Elijah's neck under the sleeping bag?" Cassie asked.
"What?" Ruthie asked, feeling jealous and shocked.
"I wasn't licking his neck!" Marguerite told Cassie.
"Then what were you doing?" Ruthie asked.
"I have to fed each night. Elijah volunteered. We got a little carried away. End of story," Marguerite explained.
"He let you feed from him?" Ruthie asked.
"Yeah. He knew I was going crazy from not eating," Marguerite told her.
"It looked like he was doing more than donating blood," Cassie replied with a smile.
"He was keeping me alive. That's it!" Marguerite barked.
"If you say so," Cassie said reluctantly. She paused a few seconds and started to hum the music to the childhood classic Elijah and Marguerite sitting in a tree, K I S S I N G.
Ruthie opened her mouth as though she were about to speak, but Marguerite's shriek sent Cassie to her room to change. She returned with a thin black lace dress that looked as though it had been cannibalized from parts of a wedding dress and a funeral dress.
"Are all of your dresses like that, honey?" Ruthie asked.
"You're trying to lecture me on style! Ha!" Cassie mocked her.
Ruthie put on her best, soothing smile. "I was simply suggesting that you might want to wear something else for what we have a head of us."
Cassie shook her head. "Whenever I switch forms, I'm going to lose my dress anyway. So what does it matter?"
"People might get the wrong idea about you," Ruthie informed her.
"Oh and wearing jeans and an Amy Grant sweater is going to scare the Shadow Lord into giving up," Cassie mocked her.
"That's not what I meant," Ruthie told her.
"No. What you meant was that I'm dressed like a slut, isn't it?" Cassie asked.
"No," Ruthie stuttered.
"Then what? Am I too fat to wear this? What? I want to know," Cassie insisted.
"We are representing God and as such we should not dress as though we're going to a funeral," Ruthie informed her.
"Look! I know you're used to a nice country church where everyone's dressed like they just walked out of a Macy's catalogue but I have news for you, you're all full of shit! That's right, you heard me! You get so wrapped up in wearing the right thing, saying the right thing, making sure you don't break any of God's laws that you lose everything! That is not for me!" Cassie barked.
"Besides, I represent myself. If God wants to be represented, let him get of His ass and come down here himself," Marguerite added.
The heavy footsteps of Caliban cut off Ruthie's reply. There is a fine line between expressing ideas and beating your audience over the head with them. Ruthie had decided long ago, she would never cross it.
"You guys find anything?" Marguerite bellowed.
Ruthie rolled her eyes. On the other hand, she was going to teach them manner even if she had to drag them by their ears on Judgment Day.
Caliban dropped a large leather bound book that looked as though it weighted fifty pounds onto the table. A small dust mushroom cloud erupted from the ancient text. "I believe we have, yes?"
"Just try one cigar. I promise you'll love it," Jack told Elijah as they entered the room.
"What the Hell is that?" Marguerite asked, pointing at the book.
"It is an tome written in ancient Greek. We think that it had once belonged to Aristotle at his school in Alexandria," Elijah explained.
Cassie shrugged her shoulders. "It looks like a book to me."
Elijah sighed. "Not a tomb as in gravestone, but a tome. Think of it as a book made before printing presses were invented."
"So what's the tomb about?" Ruthie inquired.
Elijah smiled. "It is a collection of observations on magical artifacts."
"One of which is the First Seal of Creation," Caliban added.
"What's it say?" Marguerite asked.
Elijah carefully flipped open the book. The pages had been magically treated to prevent yellowing from age. The manuscript flowed like a work of art. "The Greeks referred to the First Seal of Creation as the Avatar of Dionysus. According to this tome, the Seal is not evil exactly."
"Wait a minute? You know how to read Greek?" Cassie asked.
Elijah gritted his teeth. "As a child, Tagami taught me several languages, including Greek."
The vampire winked at the fairy. "Didn't you do anything fun as a kid, Dudley?" Marguerite asked.
"That was my fun," Elijah protested. Marguerite sighed.
"If the Seal is not evil, then what is it?" Ruthie asked, trying to bring everyone back onto the subject at hand.
"The Seal is a personification of chaos. Whomever carries the Seal is granted their greatest desires and passions. When the Seal has corrupted the wearer to its satisfaction it moves on to its next victim."
Ruthie clutched her bible closer. "Sounds evil to me."
Elijah paused to consider his words. "Evil is not the right word. For an example if you wore the Seal it would try to convince you to start a holy war against Satan. The Seal thrives on chaos and conflict. It's power comes from the triangle. Somehow, because the triangle is an oddity of nature, it can work its magic within a specific area."
"Then how come we haven't heard of this Seal before?" Cassie asked.
"Oh we have. It hasn't always been called the First Seal of Creation, but it has existed. Merlin, and later Morgana le Faye, wore the Seal around their neck. The Norsemen that eventually invaded Rome had many stories concerning a medallion of chaos which became known as the Gift of Loki. What about the Devil's Triangle? Supposedly, Atlantis had been in the middle of that ocean triangle. What happened to it? The Aztecs have many symbols of triangles in their pantheons. If you look at every major drastic change in world history, you can find triangles somewhere. I am not saying that this seal is the cause of it all, but there is a case for its existence," Elijah told them.
Ruthie twirled a lock of blond hair as she thought about Elijah's words. "If the wearer gets corrupted, we can't touch it."
"There are two exceptions to the rule," Caliban replied.
"What are those?" Cassie asked.
Caliban scratched his chin. "A mortal with iron will can with stand the corruption or one who had the touch of Dionysus: madness."
The vampire smiled. "Then Elijah can hold it."
Cassie looked at Marguerite as though she were insane. "Why?"
She took a step close to Elijah and spun so that the entire group could see her face. "He has a will like you can't believe. I thought it was luck when he broke Gideon's control back in the Viper Room. If it had been any of us we would have been out of the fight licking his boots, but Elijah broke the link. When Elijah volunteered to feed me earlier I felt his will. If he picks of this seal, he'll kick ass and take names."
Elijah smiled as if to say thank you to the vampire. "OK, then how do we destroy it?" Cassie asked.
Elijah shrugged his shoulders. "That we do not know. The Greeks tried everything they could think of, including dragonfire, but failed. We will have to figure that out once we capture it."
"All we have to do now is find the asshole," Marguerite stated.
Caliban paced around the tapestry. "That will be easier said then done, yes? If MacDuff could not cloak himself and the Shadow Lord can, it's going to be difficult when we do catch him."
Jack blew a smoke ring towards Caliban. "I hate to say it, but MacDuff can cloak himself. He just chose not to."
A series of words clicked inside Ruthie's head sparking a powerful epiphany.
"I have an idea, but Elijah won't like it."
"What is it?" Cassie asked sarcastically.
Ruthie continue, oblivious to the bitterness. "Why don't we ask MacDuff. I bet he knows."
Cassie rolled her eyes. "Like he's going to tell us."
"Why wouldn't he tell us?" Caliban asked.
Concerned that his friends might be considering this action, Elijah wrinkled his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
"Did you not say that MacDuff had an interest in our success? If this is true, then he will want us to succeed, yes?"
"He is evil."
Caliban continued to pace around the tapestry as though he were dancing around a bonfire. "True, but I am certain he does not want demons invading what he considers to be his city. Besides, this might have something to do with his mother, yes?"
"He had Tagami killed. For that he will die."
"Does it have to be today? I mean, Tagami wanted you to join the Five. So he must have thought what we're going is important," Cassie added.
"He and Bucky will die."
Caliban stopped and pointed a gnarled finger at Elijah. "Maybe you don't understand. Tagami was fated to die so that you could join us. It is a harsh fact but you must except it. Bucky knew this. From what I have gathered from him, Bucky went to Tagami Towers to push you into going to the Viper Room. He wanted you to join us. Both you and Bucky have claimed that Lucian killed Tagami. Do you really believe that Bucky would work for MacDuff?"
Elijah had to admit that Caliban had a point. "No. Bucky could not work for anyone. But MacDuff did order Tagami's death."
"And for now, we need MacDuff. He is the only one I can think of that would know the location of the Shadow Lord," Caliban insisted.
"How about this? We talk to MacDuff, find out what we need to know, and then kick the Shadow Lord's butt. After we figure out what to do with the Seal, we take MacDuff down," Marguerite suggested.
"What about Bucky?" Elijah asked.
"You can deal with him on your own. I think he's nuts, but I'm not about to go hunting him down. Besides, I think in his own sick way he's trying to help," Marguerite replied with her hands on her hips.
"Bucky is not the issue. Do we go and ask MacDuff?" Caliban asked.
Ruthie frowned. "Frankly, I don't see another way."
"I hate to say it, but she's right," Marguerite agreed.
"Yeah, thrill me, let's go."
"Elijah?" Caliban asked.
"It seems as though I do not have a choice."
"Is ten minutes enough time to get ready then?" Caliban asked.
"I still have to get dressed," Elijah replied.
"You going to put on another cape?" Cassie asked, giggling.
Elijah shook his head, getting frustrated from the constant teasing. "I lost my cape when I gave it to you."
"So what are you going to wear, honey?" Ruthie asked.
"Although I lost the cloak, my uniform is still in excellent shape."
Cassie bit her lip, but could not help but reply. "I bet it smells, though."
"I took the liberty of washing all of your clothes. I figured you'd be on the road again real soon," Jack replied.
The fairy smirked. "Do you do windows too?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. The pay sucks, but the benefits are out of this world."
"That uniform is going to stand out like Michael Jackson at a Boy Scout convention," Marguerite observed.
Elijah frowned. "It is all that I have."
"Caliban, do you have extra clothes?" Cassie asked, considering the possibilities.
"I have a few changes of clothing that I have not yet worn, but I am not Elijah's size."
Elijah was secretly glad he did not have to wear the Fallen's clothing, but felt it would be rude to refuse the offer. "That's not what I was thinking of. Don't you have an extra trenchcoat?" Cassie asked.
"Yes, I do. As you might guess without a trenchcoat it is difficult to hide even in L.A. I try to keep an extra trenchcoat in case I lose the one I'm wearing." Ruthie glanced over at the Fallen. Although she had gotten used to his smell, his appearance still twisted her stomach. His dirty black trenchcoat looked as though Caliban had worn it straight for months. Although she was tempted to say something to Caliban, Ruthie's strong upbringing prompted her not embarrass Caliban.
"I think a trenchcoat might be just the right thing for Elijah," Cassie announced.
Within a few minutes, the Five was ready. Caliban, as always, wore his dirty black trenchcoat and black hat. Cassie wore her gothic black party dress and sandals. Ruthie wore an Amy Grant sweater, tight jeans, and running shoes. She carried a backpack with all of her essentials: a bible, several crosses, and a few stakes that Elijah had given to her. Marguerite wore black jeans, a Harley Davidson t-shirt, black combat boots, and her leather jacket. Elijah Kincaid wore a long black trenchcoat, similar to Caliban's, over his Chiyanbara uniform.
"That's all we needed. Another guy in a trenchcoat," Marguerite said sarcastically.
"You do not like it?" Elijah asked.
"Trust me. It's you. . . .Urban Ninja," Cassie giggled.
"Okay, let's get the Hell out of Dodge," Marguerite replied.
Cassie opened her Fairy Eyes. In the distance, she could see Jim Morrison smile at her. Her Fairy Eyes followed him down the Highway West. The Five crossed the River Alpheus and leapt into the black void. After a few moments of free falling, they skipped past the moon and slingshot themselves to the Viper Room.
"Welcome back," MacDuff greeted them.
It took a few moments before their eyes adjusted to the new environment. Hearing MacDuff's voice, Elijah quickly drew Ascalon and prepared for a fight. Once their eyes adjusted, the Five could see that they were in a small den. MacDuff, still wearing his Scottish kilt, sat in a large comfortable chair. A large fire raged in the fireplace behind MacDuff despite the fact that it was summer. Over the mantle, a large Claymore was displayed. Several ancient books lined the walls.
"Please make yourself feel at home. I would have brought chairs only I didn't expect you back so soon," MacDuff told them.
Cassie stuck her tongue out at the ancient vampire. "Duh, we've been gone days."
MacDuff smiled, despite his irritation. "To you, you have been gone several days, but to me it has only been twenty minutes. Xanadu has that effect on people," MacDuff replied casually.
"Why are you doing this?" Marguerite asked.
"Doing what?" MacDuff responded innocently.
"Helping us," Cassie told him.
Ruthie, who stood behind the others, slowly pulled out her bible and cross. The Scottish vampire shook his head. "Please Mrs. Jones, if I am to help you I must insist that you not try to attack me in my own home."
"Put it away Ruthie. Now is not the time, yes?" Caliban whispered to her.
"Speak, MacDuff, or I will have your head," Elijah barked.
MacDuff glanced at Elijah disdainfully. "Oh please. Let's not have violence when we both have something the other wants and can barter."
"You knew we were going to come back didn't you?" Marguerite asked.
"Of course. I also know where the Shadow Lord is and where he is hiding the Seal," MacDuff informed them.
"What do you want?" Caliban asked.
"I am glad that one of you has half a brain. Mr. Ernest, all that I desire is my mother."
"What?" Ruthie asked, shocked.
MacDuff smirked seeing the shocked looks of their faces. "I allowed you all to see my thread. I could have hid it like the Shadow Lord, but I wanted you to see what my situation is and to believe me."
"How are we gonna get your mother back for you? Isn't she dead or something?" Cassie asked.
"That, I have to admit I am not certain, Ms. Byron. I do know this, you are destined to stop the Shadow Lord and dispose the First Seal of Creation and there is only one way that I know of to do the job."
"And what is that?" Caliban asked, curious.
"I'm afraid that is privileged information," MacDuff stated coldly.
"So we save your mother and you tell us where this Shadow Lord is, right?" Cassie asked.
MacDuff turned to the Chiyanbara. "Not exactly, I will tell you where the Shadow Lord is now and you must promise, Elijah, that you will save my mother at the first opportunity."
"Why me?" Elijah asked.
"I have chosen you. That is enough," MacDuff retorted.
"How do you know we'll keep the promise?" Marguerite asked.
"Because I know Kincaid. He'd rather die than break a promise. Isn't that right?" MacDuff asked Elijah.
Elijah sighed. All of this verbal warfare gave him a headache. "You know that it is."
MacDuff placed his hand on Kincaid's shoulder. "Then swear to me and I will tell all that I know."
It took a large faction of his will not to break the vampire's hand. He knew that if he did, his friends would die. "I swear upon my honor that I will save your mother or die trying if you tell us the location of the Shadow Lord and the First Seal of Creation."
MacDuff released Kincaid and relaxed in his chair satisfied that he had won. "To begin with, what exactly do you know?" MacDuff asked.
"We know that the First Seal of Creation has been called the Avatar of Dionysus and that it is a focus of chaos. We know that the Shadow Lord has been attempting to secure a triangle of power within the Los Angeles area so that he can use the Seal to flood the world with demons," Caliban answered.
"I am impressed, you have acquired a great amount of knowledge in a short amount of time. Still you do not quite understand the entire situation. The Avatar of Dionysus was stolen from heaven and lost here as a gift to the world by. . . one whom I prefer not to mention."
Ruthie's face twisted in horror. "Do you mean. . .?" she asked.
"Yes, I do. But I would not mention his name. The mere mention of his name gives him a wicked power," MacDuff interrupted.
"We have to call him something. This is stupid," Marguerite told them.
"Do you know that his name his mentioned more often than the One Ruthie serves?" MacDuff replied.
"So?" Marguerite said.
"So, that is part of the reason that he has more power here. This is his world, for now," MacDuff told her.
"Fine! Then let's call him Bob," Marguerite said sarcastically.
"Very well then. Bob possesses more power in this realm because he cheats. The One whom Ruthie serves follows rules set down in the beginning," MacDuff explained.
"If you believe in God and. . .Bob, then why are you so. . .?" Ruthie asked MacDuff.
"Evil?" MacDuff interrupted, "Oh come now Mrs. Jones. Evil is such a vague word. Besides which, just because I agree with you that there is a conflict does not mean that we both believe that the same side will win."
"How can you believe that S. . .Bob can win?" Ruthie asked him.
"Ha! Mrs. Jones, your innocence is almost touching. Do you truly believe that out of all of the faiths, yours is the only true one. The only faith that has any merit? I have traveled all over the world and seen many such people touched by true faith such as you. In New York, I once met a Rabbi who could turn vampires with but a single prayer. While in the outback of Australia, I met a shaman who could perform miracles similar to the ones you performed earlier. You know nothing of the universe as it is. Everything you believe is part of a pre-digested platform designed by men almost two thousand years ago.
"I will confess that there are two powers waging a war. One of them is good and in an abstract way you could call it God, but it all boils down to this. You believe in the inherent goodness of man and his choice to follow this God. I believe that man can not be saved. That is Bob's greatest advantage," MacDuff said.
"What do you mean choosing to follow God? God chooses us, not the other way around," Ruthie argued.
"Oh please. Look outside what you've been taught all your life. Your God choose all of us to be his children or we would not exist. He might have created the universe, but he gave to it free will. As long as we are free willed creatures, we choose. You choose to follow God, just as He chooses to have you as His child," MacDuff said.
"Remember this when He spanks you like the child that you are," Ruthie warned him.
"Ah, but that assumes He will win. You still do not understand. Your Lord can not do the logically impossible. For an example, he can not create a round square because that would violate the laws which he had created. A good God can not break his own laws. When He gave us free will and allowed Bob to rebel and exist, he created certain laws. Think of it as a game. If God cheats He is no longer God. Because Bob is Bob, he can cheat anyway he can think of. Because of this, Bob had the advantage. Let's use a modern metaphor; baseball. I love the game of baseball."
"Let's suppose that it's the last inning and Bob's team is up by four and God's side is at bat. Because I know that you five are up at the plate, I'm certain that God will be able to tie the game. But in the end, it will all come down to this; what does man want? Does he want to be good? Or is he ready to control his own destiny. I'm afraid that I'm going to have to place my bet on Bob," MacDuff responded.
"Don't bet on it, homecheese!" Marguerite snapped.
"We will see," MacDuff told her.
"Just tell us what we need to know and then we can get the Hell out of Dodge," Marguerite told him.
"Forgive me. I enjoy talking to others who can understand the situation. As I was saying before, the First Seal of Creation was stolen by Bob. However, when he touched the Seal, it burned his soul and caused him more pain than he had ever felt. So, he cast it down to earth so that it would cause chaos here which would benefit him. You see the Seal has the power the shatter the Great Barrier," MacDuff explained.
"The Great Barrier?"
"It is the barrier which prevents Bob and his followers from conquering us. The only way Bob or one of his followers can come to earth is by poking a hole in the Great Barrier. When mages summon his followers, they are really just poking a hole in the Great Barrier. However, in order for Bob to come through the Great Barrier, it has to be shattered," MacDuff answered.
"What can do it?" Elijah asked, horrified.
"If the First Seal of Creation is opened by a mage, like the Shadow Lord, within a corrupted triangle of power," MacDuff said.
"Once we have the Seal, what can we do to destroy it?" Elijah asked.
"Eventually, the Seal will be opened or have you forgotten?" MacDuff inquired.
"How do we keep it safe, until its supposed to be opened? Don't be a smart ass," Marguerite snapped.
"Remove the Seal from the world of mortals," MacDuff answered.
"Where would we take it?" Cassie asked.
"I do not know how to reach Heaven, but I do how to reach Hell through the Highway West."
"You want us to go to Hell?" Ruthie muttered, horrified.
"Yeah right!" Cassie said sarcastically.
"Not only that, but you must go to the center of the evil and cast the First Seal of Creation into the Pit of Darkness. At the bottom of that pit, Bob is waiting," MacDuff continued.
"Wouldn't that only make him stronger?" Caliban asked.
"It might," MacDuff admitted. "But I do not think so. The Seal has obtained a life of its own. It's entire function is to create chaos and disorder. If two negatives touch each other then they cancel each other out. Also, it is the only known object to cause Bob severe pain and may even defeat him for a short while."
"And it would also heal the Great Barrier," Cassie added.
"For a short while," MacDuff agreed.
"So we could kick Bob's butt. That doesn't sound too bad," Marguerite responded.
"Bob is stronger than you could believe. Although he will be weakened, he will still be alive. It is not for you to defeat him. That will happen at the final battle, if at all," MacDuff informed Marguerite.
"How are we going to get it down the Pit?" Caliban asked.
"Someone has to take it there," MacDuff answered.
"And along the way, we're supposed to save your mother. Is that it?" Cassie questioned him.
"That is the deal," MacDuff stated.
"While I'm at it, I'll just part the Red Sea," Marguerite complained.
"I believe that we are getting ahead of ourselves. We need to know where the location of the Shadow Lord and his abilities," Caliban told them.
"I am quite surprised that you have not already figured it out. To use the Seal, the Shadow Lord will have to be at the exact center of the triangle he had completed," MacDuff revealed.
"You still have not told us about the Shadow Lord," Elijah reminded MacDuff.
"The Shadow Lord is a mage of great power. I believe he is the bastard son of Morgana le Faye and Merlin," MacDuff told them.
"I thought that Arthur killed Morgana's son," Elijah stated.
"You are thinking of Mordred, her first born son. Mordred caused the end of Camelot but could not survive it's death. The Shadow Lord arose afterwards. I have heard that he tore himself from his mother's womb," MacDuff said.
"So he's an old man then, right?" Marguerite asked.
"No. Although his mother, Morgana, was human, Merlin was not. Some say that he was part angel and part demon. All that I know is that his power was vast before the great battle," MacDuff answered.
"What battle?" Cassie asked.
"Merlin learned of Morgana's treachery and tried to stop her. By then, the Shadow Lord was growing within her womb. He tried to wrest her dark magic away, she was too strong. She somehow gained massive power and trapped Merlin outside of time," MacDuff replied.
"That doesn't seem too bad," Marguerite commented.
"Imagine the one you love most betraying you and then forcing you to live that moment forever. That is Merlin's fate," MacDuff told her.
"So what happened to Morgana?" Cassie asked.
"She did not survive the childbirth," MacDuff responded.
"So what's the big deal with the Shadow Lord and why is everyone afraid of him?" Marguerite asked.
"That I can not answer. His power is greater than mine. I can sense him in the city. I am a gladfly to him that he tries to silence. He wanted me to leave the city and when I would not, he warped Gideon's mind. Gideon became obsessed with controlling L.A, and then by my hand you five were eventually dragged into the conflict. This is how the Shadow Lord operates. He strikes from the shadows and creates clouds in your minds."
"How did you even know about us?" Cassie asked.
"You traveled to my past remember? I made certain that I knew all about you and that you would be on my side. I knew that you had to win the contest in order to go into the past and alert me to your presence. Because of this, I had the inside track to victory against Gideon. And now you are going to fight the Shadow Lord and somehow will win," MacDuff explained.
"So then when we kick his butt, we're taking care of one of your enemies. You should be paying us," Marguerite snapped.
"That is a side benefit. You know what I want," MacDuff retorted.
"We're all just puppet to you, aren't we?" Marguerite barked.
"I prefer to think of you as pawns in a chess game. I may only be a piece, but I am determined to remain a queen," MacDuff replied.
"Know this MacDuff, even a queen can be taken by a pawn," Elijah warned him.
"Only if the player is careless," MacDuff reminded him.
"Or the player requires a sacrifice to win," Elijah countered.
"Get ready to take us back to the Bar," Caliban whispered to Cassie.
Cassie opened her Fairy Eyes and began to search for the path to the Bar. She could sense the power of MacDuff even though she looked away from him. She looked to the Highway West and Jim Morrison walking towards the Bar.
I CAN TELEPORT US WHENEVER YOUR READY.
"You are clearly an intelligent man. Why would you take Bob's side?" Caliban asked MacDuff.
"It is difficult to explain so let's go back to the baseball metaphor. Right now you have the perfect chance to even the score. I am willing to bet that you five can do it. But in the end, it's all going to come down to man's basic nature. Not even God can change that. In the end, that's why you have to lose," MacDuff told him.
"And might makes right? I can't understand you," Ruthie told MacDuff.
"Have you ever read Paradise Lost?" MacDuff inquired.
"No, I haven't," Ruthie answered.
"You couldn't understand then," MacDuff told her.
"I understand," Elijah said.
"I knew you would," MacDuff stated.
"We'll save your mother, homecheese. But when we get done with all of this, you're number one on our shit list," Marguerite warned MacDuff.
"I would not have it any other way," MacDuff responded.
Caliban nodded to Cassie. Across time, space, and dimensions, she could see Jack's Bar and Grill and the Highway West. Pulling the others into her, Cassie leapt into the Bar.
"Okay, Dudley, we know you've read everything. What did MacDuff mean about Paradise Lost?" Marguerite asked.
"He would rather rule in Hell than serve in Heaven."
