I knelt in the corner of the room, laying out the cards for Vanessa. All I saw was her hopelessness and her desire for death. "Fight, Vanessa. I am here for you" I said softly as I watched her from where she lay asleep. "I will help you, dear Vanessa. Have no fear" I hoped she could hear me. the familiar meow of Mafdet met my ears as she preceded Ethan into the room "Mafdet" I ran my hand over her head hearing her purr "why did you need your cat?" "she isn't a cat" he set everything I had requested down "Poole says to think of what this may cost you. Whatever that means" "the cost will not be mine but Vanessa's. She will need to make the transaction for my protection, this will not take from me" I put each bowl in the correct position and began drawing a salt pattern for protection "set the colored candles beside the matching color bowl, Ethan" astral projection for this would be too dangerous, I would have to truly invade her mind to get the deity under control. I knelt and offered a prayer, asking for protection seconds before I lit the candles. "Férnontas Vasanistíria!" Vanessa's voice was taunting "what did she just say?" Sir Malcolm was at the door, Frankenstein had long sent himself into a morphine coma. "The Tormenter, she called me The Tormenter. An Ancient Greek deity, she only appears in one story. Now is not the time to tell it. Ethan, be prepared to anchor me when I tell you to. Do not remove your hand from my shoulder no matter what happens" "you enjoy them, don't you?" she purred "you deny yourself, whore, slut, demon spawn" "Ethan" I pressed my hands to Vanessa's forehead as wind began to blow, slamming the door shut. I found myself in the dark expanses of her mind "Férnontas Vasanistíria, have you come to torment me?" "no, Ancient One. I may resemble who you call me but I am not she. I am a simple woman" "witch, you should bow to me. I am the Mother of Darkness" and apparently foul mouthedness. "Ancient One, why do you torment your host so? Do you not see she is weak and toxic to you? Her weakness may give the illusion she is letting you shine through but the opposite is true. Her weakness and toxic nature will make it impossible for you to come forth in your glory. She resents you and a host that resents the deity within will die to escape it. She is dying, you feel it, I see it. Amunet, Mother of Darkness, please- your host is incompatible with you now. The beings you believe will free you are trying to trap your power. See the truth, Ancient One" I began weaving my spells before she realized what was happening "no" she pled with me "do not worry, Ancient One, I am leaving you a plaything" I trapped her within a sphere that only I- or Vanessa- could break when the time came. I saw the form of Vanessa huddled in a corner, fear and desperation upon her face. I turned and approached her slowly "Vanessa, dear, listen to me. You must live, you must go forth in defiance of all that others have done. Come back to the light" I lifted her up "do not stand so much in the darkness, that is my job" I felt the firmness of Ethan's hand and used it to return to my body.
A soft groan slipped from her as she blinked "you can remove your hand, now, Ethan. Thank you" she looked at me with those enchanting silver eyes "that monster will not be back" "why is that?" "I trapped it. there was no exorcising it but I could entrap it. let us take her restraints off and get her properly tucked into bed. She will be sleeping for quite some time, let us clean up quickly and be a gentleman and get me something very strong to drink and perhaps something nourishing" we cleaned up and she righted Vanessa's cross, gave her one last look before we went downstairs. There was a weariness to her movements, a sagging to her shoulders and neck, yet she still held her head up high and she still walked with extreme grace. "Mafdet, return home, take my items with you" I nearly lost it when I saw the cat turn into a shadow with eyes before vanishing. "W-w-what?" "I told you, not a cat" she floated into the foyer and slumped into a chair that was not occupied by Dr. Frankenstein. Sir Malcolm held up a decanter of scotch "yes, please" he put a glass in her hands which she gratefully sipped "Vanessa should be cured of her possession problem. Now, I have given her a way to break what I put into place but in all honesty, without her knowing, that deity cannot get out again. It also means that those who hunt her cannot cause it to break free from the cage I put it in which may or may not help Vanessa" her voice was weary and wary, as if she held a deep fear of us "I am still furious that I was not told what I was walking into. She could have done some considerable damage to my person and-" she placed her hand over her womb again "nevermind. You cost me quite a bit for not telling me and I need to know that you will never do that again" "we won't, understand I was trying to protect you" Malcolm was fatherly to Evalina, but completely disregarded Vanessa. "too late for that" her voice was very dark "I promised you the story of Férnontas Vasanistíria, did I not?" "you did" "from my knowledge she only appears once in mythology. She was the Goddess of Healing, Midwifery and Light. A powerful Goddess, Blood of the Titans. She was said to be a daughter of Helios, Circe and Hecate though none truly know. It is said she also had some river nymph blood in her but who knows. What we do know is she was a Handmaid of Queen Persephone, that she followed her queen through her travels. She sat in the courts and was a speaker of truth, that is until a noble, favored by Apollo, a descendent of his caught her eye. He scorned her repeatedly but the Goddess kept trying, if he could see her he would not scorn her. She was ethereally beautiful even in her mortal form, a skilled midwife, an elegant dancer. He kidnapped two priestesses from her temple and tortured them. The Goddess enacted her revenge, but first she gave the chance for an apology. He refused. She got the innocents out before burning the entire village, cursing the very land it sat upon. The myths claim the land grew as hot as if the sun itself was present then cold as if the Underworld had swallowed it. King Hades was summoned to bring her down, she went the way of Echo, into the ether never to be seen again. She called me that because I am of that bloodline. She was taunting me to become chaotic instead of good. Dark instead of light." She drank deeply "speak of this to anyone without my consent and you will die instantly, I cannot allow my secrets to get out" "how many of your kind will try to get Vanessa?" "none, we are not interested in her. She is nothing but an insane mortal to them, they do not care" she brushed an errant curl back "and in all honesty I do not wish to remain here longer than I must" "why?" "Vanessa has shown me what friendship and loyalty mean to her. You are her caregiver. More a father than her own since the incident. I am nothing, I will fade into nothing" Sembene brought her a bowl of hot broth and she smiled at him "thank you" her voice was sincere "I shall rest, ensure she is well and then I will return home. Sir Malcolm, I fear this may be farewell" "farewells are not often forever" "I have often had to say mine forever. Too many lost parents and such-like. You shall be a painful one. Ethan and I shall see each other often so if Vanessa or you, for that matter, require anything from the shadows he knows where to find me" she drained the cup and set it down neatly "do not trust Dr. Frankenstein, if you require a physician summon Dr. Henry Jekyll" "the madman?" "he is not a madman, he is a visionary. Like yourself, Sir Malcolm. He wants to aid insane people, people who hurt others through no fault of their own. Would you not like to live in a world where women like myself- like your beloved Mina could walk safely, unescorted?" "I- yes" "I have belief in his work, and in all honesty I believe Vanessa no longer needs my care. Send the morphine addict home in your carriage, I shall walk. My husband shall miss me" "may I walk you, Miss Barker? It's only polite since I brought you here" "if you insist" she allowed me to walk her home "good evening, Ethan. Please, send word on Brona when you have a chance" "of course" she slipped into the house, leaving me in the darkness, alone, with my thoughts.