Chapter 5 is up here for you lucky people. Enter Ancient Mai and general scariness. Thanks again for all the reviews.
A lot of you had issue with McCoy calling Harry My boy but apart from calling him Hoss I don't know how else McCoy refers to him really and my boy I think fits in with the characters of both, from mentor to grandson / student.
Chapter 5
In the middle of the hall however there was a big round table all by itself. Tall chairs with intricately carved backs and sides were seated all around and the table had Latin inscriptions engraved in concentric circles on its surface.
Sat on one of these chairs, facing us, sat a seemingly old and frail woman with Asian features and a weathered face. Looking up as we entered, her expression didn't change but for a tightening around her lips and a billow of dust as she rolled up the parchment she had been perusing.
Gulping slightly, I walked towards her as McCoy kept step. Contrary to her appearance, Mai was as deadly as any of the Senior Council and her bearing did actually scare me a little. Arriving at the table, I bowed my head in her direction as I took a seat a few chairs to her left. Mirroring me, McCoy took another on her right with a sly wink in my direction which Mai couldn't see.
"News of your death seems to have been exaggerated greatly, Warden Dresden" she said crisply as if she had half-hoped it had been true.
"I wouldn't peg you for one who listens to rumours, Mai" I replied in the same tone.
"Oh, but I do. Especially when listening to those coming out of Chicago. Worrying reports of magic being used in the murder of mortals and connections to your apprentice warrant the attention of this Council, as you well know." Her eyes now fixed on my face with a piercing gaze.
Crap! She knows about Molly and her recent actions.
"From what I heard, the mortals in question were murdered by non-magical means and not by magic." I said back.
"A fine distinction Dresden, I know when magic is used. Veils and illusions leave traces that cannot wholly be erased and at least half the bodies have that trace still on them.
"Can you also tell the nature of the magic used by the trace alone? No, you cannot, which is why you have not hunted Molly down yourself. There is also a slim chance of her being with her family which, if true, would mean you could not touch her. I have seen the guardians posted around that house and it would take more than the entire Council to even get close to her." I challenged. Molly was still my apprentice and dissuading Mai from attempting to go after her by telling a half-truth was worth it. Of course since I'd last seen her, I don't think Molly had contacted her family in a while apart from her brother Daniel who had been helping Murphy.
"That's enough Hoss, we're not here for your apprentice remember?" Ebenezar intervened before I could get into deeper waters with Mai.
Taking a breath, I looked at him and nodded slightly. Mai's expression cooled slightly as she cocked her head to one side, her gaze switching between me and my grandfather.
"Why are you here then?"
"To ask you what you know of the Order of the Blackened Denarius."
Mab's eyed narrowed as soon as the words were out of my mouth. I knew that I had her complete attention now as her expression changed from annoyed to thoughtful and even slightly fearful.
"I know a lot about those creatures? You'll have to be more specific Dresden." She replied, all trace of her anger at me gone.
"Thorned Namshiel, Tessa Imariel and Rosanna. I want to know what they've been up to recently." I told her.
"The spellcaster Namshiel is easier to track than the other two. He's sloppy and he likes to use his signature strangler spell a little too much."
I winced at that, more because of regret than the memory of the pain the spell brought on. That spell cost us eleven Denarius coins and Michael's permanent incapacity from the Knights.
"As for Tessa and Rosanna", Mai continued, "They are harder to track. They like to stay in the shadows and rarely get their hands dirtier than they need to be to achieve their goals."
"From what I can tell though, intelligence has come through that they are attacking the Venatori and the remnants of the Fellowship of St. Giles in Europe and Asia. They also seem to be recruiting more people willing to accept the Fallens' coins and are making a point of staying away from places known to have the stronger members of this Council."
"Why those groups though?" I asked, more to myself than anyone in particular.
"Both groups are loyal to this Council Dresden. They also have close connections to the Church and to you and your friends."
"The Swords!" I said, suddenly.
"That has to be the reason for the attacks. With me apparently dead, they suspect that the swords are now vulnerable to attack. They have no way of knowing that the Church's greatest weapons aren't actually in the hands of the Church. They are still in Chicago, which has fallen prey to a new kind of scum in the absence of a full member of the Council."
"Who has the swords then, Dresden?" Mai asked with a certain amount of interest. Even McCoy seemed interested in my answer.
"I left them with Murphy. She still has them secured safely even if she is being pressured into wielding Fidelacchius full-time."
"A mortal? You left two of the Churches greatest weapons in the hands of a mortal who refuses to wield the Sword of Faith. If she picks it up whilst doubting herself, she could unmake it completely. You should have left it in more capable hands than hers, Dresden." Mai replied with a hint of anger.
"And yet, you were not there at Chichen Itza to witness the power she wielded through it. Every Knight is still only a vassal of a greater power and it revealed itself at the turning point." I retorted pointedly.
"Be that as it may Dresden, she refuses to wield it and she prevents others who are worthy from doing so as well. The three swords are barely enough as it is to hold back darkness without two of them missing in action."
"I did what I judged to be right. When Shiro left Fidelacchius in my care, he said I would know who to give it to. It is rightfully Murphy's."
"And that action might condemn us. Tessa and Rosanna are staying away from us here and in America, but we are also tracking the one known as Nicodemus. He followed the paths of the others across Europe until a few weeks ago when he abruptly changed course and returned to America. Even though his movements are hard to track, we estimate he has been there for two weeks and even worse, he is making a beeline for Chicago. It may even be him who has been giving information on your Paranet organisation to the Fornor in order for their tactics to be so effective.
"Nicodemus, are you sure?" I said as a chill ran the length of my spine.
"The one bonded with Anduriel and wears the noose of Judas, we are sure Dresden."
My mind was spinning. Why was he here? What business could have brought the de facto leader of the Denarii back to Chicago? He had stayed away from the place ever since that fight on Demonreach where I had hoped he had stayed under the shallow waters where I left him.
"From your reports to the Council, we are aware of your run-ins with this particular Fallen. What is his objective Hoss?" McCoy asked gently. I swapped glances with him beyond Mai's face and my heart sank. I knew what he was getting at, I knew because it was all too obvious to someone who had conversed with me for longer than five minutes.
Here were the facts: I don't have a lot of Council support. I don't give much lip service to the Church, which is a little ironic, I'll admit and I kept two of the Churches greatest weapons in my basement for an extended period of time.
"He knows the swords didn't leave Chicago, and he is back to claim and unmake them. There are plenty of demons in the far reaches of the Nevernever who could help him narrow in on it once he gets there." I supplied, as Mai's face lit up in realization.
"Why is he taking so long though? " I asked. "A walk through the Nevernever could put him in Chicago inside a day."
"The Ways through the Nevernever have heavy through traffic these days, with Council movements and forces from Winter and Summer keeping an eye on paths through their territory. It would be impossible for him to make the journey solely in this fashion without him being spotted."
"Him? You mean he is travelling alone?" I asked.
"More likely, he has sent others on different routes with a rendezvous plan once they reach Chicago." Mai said.
I rubbed my face in my hands before rising from my seat with a long sigh. McCoy mirrored me as he pushed his chair back from behind Mai as well. "Then we hit them at the rendezvous and scatter them, or we take them one on one before they can regroup", I said evenly, as if I was suggesting a gentle stroll in the park.
Mai stayed seated as she eyed me steadily before nodding slightly and glancing at McCoy. "You cannot aid him any further in this without informing the Merlin."
McCoy winced slightly before agreeing with another nod to Mai which was returned in kind. Turning around, both of us fell into step as we made to leave the Hall.