Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ,
true God and true man.
Blessed be the name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Blessed be Jesus,
in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
Blessed be the Holy Spirit,
the Paraclete.
Blessed be the Great Mother of God,
Mary Most Holy.
Blessed be her Holy and Immaculate Conception.
Blessed be her glorious Assumption.
Blessed be the name Mary, Virgin and Mother.
Blessed be St. Joseph,
her most chaste spouse.
Blessed be God,
in His Angels and in His Saints—

"Divine Praises"—Father Luigi Felici

Lady evil, evil,
she's a magical, mystical woman.
Lady evil,
evil on my mind,
she's the queen of the night—

"Lady Evil"—Black Sabbath

Darkness and Light

Chapter XIV

On the following day, a little after midday, Johnny, Lenny, Roger, and Yuri arrived in Wales. After Roger landed Bacon Jet, he turned to Lenny and said, "You say that you're wanting to fast, right, Lenny?"

Lenny nodded. "Yeah, for at least a couple of days, if that's okay with you. I want to be spiritually well."

"I remember all this fasting stuff," Yuri said. "My mom sometimes did it, but she said that I didn't have to do it. If you want to fast that's fine, but I want to get down there and waste whatever bastard it is, so I can go home."

"You're thinking like someone in their 20s, Yuri. Not like someone who's nearly 40."

"No, I'm thinking like someone who doesn't like to wait around."

"Give me a couple of days."

Yuri turned, pounded his fist into his palm, and sighed. "Fine," he said, before turning back to Lenny. "I'll give you two days."

Lenny nodded. "Thank you."

"I'll make sure to prepare a dish that caters to fasting," added Roger.

"Thank you, Roger," Lenny said. "And Master?" Lenny added, as he turned to Johnny.

"Yes?"

"I think you should fast as well."

Johnny was stunned. "It's not yet Lent, Lenny."

"Doesn't matter. Fasting will be good for you. You'll realize what good it will do for you, before we enter that God-awful place," Lenny said, gesturing to the place where Nemeton Monastery is located. "It would also be good for you to go to church."

"Church?!"

Lenny nodded. "Umhmm, this is a Protestant country, so I'm sure you can find an English church fairly easily."

"St. David's Cathedral isn't too far from here," Roger said. "It's Church of England."

"Where's it at?" asked Johnny.

"Just down the hill from here," Roger said, pointing. "It's an old, old church…"

"Older than you, Roger?" interjected Yuri.

"Yes, older than me…"

"Oh, damn! Then this must be a really old church."

"Yes, I went to this church, when I was in my youth. It was originally a Catholic church, but during the Reformation of Henry VIII, it broke communion with Rome to follow Henry."

"Is the church open?" asked Johnny.

Roger nodded. "It is."

"I'll go there then," Johnny said, as he began to walk away. "It's been a while since I've been to church anyway."

After Johnny left, Lenny turned to Roger. "Roger, do you know if there's a Catholic church around here?"

"There is a Catholic church that was built about fifty years ago called Our Lady and St. Winefride in the style of the gothic churches of old. And there is also the chapel in my home, which is Catholic." Roger paused to turn to Yuri. "What about you, Yuri?"

Yuri blinked. "What about me?"

"I'm sure that you go to church. I know that Alice is active in the Domremy parish."

"She is, but I often don't go to church. I was raised a Christian, or more specifically a Catholic, but since my time drifting around China, I've taken on other beliefs as well."

"So you're a heretic?" smiled Roger.

Yuri returned the smile. "Yeah, some might call me that."

Roger continued to smile. "Well, somehow I doubt you're completely a heretic. If you want to come to my chapel, feel free."

"Yeah, I might stop on in."

"I haven't been to church since Easter," Johnny said, as he approached the Cathedral of St. David. St. David's Cathedral was different from Johnny's home parish in New York—the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. While the Cathedral of St. John the Divine looked like an old church, it was in fact less than forty years old; whereas St. David's Cathedral was built in the twelfth century. But one feature that was in harmony with the exterior of St. John the Divine and St. David's was the red door. During the middle ages, churches were safe havens for friend and foe alike, and the red door served as an identifier for a church. Inside the church, Johnny dipped his fingers in the holy water, and crossed himself. The interior of the church was certainly prepared for Christmas, with a Nativity scene near the Communion rail. Johnny sat in a pew that was near the altar. Next to the altar were some statues. To the right was St. David of Wales, and to the left—in the middle—was Christ, and on Christ's right was St. Peter, and on Christ's left was St. Paul. Above the altar, Johnny stared at the old crucifix. The features on the corpus made Johnny think that this crucifix might have been made about 200 years ago. And behind the crucifix was a tabernacle. "God," Johnny began, as he crossed himself, and looked up at the crucifix, "from what I understand, I'm going into the 'Devil's den.' Please help me be able to survive. I want to keep my promise to Jeanne." After completing this prayer, Johnny added three more prayers: Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Doxology.

Johnny left his pew, and bowed before the crucifix as he prepared to leave the church. But before he could leave, a priest entered the sanctuary. The priest was a man in his mid-fifties with a trim brown beard that contained hints of gray. His hair color matched his beard, but the top portion of his head was bald.

"Hello there, young man," the priest said in his distinctly British accent. "This is the first time I've ever seen you here before. Are you visiting Aberystwyth, or have you recently moved here?"

"I'm a visitor," Johnny replied.

The priest chuckled. "Obviously, I can tell. You speak with an American accent. I will assume that you're from America?"

"Yes, Father. I am."

"I see. Well, what brought you to Great Britain?"

"Well…Perhaps it would be in my best interest not to tell the father why I'm here…Well, I'm a detective from New York, and I was hired by someone, I can't exactly say who, to do an investigation." Johnny paused to turn his head, before he turned back to the priest. "I'd better milk this for all that it's worth…I must say that it was an honor for them to hire me, when I'm sure they could have found someone in Wales or England to take the job."

"Absolutely! But you seem so young. But I suppose that being a detective in New York gives you plenty of experience with tough cases?"

"Sure. New York is very similar, at least in size, to London."

The priest nodded. "I can imagine. By the way, how long do you plan to stay in Wales?"

"I'm not really sure. One part of my job, which I can mention, is that I need to investigate the Nemeton Monastery."

The priest folded his arms behind his back, and began to pace back and forth in front of Johnny. "You know, many of my parishioners have referred to that place as the 'Devil's Den.'"

Johnny nodded. "I've heard similar things, Father. That's one of the reasons why I came here."

The priest smirked. "It's always good to come to church, but if I were you, I think I would have come here as well, before I visited that place—even if everything my parishioners have said was made up."

"What exactly have you heard, Father?"

"I've heard people talk about ghost and demons living in that place. Like I said, I don't know if it's true or not, but I'd still be careful."

Johnny nodded. "I will, Father." But as he looked at the priest, Johnny could tell that there was something wrong with the father. The priest looked at him like he wanted to say something, and something was holding him back. "Something wrong, Father?"

"Well…you might think this is foolish of me, but…"

"Yes?"

"Well, there is something that I'd like to give you."

"What's that?"

"Wait right here. I'll be back in a minute."

About a minute later, the priest returned carrying a rosary and a bottle. He led Johnny to the holy water font and blessed the rosary. Then he filled the bottle with holy water. "You may think I'm a bit superstitious," the priest began, while he handed the bottle of holy water and the rosary to Johnny, "but the stories said about that place go back to the last thirty years. I'd be careful."

"Thank you, Father. I will."

Two days later, on a cold-windy day in Wales, Yuri secured a rope ladder on the top of a huge gash in the earth. The other side held the ruins of Nemeton Monastery. "This is where Albert Simon's temple crashed into the earth," Yuri said, as he pounded the last spike into the ground.

"Yeah, that's what Lenny told me," Johnny said.

"He did, huh?"

Lenny nodded, as he adjusted a knapsack over his shoulders. "Yeah, I told him about your confrontation with Albert Simon, and that alien being, or whatever it was, that he summoned to try and defeat Rasputin."

"That was 15 years ago," Yuri said, as he began his descent down the ladder. Before he approached the end of the temple's cut, Yuri added, "This is one place I never thought that I would ever be at again."

"Same here," Roger added—the final member of the team to reach the base of the cliff. "But I brought a little protection with us." From his monastic robe, Roger removed a tiny box that contained a piece of the consecrated Host.

Lenny genuflected before the Eucharist, and crossed himself. "Christ be with us."

Yuri nodded. "Yes, but let's get this over with quick." Turning to the entrance of Nemeton Monastery, he added, "I don't like this place."

As the four prepared to enter the cavern, they heard a moan. The moan came across that someone, or something, did not want them to enter.

Roger and Lenny crossed themselves.

And Johnny said, "What was that?"

"The monsters that roam this place," Yuri said. "That's their malice. It's for reasons like that, that I don't like this place." Turning to Lenny, Yuri added, "Lenny, you got the lantern?"

"Yeah," Lenny replied, while he opened the knapsack.

Yuri took the lantern from Lenny, and lit it. Then he turned to the entrance, sighed, and motioned his party forward. "Okay, let's go."

"Wait, Yuri," Roger said.

"Yeah, Roger?"

"Let me stand next to you."

"Huh? Why?"

Roger took out the piece of the consecrated Host, and held it like a shield. "You'll see."

"I don't understand. You should stand behind us."

"No, I should stand next to you." Roger smiled. "Trust me. I'll be fine."

Yuri gave a nod and sighed. "Oh, all right." But then he turned to Johnny and Lenny. "Make sure to keep an eye on Roger, okay?"

Lenny and Johnny nodded. "Will do," they said, at almost the same time.

Along Nemeton's walls were various Christian images: Christ, the Virgin, saints, and angels. Yet these holy images were desecrated—either smeared in blood, sliced with a sword, or disfigured with the heads of monsters. Besides these common images throughout the monastery, another feature remained—the moans of the monsters.

"There's one thing I don't understand," Johnny began. "I can hear these monsters, but why aren't they attacking us?"

"It's the power of Christ," Roger replied. "His presence is protecting us."

The party continued deeper and deeper into Nemeton's interior. Eventually, they reached a room with a painting of Christ surrounded by young children. The painting, like the other Christian objects in Nemeton Monastery, was severely damaged. However, one portion of the painting remained untouched—a portion written in Latin. Because Johnny knew French, he knew some Latin. But he was having trouble translating the words.

"Hey, Roger," Johnny said.

"Yes?" he replied, stopping to turn to Johnny.

"What does this say?" Johnny asked, pointing to the letters.

"Um," Roger began, while he walked over to the painting. "I need a little extra light." Turning to Yuri he said, "Yuri, would you please bring the lantern over here?"

"We really don't have time for this, Roger?" Yuri said.

"It will only take a moment."

Yuri sighed. "Very well," he said, before he carried the lantern over.

"'Quos cum videret Iesus indigne tulit et ait illis sinite parvulos venire ad me et ne prohibueritis eos talium est enim regnum Dei—Evangelium Secundum Sanctus Marcum,'" Roger said, as he ran his finger along the letters. "In English that means, 'Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not. For such is the kingdom of God—the Gospel According to Saint Mark.' Obviously, those are the words of Christ from Mark's Gospel."

"Huh?" Johnny said.

"What do you mean, 'Huh?' I just told you that those are Jesus' words from St. Mark's Gospel."

"No, not that, I thought I heard something else."

"Something else?" asked Lenny.

Johnny nodded. "Yeah, it sounded like my name. Like someone was calling me."

"I didn't hear anything." But almost immediately after Lenny finished his sentence, he heard a voice to. A voice that was calling his name. "Wait a minute!" he said with a gesture. "I heard something too. It sounded like someone was calling my name."

"I heard it also. And it sounded like the same voice."

"Guys, be careful!" Yuri said. "This place is full of evil! Demons of all kinds will try to mimic voices to steal away your soul."

But Johnny and Lenny seemed to ignore Yuri. The voice that they heard. It sounded so familiar. They just could not put their finger on whom it might be. Finally, after hearing the voice for a third time, Johnny said, "Dad?"

"Dad?" responded Lenny.

"Yeah, doesn't it sound like him?"

Lenny tried to listen more closely. "Yeah…It does kind of sound like him. Is that you, Master Graham?"

Realizing that Johnny and Lenny were being led away, Yuri turned to Roger to act. "Roger, raise your Host."

Roger nodded, and raised the portion of the Eucharist. He walked in front of Lenny and Johnny, while keeping the Host held high. Whatever was talking to Johnny and Lenny now began to shriek and gurgle. The screeching brought Johnny and Lenny out of their trance.

Yuri breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God, literally."

Johnny and Lenny turned to him.

"Are you two all right?"

"I think so," Lenny said.

"Yeah," Johnny replied, before he turned to where the voice once came from. "I really thought that was my dad."

Yuri nodded. "I know that you did. That happened in here once before."

"Really?" Roger said.

Again Yuri nodded. "Yes," he said, before he turned to Lenny. "Karin, you remember her, don't you?"

"Wasn't she that lieutenant in the German Army?"

Once again Yuri nodded. "Yeah, she came down here with us to get the Émigré Manuscript, when Nicolai requested that we get it for him. You remember; you were with him?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"Well, while she was down here, she thought she heard her grandmother calling her." Yuri paused to look down the corridor. "That's another reason why I don't like this place."

Finally, the party reached the Great Altar of Nemeton Monastery. Perhaps, on this altar, St. Daniel of Wales once celebrated mass? In any case, the altar itself was in good condition, but the large cross behind it looked as though someone had tried to shatter it.

"Okay, we're here," Yuri said. "So where is this Blue Light of Earth anyway?"

"I think it's behind the altar," Roger said. "At least that's what I think I saw."

Yuri nodded and said, "Johnny, why don't you come with me. You probably know more about how to operate these things than I do."

Johnny followed Yuri, and the two looked behind the altar. Johnny, however, could not see anything. "Nothing's here. Somehow I just suspected it wouldn't be behind the altar. It would seem as though anyone could find it then."

"Keep looking," Roger said. "The altar represents Calvary. It's one of the most important items in a church."

Johnny, reluctantly, continued the search behind the altar, while Yuri helped him. Eventually, the two stumbled on a piece of stone that was missing from the floor.

"Well, I'll be damned," Johnny muttered.

"Pull it back," Yuri said.

Johnny did so, and as he did so, he could see it—the pure blue light, the Blue Light of Earth.

"It's so beautiful," Yuri said.

"Yeah," Johnny said, while staring into the light. "It is."

"Well, activate it, so we can get out of here."

Johnny waved his hand over it. This was how he was able to activate it before. But this time, it would not activate. "Something's wrong."

"What is it?"

"I don't know. It should be working, but it's not."

"Maybe you did something wrong?"

"No. This is how I've always done it before."

"Huh?" Yuri said, looking down at Johnny and the blue light, before turning to Roger. "Roger, do you think you know what's wrong with it?"

"I don't know. Let me see."

With the Host still in his hand, Roger ventured forward with Lenny behind him. Behind the altar, Roger could see the Blue Light of Earth. He motioned his hand over it, just as Johnny had done earlier.

"I already tried that, Roger," Johnny said, "and it didn't work."

"I realize that. But I had to check it out myself as well. I wanted to see something."

"See something?" Yuri asked.

"Yes," Roger replied with a nod. "I wanted to see why it isn't working."

"And do you know why?" asked Lenny.

Again, Roger nodded. "Someone has sealed it."

"Sealed it?" Johnny said.

But before Roger could respond, the party heard a chuckle—a female chuckle.

"Who's there?" Lenny said.

A ball of energy responded to Lenny's question, which was followed by another, as the party retreated behind the altar. When the volley stopped, Roger raised the Host.

"You seem to have a good grip on Christ," the woman said, whose face the party could not see.

"He guards us from your touch," Roger said.

"That volley was to make you drop the Host," the woman said, as she began to step forward. "It's just too bad that I failed." Through the lantern, the party was able to see the woman for the first time. She was short, old, and ugly. Her face was horribly scarred—like someone infected with smallpox. On the positive side, her hair was tied in a perfect bun.

"My God, is she ugly!" Johnny said.

"Hmph!" the woman said, before she flashed a grin, but her grin only added to her hideous appearance—her teeth were rotten.

"I know who that woman is," Yuri said.

"You do?" said Lenny.

Yuri nodded. "Her name's Arcane Olga. She's a witch, and a very powerful one at that. But she's also very, very dead…"

"Well, that's pretty obvious," interjected Johnny. "All you have to do is look at her."

"She aligned herself with Albert Simon 15 years ago," continued Yuri, "and we defeated her. Olga!" Yuri began, while he took a step closer. "What are you doing here?"

"I wish I could have eliminated you and Lord Bacon 15 years ago," she said.

"Who? Me?" Roger said, while he pointed to himself.

"Not you!" Olga replied with a look of disgust. "And I'm NOT GOING ANYWHERE!!"

The party was stunned by Olga's sudden change in demeanor. All but Roger Bacon, who seemed to know why. Roger lowered the Eucharist. He knew that he could raise it again, if Olga tried to attack. "Are you the reason why we can't activate the Blue Light of Earth?"

Olga's original demeanor returned. "Yes," she said with a grin. "You can't activate it as long as I'm still alive."

"Or whatever," murmured Johnny.

"Sounds good," Yuri said, while he pounded his fist into his palm. "I'll send you back to Hell!"

Olga chuckled and began to levitate. "You're welcome to try!" Olga flew over the party, while balls of negative energy descended from her hands. Lenny led Roger to safety behind the altar, and they were followed by Johnny and Yuri. From his coat pocket, Johnny removed a large hunting knife.

"That's an impressive looking knife," Yuri said. "But I don't think it will do much good against Olga."

Lenny chuckled. "Just wait, Yuri."

Yuri watched, as Johnny channeled his energy into the blade. And the blade grew, taking on the appearance of a long sword.

"Damn!" Yuri said.

"Now we fight!" Johnny said. And Johnny charged from the altar. He swung his energy blade at the witch, but his blows only cut through thin air. "Damn it!" he said, before he murmured, "I can't even hit this bitch!"

But Olga overheard him. She grinned and descended to the earth. "Well, I'll make it easy for you. I'll just stand right here and won't movie an inch."

Johnny was confused. And as Yuri and Lenny prepared to leave the altar, they were also confused.

"Something's going on here," Yuri said. "She wouldn't let Johnny strike her, unless she knew something."

"I know," added Lenny.

"Lenny?" Roger said.

"Yes, Roger?"

Roger broke off a piece of the Host, and handed it to Lenny. "Take this with you. You might need it."

Lenny gave Roger a look. "I don't understand."

Roger smiled. "You will, when the time comes."

A little further away from Roger, Lenny, and Yuri, a stare down took place between Johnny and Olga.

"Well, boy," Olga began, "aren't you going to strike me? Or are you just going to stand there holding that shiny blade?"

"Something's odd here," Johnny said. "Why is she just going to intentionally let me hit her? I'll strike her, but quickly move away." And Johnny followed through with this strategy. He swung his blade at Olga, and quickly jumped away. But Olga kept her word. She did not counterattack. But she was not hurt. Johnny struck her, yet she showed no flesh wounds.

"What's the matter, boy?" Olga said. "I said that I wouldn't move."

"I know that I hit her! Something's wrong here."

"I know that he hit her, Yuri," Lenny said. "I'm certain of it."

"I'm certain of it too. Something's going on here."

Johnny swung his sword again, and this time he did not back up. Now he discovered why it looked as though he never struck Olga before. Olga seemed to be protected by some sort of invisible force.

"What the hell?" Lenny said.

Yuri nodded. "It's a shield. Rasputin had a similar shield, when we fought him, and I broke through it." Yuri stepped forward. "Johnny," he said, "step aside. I'll break through." And turning to Olga, he added, "If I were you, I wouldn't just sit there." After that sentence, Yuri crossed his forearms, and held them over his face. This was the gesture he used just before he morphed into a monster. Yuri's body began to change. He no longer resembled a human, but the monster Amon.

Johnny gasped. He has seen Shania morph before, but Shania's fusion monsters could not a candle to what Yuri had morphed into—a beast that looked to be covered in full plated armor, with wings, and purple eyes.

Lenny was surprised as well. He had seen Yuri fuse before, but those monsters were nothing compared to what now stood before him.

Olga, however, seemed to be amused. "Ah! The mighty Amon! The monster of Lord Bacon!"

"I don't get it," Lenny said. "Shouldn't she be just a little bit frightened? Or at least trying to defend herself?"

Rising to the heavens, Yuri swooped down at Olga like a hawk attempting to catch its prey. But instead of talons, Yuri cocked his fist.

But Olga did not move. And as Yuri delivered a blow that would have crushed through the shield of Rasputin, Yuri found himself on his back. Whatever protected Olga, ricocheted him. From the ground, Yuri morphed back into his human form. He was absolutely stunned. "That's not possible," he said with a gasp. "That's simply not possible!"

Olga smirked.

"I broke through the shield of someone protected by one of the most powerful demons! This is simply not possible!"

"It is, when you think about it," Olga said.

Yuri shot her a look.

The witch chuckled. "You see, I am protected from demonic energy or malice, and that's why your little energy sword," she said, pointing to Johnny, "and Amon's power," she added, turning to Yuri, "won't work."

"Is that so?" Yuri said with a grin, just before he struck Olga with a right cross. "That seemed to work okay," Yuri added, as he watched Olga fall from the blow.

But Olga quickly bounced back up. A trickle of blood descended from her lip. She smiled, as she wiped the blood away. "Yes, your punches will hurt me," she said, as she began to levitate. "It's too bad that I won't give you the opportunity to land anymore of them."

Olga quickly took the sky, and once again the volley of negative energy descended from her hands. And like before, Yuri, Lenny, and Johnny retreated to the safety of the altar.

"We'll never be able to catch her," Yuri said. "Even if we were able to land a blow, we wouldn't be able to land the one that really matters, because she'd simply fly away."

Johnny took all this in, while he moved his hand along his coat pocket. It was there that he discovered something—the bottle of holy water the priest gave him. And Johnny began to wonder, "Olga said she could absorb demonic energy or malice, but what if…?" Removing the bottle of holy water, Johnny left his companions and charged on to the battlefield.

"Master?!"

"Go with him, Lenny," Roger said. "I think I sense his plan. If Olga falls to the ground, immediately place that portion of the Host I gave you into her mouth."

"Huh?"

Roger smiled. "You'll see what I mean."

Lenny did not understand Roger, but he followed Johnny on to the battlefield.

"I don't get it, Roger," Yuri said.

"I'll explain it later. Just go help your companions."

Yuri joined his companions on the frontlines, and the three of them dodged the balls of negative energy. Johnny may not have been much of a dancer at St. Jehanne's, but he did an excellent job dancing around the balls of negative energy.

"She's got to come in close," Johnny said.

Olga, however, seemed to overhear Johnny. "Oh, so that's what you want." She descended to the earth like a plan taking a nose dive.

Johnny waited patiently. His palm sweated over his holy water bottle, but he was not going to lose his grip on it. Finally, Johnny made his move. He splashed holy water on Olga in the shape of a cross, just as he had seen priests do on Holy Saturday mass.

Olga screeched. She fell to the earth, and covered her face. Perhaps some of the holy water got in her eyes.

"Now, Lenny!" shouted Roger.

Lenny nodded. He placed the Host in Olga's mouth. Olga gurgled, just before her body combusted.

Lenny gasped. "My God!"

"It's what I knew would happen," Roger said, as he left the altar.

"You knew what?" asked Yuri.

"That Olga would combust, if she tasted the very Body of Christ. There's a reason why creatures of evil hate pictures of Christ and the saints. In their mind, they see the actual person commanding them to leave. The Eucharist, of course, is most deadly, because it is the very embodiment of Christ. You saw Olga's change in demeanor earlier. That was due to me raising and lowering the Eucharist."

"You mean when she said, 'I'm not going anywhere'?" asked Johnny.

Roger nodded. "Correct. But let us not ponder on that right now. Johnny, if you would, activate the Blue Light of Earth."

Johnny nodded. Marching to the altar, he waved his hand over the Blue Light of Earth. Immediately, the light ascended to the heavens, and Johnny—and the members of his party—had a feeling of peace. It was as though that gentle blue light seemed to remove all of the malice in the air.

"Well, now," Roger began, "I think we'll have a pretty safe trip leaving the monastery."