The Highway West Andrew 35
Chapter Nine: The Geometry of Shadows
Since Auschwitz we know what man is capable of. And since Hiroshima we know what is at stake.
-Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning
"Jack, do we have maps somewhere around here?" Marguerite asked.
"But of course. What location and time frame?" he answered.
"We want a map of L.A," Cassie told him.
"Yeah and what time frame?" Jack asked again.
"The most current map that we have."
"I know just where that map is! It should only take me a few minutes. Now where did I put that?" Jack told them as he waddled down the hallway with excitement.
Elijah looked towards the others and sighed. "I should go with him to keep him company," he said sarcastically as he followed Jack.
Caliban returned to the giant comfortable chair and continued to stare into the tapestry. Cassie sat on the floor next to him and put her head on the arm of the chair. Caliban smiled and reached over to Cassie and patted her on the head with his slimy hands. Ruthie and Marguerite looked at each other in horror, but decided not to comment.
"Gary, why do you spend so much time looking at the tapestry?" Cassie asked.
"It is like watching the stars, only instead of light from suns that have died millions of years ago, I can see all of the possibilities of tomorrow," Caliban answered.
"So it's like being in a dream?" Cassie inquired.
"Dreams are the windows of what should be, yes?"
"That's a nice thought, unless your dreams are nightmares," Marguerite commented.
Like a thick fog, silence covered the room. Although none of them would admit it, all of them had recently had nightmares. Footsteps on the wooden floor broke through the silence like a beam from a lighthouse.
"I still don't see why you insisted upon bringing all of the maps," Jack told Elijah in the hallway.
"Older maps might provide a sense of context for when we plan our attack," Elijah answered as he marched into the tapestry room.
Jack followed carrying several maps. "Set them on the map table, bub." Jack told Elijah.
"What table?" Elijah asked, confused.
"This table," Jack answered as he set the rolled maps on a large oak round table.
Elijah blinked his eyes and then sighed. Objects in the Bar seemed to have a mind of their own. Chairs and couches could appear and disappear at a moments notice. "That will fine," Elijah replied.
After unrolling the map, Elijah drew a perfect triangle with St. Elmo's Cemetery, Tagami Towers, and Sister Mary's School for Children as the three points. "MacDuff said that the Shadow Lord was hiding in the exact center of the triangle," he stated.
"Then it should not be difficult to find," Caliban responded as he reached for a calculator.
Within a few minutes, Caliban estimated the exact location of the center of the triangle. "Forgive me, but it has been several years since I have had to do geometry. As far as I can tell, the center is here," Caliban told them as he made a small mark on the map.
"Let's see that's the corner of Sixth and Bradfort street. Right in the middle of downtown," Marguerite informed them.
"Isn't that a movie theater? I think the kids from Sister Mary's like to go there," Ruthie inquired.
"Yeah, it's that old dollar theater," Cassie answered.
"A dollar movie theater in Los Angeles? I didn't think they had those in California?" Ruthie replied.
"It's not a normal movie place. They only show old horror movies. It's more like a movie night club," Cassie told her.
"And if I remember correctly, every one is dressed in costume," Marguerite added.
"Why would the Shadow Lord hide in the middle of a dollar theater?" Caliban asked.
"MacDuff mentioned that the Shadow Lord did not have a choice about his location," Elijah told him.
"Yeah and who's going to notice a few demons? After all everyone's going to be dressed like Halloween," Cassie informed him.
"Still, a movie club does not seem like the right place for the Shadow Lord. Perhaps he is under the theater?" Caliban suggested.
"That might be. Let us look at the older maps, which include the older sewage tunnels," Elijah suggested.
After unrolling the sewage map, they found that the movie theater had several connections to the old system. "Why would a movie theater have so many connections to the old sewage system?" Caliban asked.
"That is something that we should look into," Elijah replied.
"What's the big deal? We know where the Shadow Lord hangs out. Let's go and kick his butt and be done with it," Marguerite suggested.
"The more we know about this location, the more we can use it against the Shadow Lord," Caliban told her.
"Jack, is there a way we can learn the history of this location?" Elijah asked.
"In one of our back rooms, we keep all sorts of records from cities all over the world," Jack replied.
"Okay! Wait a minute! I don't buy this anymore. You mean to tell me you have a copy of every scrap of paper from every politician, every city, and every country?" Marguerite asked.
"As a matter of fact, I do," Jack answered.
"Why bother? Besides, this old house isn't big enough," Marguerite snapped.
"All information is important. In the end, all of the information stored here will be used for the final judgment," Jack answered.
"God's going to use a laundry list and city records to judge the world?" Marguerite asked sarcastically.
"Yeah, I don't get it either," Cassie agreed.
"It is difficult to believe," Caliban admitted.
"Why go through all of this trouble? Why not tell us what we need to know?" Ruthie asked.
"It is not my place to ask why. I simply serve," he answered.
"That's not good enough," Marguerite told him.
"All that I can say is this is that the One I serve created a place to give to you five a feel for the scope of history," Jack replied.
"I think I understand what he is saying," Elijah told them.
"Enlighten us, Dudley," Marguerite said sarcastically.
"When I studied under Tagami, I would read novels and then we would discuss it. Once, I had Tagami explain a novel to me before I read it. When I finally did read the novel, I was trapped by Tagami's experiences and perceptions. His explanation gave to me a filter from which I viewed the material," Elijah explained.
"And whoever Jack serves wants us to see everything for ourselves. That makes sense," Marguerite agreed.
"If that's settled, then I'll grab what ya need," Jack told them as he began to walk down the hallway.
"There is another matter that we have to attend to before we try to attain the Seal," Caliban informed the others.
"What's that?" Ruthie asked.
"What are we willing to do to capture the Seal of Creation?" Caliban asked.
"We're talking about the whole ball of wax here. If we don't get that Seal, its over. I don't know about you guys, but that says it all," Marguerite told them.
"Are we willing to die for it?" Caliban asked.
"Die for it? What do you mean?" Cassie inquired.
"There's no guarantees. MacDuff and Jack made that clear. If we go in there, we could all die. Are we willing to do this?" Caliban asked them.
"I can't see that God has given us another choice," Ruthie replied.
"I do not see any other choice either. But we have to make certain that we all know where we stand," Caliban told them.
"I didn't think about dying," Cassie admitted.
"With or without all you, I am going," Elijah stated.
"You're not going alone, Dudley," Marguerite informed him.
"You really think we could all die?" Cassie asked.
Elijah forced himself to look into Cassie's eyes. "I am not going to lie to you. We could all die within the hour. If you aren't ready for this, then stay," he told her.
"The Lord will protect us," Ruthie said to Cassie.
"Yeah and God loves martyrs too. Don't feed her that line of shit," Marguerite barked.
"If she is to go, it has to be her choice and she has to know all of the dangers," Elijah declared.
"If I don't go, the entire world goes to Hell in a handbasket," Cassie stated.
"That much is certain." Caliban agreed, "In a sense, it is not fair for us to ask you to come. In a manner of speaking, we are all warriors, except you. Elijah has been trained since birth for this moment. Ruthie has devoted much of her life to become a spiritual warrior. Marguerite is a natural fighter and rebel who has finally been given a cause for which she can fight. This is my last chance to redeem myself. All that you ask is to be loved and left alone, yes?"
"And yet, we need her. She is one of the Five," Elijah argued.
"I've always dreamed of being a hero and now when I get my chance, it's not exactly what I had in mind. But I am not going to leave my friends," Cassie said.
"Then it is settled," Elijah declared.
"No. It is not," Caliban informed him.
"What else do we have to talk about?" Elijah asked.
"We are willing to die, but are we willing to kill?" Caliban asked.
"In the next couple of days, the entire world could be swimming in demons and you think I'm going to be a pacifist?" Marguerite mocked him.
"We do whatever we must to attain the Seal," Elijah stated.
"Do we have to kill them?" Cassie asked.
"We can hope for the best and prepare for the worst," Elijah answered.
"But shouldn't we try to save these poor creatures?" Ruthie asked.
"If I thought we had the chance, I'd say let's do it. But we're going to have our backs against the wall. I don't think we have a choice," Marguerite told her.
"We have to be heroes. That means we make the difficult choices," Elijah informed them.
"The choice has already been made. All we're doing is flapping our jaws about it," Marguerite said.
"I should certainly hope so. You talk more than politicians," Jack scolded them as he entered the room.
Elijah turned to see Jack carry a small stack of papers and documents. "It is a difficult choice we have made," Elijah told him.
"Yes and it is a choice you have already made." Jack informed him, "Once made, the decision is final."
"You going to give us those papers or are you going to lecture us?" Marguerite asked.
"The papers are yours. Now hurry up and save the world. Call me if you need me. My favorite John Wayne flick is on."
Elijah and Caliban divided the documents and began to scan them. While they were reading, Cassie sat next to Caliban and stared into the tapestry. Ruthie decided to pull out her leather bound bible and find scripture mentioning wizards and witches. Since her battle in the Viper Room, Ruthie had thought much about her faith. When the lightning shot from her cross, Ruthie could physically feel the hand on God on her heart. She only hoped that lightning did indeed strike twice in the same place.
Marguerite decided that she needed some air and went outside the house to walk outside. Even though she knew she was in the spirit world and not the Nevada desert, she enjoyed the fantasy and for a few moments was happy and at peace.
"I believe that we have discovered a few facts that have made this worth while," Elijah announced.
"Okay, Dudley, skip the drama," Marguerite ordered.
"It seems as though the location has not always been a movie theater," Caliban replied.
"Okay, tell me something I didn't know," Cassie responded.
"Back in the 1950s, Bellevue Sanitarium used to stand in that exact spot," Elijah revealed.
"I heard about that place." Marguerite said, "When I was a kid, a lot of Sanitariums closed. A lot of the older people used to live there when they were kids."
"I'm afraid I don't understand. Why did all of the Sanitariums close? What was Bellevue?" Ruthie asked.
"In the early 1980s, President Ronald Reagan slashed social spending by a third in order to lower taxes on the wealthy and to increase our military armament to compete with the Soviet Union. One of the programs that was cut was mental hospitals." Caliban explained, "Thousands of people that should be been treated were released in society. A large majority of these people became homeless."
"Bellevue was a home for disturbed children that closed in 1961. It seems as though all of the children began to experience a common hallucination. All them began to hear voices in the night. The doctors decided that it would be best to separate the children and close down Bellevue," Elijah added.
"How horrible! How could they just cast these people out? We spent all of that money building up our defenses for nothing," Ruthie exclaimed.
"Actually that is not a fair statement. While I agree that Reagan could have found a better solution than casting out mentally ill people, he did produce results. When we spent all of that money for defense purposes, the Soviet Union had to keep up with the pace. In fact, because of our greater technology, the Soviet Union had to spend twice as much just to keep up. In the end, it bankrupted the nation. Ironically, Reagan did crush the Soviet Union. He out spent them," Caliban informed Ruthie.
"Your babbling again, Caliban," Marguerite snapped.
"Babble? I do not babble. Sometimes I. . .," Caliban defended himself.
"What about Bellevue?" Cassie asked, trying to focus Caliban's mind on the current problem.
"It would seem that this location has a history of paranormal activity," Caliban answered.
"In the 1920s, according to the records that I have read, the location used to be the city mortuary," Elijah revealed.
"Oh that's intelligent! Put all of the crazy people in the Mortuary!" Marguerite said sarcastically.
"The neighborhood eventually sued the city of Los Angeles for it's removal. They claimed that it lowered their property values, but as far as I can tell the properties were not worth much at that time," Elijah added.
"So what's all this mean?" Cassie asked.
"That the Shadow Lord has chosen his battlefield well," Elijah answered.
"Should we bother trying to find information on the owner of the property?" Caliban asked.
"If he can hide himself from the tapestry, then he's not going to have a paper trail," Marguerite reasoned.
"I agree. It would be a waste of time," Elijah said.
"Then let's go kick his butt," Marguerite told them.
"I quite agree," Caliban added.
Cassie closed her eyes and drew them into her. Each time she drew them into her, Cassie felt closer to them. It was almost as though they were one soul divided into five parts. The Five crossed the river Alpheus and leapt into the black void. As they fell closer to the Shadow Lord, Cassie's Fairy Eyes could see the black emptiness that surrounded the area. She could feel the heat of his dark power pummeling her like waves upon a beach. Cassie only hoped that the Five could surf the waves and reach their source.
A street dog howled in the distance as the Five faded into view. The alley smelled as though the garbage men had forgotten this section of the city for the last three years. Dim lights from the neon signs partly illuminated the narrow alley. Although it was night, the heat of the city washed over them like a tidal wave. An alley cat trotted past them happily with a large rat in it's mouth. "We're in the alley behind the movie theater," Cassie informed them.
"You're getting better at this," Ruthie complimented them.
"Thanks. The closer we become, the easier it is," Cassie replied.
"You said that people would be wearing costumes, correct?" Elijah asked.
"It depends on the movies. I'll go check. You guys stay here," Cassie told them.
"I'll go with you," Marguerite insisted.
"Suit yourself," Cassie said.
Although Cassie would never admit it, she wished she could be like Marguerite. She wished she could be strong, forceful, and the type of person that takes what she wants. Even though Marguerite was a vampire, Elijah had fallen in love with her. To Cassie, who had always searched for love, it was as obvious as a nuclear bomb. Marguerite and Cassie turned the corner from the alley and walked towards the front of the theater.
A large neon sign proclaimed that the building was the Stardust Movie Theater. Under the large neon sign was a listing for several low grade horror movies which included Evil Dead 2, Hellraiser, and Nightmare on Elm Street.
"Stay here a second," Cassie whispered to Marguerite.
"Okay. You get into trouble, you let me know," Marguerite insisted.
"Oh yeah, thrill me," Cassie responded as she strolled towards the ticket booth.
"What movie?" the girl behind the glass asked.
"What time is it?" Cassie asked.
"It's 11:30," the cashier answered.
"What day is it?" Cassie inquired.
"It's Saturday. You on drugs or something?" the cashier asked.
"Oh yeah, I just forgot. Sorry my hair used to be blonde," Cassie replied.
"I can believe that," the cashier replied.
Cassie walked back to Marguerite and took her to the others. "It's 11:30 on Saturday night," Cassie informed them.
"So then everything has taken place within a span of a few hours?" Ruthie asked.
"I made it to the Viper Room at 10 o' clock. I would guess that we left by 10:30. When we returned to the Viper Room it was about 11:00, even though we had lived through a couple of days in the Bar," Elijah explained.
"It seems as though we've been together forever," Caliban added.
"Okay, that was a nice trip down memory lane, we need to get busy," Marguerite told them.
"We need a plan," Elijah stated.
"Why? We never have before," Cassie inquired sarcastically.
"It seems to me the problem is that while we know the Shadow Lord is in this area, we do not know his exact location," Caliban stated.
"Cassie, can you use your Fairy Eyes to find him?" Elijah asked.
"I'll try," Cassie replied.
As she opened her Fairy Eyes, an ocean of colors and sensations washed over her. She looked towards the movie theater only to see darkness. It was a darkness that was blacker than the blackest hate. It was an emptiness that chilled her to the bone. It was an emptiness that slowly began to suck her into it. She fought the urge to join the darkness the best she could. In the end, all she could do was close her eyes.
"What did you see?" Caliban asked.
"Darkness, like the void, only it tried to suck me in," Cassie answered.
"He is cloaking himself. That must be how we could not find him with the tapestry," Elijah reasoned.
"Perhaps, his cloaking spell has worked too well," Caliban mused.
"What do you mean?" Ruthie asked.
"It we can not see him, it stands to reason that he can not see us. When we teleported, we were vulnerable for attack. That would have been the ideal time and place to kill us all. If I am right, the Shadow Lord is as blind as we are," Caliban answered.
"Then how are we to find him?" Elijah asked.
"The old fashioned way," Marguerite responded.
"And that is?" Elijah asked.
"We walk in through the front doors and look for trouble," Marguerite answered.
"Except that we are sure to be recognized," Caliban replied.
"How can they know what we look like already? You're forgetting that it's only been an hour since we trashed the Viper Room," Marguerite argued.
"Perhaps, a scout would work best," Elijah suggested.
"Sounds cool. Who's going to do it?" Marguerite asked.
"Caliban can turn invisible, so he is a likely choice," Elijah answered.
"If Cassie comes along with me, I can cloak her and she can mask my scent, which I understand is quite strong," Caliban added.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT I HAVE A WAY TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT CAN NOT BE OVER HEARD.
"I agree. As soon as you find the Shadow Lord, contact us and we shall be ready," Elijah told them.
"Are you ready, then?" Caliban asked.
"Yeah, thrill me," Cassie replied.
Cassie shifted to fairy form and climbed out of her dress. As she flew onto Caliban's shoulder, Ruthie folded her dressed and put it into her backpack. "I'll keep this so you don't have to run around naked like a heathen," Ruthie informed her.
'Thanks," Cassie said to Ruthie.
When Ruthie looked up from placing Cassie's clothes inside her backpack, she found that she could no longer see them. It was not that Caliban and Cassie turned invisible, but that Ruthie refused to look directly at them. It was part of an unspoken agreement that existed between them. Ruthie tried to find them, but quickly gave up. "Good luck," Ruthie called to them.
THANKS, I HAVE A FEELING WE'RE GOING TO NEED IT.
It took a few minutes for Caliban and Cassie to enter the building. If they opened the door themselves, then the cashier would notice them. As long as Caliban did not effect the world that the seers believed in, he would remain unseen. It was when a large crowd of people bought tickets that Caliban slipped through the door. While passing through the door, Cassie felt as though she was passing through a black waterfall. Once inside, everything could be seen.
She opened her Fairy Eyes and began to explore. The people that worked above were mortals. Below was another matter entirely. Cassie could sense the power the emitting from the lower levels of the building. She sent her Fairy Eyes down into darkness. She could sense the power of the First Seal of Creation. As she entered the chamber, she felt as though someone was watching her. Frantically, she looked for the Shadow Lord only to discover that he had found her.
IT'S A TRAP! HE'S WAITING FOR US! BELOW! BELOW!
Caliban and Cassie felt the steel arm of the Shadow Lord reach for them. They tried to fight his power, but it took both of them completely by surprise. Caliban tried to move but found that he could not. Being sucked into a void of darkness, they could feel the Shadow Lord draw them closer. A bright light at the end of the tunnel beckoned to them. By the time they reached it, they were captives of the Shadow Lord.
"Greetings and Salutations, Caliban and Cassie, welcome to my home," the Shadow Lord told them.
IT'S A TRAP! HE'S WAITING FOR US! BELOW! BELOW!
Elijah Kincaid drew Ascalon and prepared for battle. Without a single word, he bolted towards the movie theater. Ruthie and Marguerite followed. As they burst into the theater, the cashier seeing a man running with a glowing broadsword screamed. Marguerite's eyes turned scarlet. "Shut up!" she barked.
"We need to get to the lower levels of this building," Ruthie explained to them.
The manager, who stood behind the snack bar counter with another employee, moved slowly towards the telephone. "We don't have lower levels to this building," he replied.
"Yes, you do. We need to see them now!" Elijah insisted.
"Please don't hurt anyone! All we have is a small basement," the manger told them.
"Please show us," Ruthie said politely.
As the manager moved away from the counter, the employee moved towards the phone. By the time the manager opened the door to the basement, the employee had reached the phone and began to dial. Marguerite, Ruthie, and Elijah darted down the stairs that lead to the basement. While Ruthie turned the corner, the manager locked the huge steel door behind them. Once the basement had been a bomb shelter for this section of the neighborhood during the Red Scares. Even if the Mexican girl did have glowing eyes, the manager knew that if this steel door could hold off a nuclear explosion it could keep them locked up until the police arrived.
"They locked the door behind us!" Ruthie yelled to Elijah.
"We can't deal with that right now!" Elijah barked as he reached the bottom of the stairs and found the bomb shelter.
"There has to be a secret passage!" Marguerite snapped as she threw one of the table to the side.
"If I am correct, the police will wait for us to come up so we should have quite a few minutes," Elijah reasoned.
"Yeah, but Cassie and Caliban don't, so let's get out asses in gear!" Marguerite ordered.
"I really am quite glad you five actually found me. I wasn't sure if you were going to," the Shadow Lord told them.
Cassie and Caliban were locked in a field of darkness. They could see a vague shape that might have been the Shadow Lord. All they knew was that his voice could crack concrete.
"What are you going to do?" Cassie asked.
"Why wait until the others come, Cassie," the Shadow Lord replied.
"How do you know our names?" Caliban asked.
"Ah. . .that is my secret. Maybe I pulled it from your minds," the Shadow Lord suggested.
"I don't think so," Cassie snapped.
"Or maybe I learned from one of the Five," the Shadow Lord replied.
"Yeah right tell me another one," Cassie mocked him.
"I know all you. Marguerite is the feral one. Ruthie is the sweet one, but prayers aren't going to save you. Bucky, I have to admit, is the wild card. Still, you can not win. I have calculated every possibility," the Shadow lord bragged.
"Did you say Bucky?" Caliban asked.
"Yes I did. I imagine he is a weird one to live with. Still, he's the only one of you that could have crossed through the realm of madness," the Shadow Lord explained.
"Ha! You fucked up this time!" Cassie laughed at him.
"Do not laugh at me!" the Shadow Lord insisted.
"And we thought you were the boogie man. Morrison is more scary than you. At least he knew who the five was," Cassie mocked him as she shifted to human form.
"What are you doing?" Caliban hissed.
"If you can't beat them, piss them off," Cassie replied.
"What do you mean? Are you implying that I do not know who the Five are?" the Shadow Lord bellowed.
"I'm not implying anything," Cassie responded.
"It does not matter. As long as one member dies, the circle is broken!" the Shadow Lord cackled.
"Yeah and when our friends get here, your going to get your butt kicked!" Cassie taunted him.
"Is that so? Your friends are about to be arrested, the Shadow Lord informed them.
Although Cassie dreaded piercing the darkness, she opened her Fairy Eyes. As long as the Shadow Lord encased her in darkness, he could not sense her Fairy Eyes. That had to be an advantage. Cassie tried to teleport out but the darkness absorbed her power and the Shadow Lord laughed.
Her Fairy Eyes searched the boarders of the darkness. She tried to find a hole, but could not. All she needed was a small hole. Then the Shadow Lord would be finished.
"THIS IS THE POLICE! WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE! COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!" a loud man with a megaphone bellowed.
"Shit!" Marguerite cursed.
"We need to find a way down there," Elijah muttered to himself.
"It's almost as though the Shadow Lord's hiding it from us," Ruthie muttered.
"He might be, but that doesn't help us any," Marguerite snapped.
CALIBAN, TRY YOUR FLAMES!
Caliban feared releasing the fire within his body. Part of him suspected that each time he did, he lost a piece of his soul. To save Cassie, Caliban was willing to risk it. He pointed towards the darkness and released a bolt of pure fire. The light from the flame cut through the darkness. For a moment, it looked as though it would burn the darkness to ashes. Then the darkness grew damp and the fire smothered.
"Interesting, I've always wondered if a Fallen could break free from my web of darkness," the Shadow Lord informed them.
"The light almost canceled the darkness," Caliban whispered.
"If only we could get more light down here," Cassie replied.
"Your friends are going to have interesting company soon," the Shadow Lord taunted them.
"Try to send to them. Maybe they can bring light," Caliban suggested.
Although the shadow web could hold any sound, light, or object, it could not with stand the force of the mind. Cassie closed her Fairy Eyes and concentrated on her friends. Her emotion bond drew her closer to them. She was able to break through the shadow web and speak to her friends.
THE SHADOW LORD IS US HOLDING IN A MAGIC SHADOW. WE NEED LIGHT!
"Did you hear that?" Ruthie asked.
"Yeah, how are going to get them light?" Marguerite replied.
"We could start a fire, but then we have no guarantee that it would reach them," Elijah commented.
"WE'RE GIVING YOU FIVE MINUTES AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO COME IN AFTER YOU!" the police yelled.
"Just like the LAPD, they treat everyone like a king," Marguerite muttered.
"What should I do?" Ruthie asked them.
"Pray. Your good at that," Marguerite snapped.
While Marguerite and Elijah searched the bomb shelter, Ruthie knelt and prayed. "Lord, we are trying to do Your will, but we can not do it alone. You have blessed us with friendship and fellowship. We have heard Your call to stand against the evil, but we can not fight this battle alone. In Luke 2:32 it has been written that The Lord Jesus is the light that will shine upon all nations. Please Lord, shine that light down upon so that we may fight in Your name."
Although the darkness still surrounded them, Cassie no longer felt afraid. For a second, she thought she heard whistling. Before she could ask Caliban if he heard it, the light shined through. It was as bright as a sun gone nova. It hurt both of their eyes and cleansed their souls. For the first time in a long time, Caliban loved the light more than the darkness. The light flashed for only a moment, but that second was enough for Cassie to act.
She concentrated on Marguerite, Ruthie, and Elijah and drew them into her. When the light dimmed, the Five stood together and free.
"Who are you?" the Shadow Lord asked Elijah.
Ascalon vibrated wickedly. It took most of his strength to keep the mystical broadsword in the correct arc. "I am Elijah Kincaid, the Chiyanbara," he answered.
"Tagami is dead," the Shadow Lord protested.
"I am his son," Elijah told him.
The Shadow Lord could sense great power from the glowing broadsword. It was familiar to him somehow as though he had felt its energy before. Could it be Excalbur? "The lost son of Thane Kincaid! You should not be here! Where is Bucky? Could I have been wrong?" The Shadow Lord cried.
"Surrender the Seal or you will force us to take it!" Caliban warned the Shadow Lord.
"I think not," the Shadow Lord told them.
In the darkness all they could see was a vague shape. Marguerite shifted to her scarlet eyes, but found she could not see through this darkness. It was almost as though the darkness had come straight from the Shadow Lord's heart.
The Shadow Lord snapped and the darkness retreated. A few lamps dimly lit the room. As far as Marguerite could tell, the room was shaped like a hexagon. She could see other shadowy figures pointing at them. "Hey guys, we have company," Marguerite announced.
"Form a circle!" Elijah ordered.
The Five moved to stand back to back in a circled. "What's wrong? Afraid of the darkness?" the Shadow Lord inquired.
"The only thing we're worried about is your smell," Marguerite mocked him.
"Is that so?" the Shadow Lord laughed.
The shadow warriors began to move closer, as if they could sense fear. Caliban began to release bolts of fire in random directions. The quick flashes of light frightened the creatures and they scurried back into the darkness. "Each bolt I release tires me. I can not do this for long," Caliban whispered.
"Surrender. Even if you do get the First Seal of Creation, you will lose. You can not destroy it! You can not carry it!" the Shadow Lord told them.
"You'd be surprised, homecheese!" Marguerite barked.
"Is that so, Marguerite? Who among you can carry it? I have lived two thousand years and I fear to touch it. Only by my magic can I contain it's power. The instant one of you touches it, you will succumb to it's will. And how will you protect it? Yes, I know about the Pit. It figures that MacDuff would think of that. How are you going to get there? To get there you have to cross the realm of madness. Without Bucky, you'll never make it! If you surrender, I will let you live," the Shadow Lord offered.
"Oh yeah so you can just drown us in demons," Marguerite agreed sarcastically.
Marguerite's words inspired Caliban. Something about the Shadow Lord had bothered Caliban since Delilah first mentioned his name. If the Shadow Lord had such great power, why did he need the demons? Why would he need the First Seal of Creation? Why would he hide himself? Why not reveal himself? MacDuff had said that the Shadow Lord had the ability to cloud the minds of men. What if MacDuff fell into the same traps and they were in? Lies, if believed, can take on a strange reality. What if all of the Shadow Lord's power came from their fears and doubts?
"Listen to me!" Caliban yelled to the others. "He is a fake. Elijah lower your sword. Listen to me! All of this is fake!"
"Do you know this for certain?" Elijah asked.
"All I know is that I would love for you to put your sword down, Kincaid!" the Shadow Lord cackled.
"No, I do not. But, it is the only solution that makes sense," Caliban admitted.
"You want us to just stop fighting? Yeah right!" Cassie told him.
"Listen to me! It seems stupid, but you have to believe me!" Caliban pleaded.
The shadow figures moved closer as if ready to attack when the Five dropped their defenses. "I believe you," Ruthie told him.
"I guess I do too," Cassie added.
"I hope your right," Marguerite muttered.
"You are my friend. I believe you," Elijah replied as he sheathed Ascalon.
"The game is over, Shadow Lord. We have won," Caliban declared.
For a few seconds, the room echoed with silence. Slowly, the darkness lifted to reveal a young man who seemed about twenty. Despite his youth, the Shadow Lord possessed the expressions of an old man. "How did you know?" he asked meekly.
"You offered us a chance to surrender. If you were winning, you would have killed us," Caliban answered.
"Where is the Seal?" Elijah asked.
"Over there on the table, but you'll never be able to touch it. That much was the truth. It bends your will," the Shadow Lord cried.
Elijah and Marguerite walked over to the small scratched table to see the First Seal of Creation on a small pedestal. It was the shape of a perfect triangle cut from the purest silver.
"All those years. . .gone," the Shadow Lord wept.
"What are we going to do with him?" Ruthie asked.
"If we let him live, he'll be back," Marguerite told them.
"We have to stop him now," Elijah agreed.
"We can't just kill him," Cassie protested.
"That would be wrong!" Ruthie added.
The Shadow Lord limped over to the corner of the room and sat down in the dirt. "You won't hurt it, will you?" he asked.
"What are you talking about?" Marguerite asked.
"The Avatar. You won't hurt it? It's really nice. Sometimes it talks to you. Sometimes it makes you do things. I didn't mean to hurt her! I didn't!" he whimpered.
"I know. I know," Ruthie whispered to him.
"What are we going to do with him?" Elijah asked.
"We have already hurt him more than we can ever know. Leave him be," Caliban told them.
"We're just going to leave him?" Marguerite asked, surprised.
"Vengeance is mine saith the Lord," Ruthie answered.
"Well, I want a piece of that action," Marguerite announced.
"Look at him. Do you really want to kill him?" Elijah asked her softly.
Marguerite looked at the whimpering man who was once the Shadow Lord. She felt pity and contempt for him. "I didn't mean to do it. Don't hurt me. Don't hurt the Avatar! Please!" he begged.
"Can you really kill him?" Caliban asked.
Marguerite looked over to Elijah. "No. I guess I can't." she answered, "Let's just get what we came for and get the Hell out of Dodge."
"What are we going to do with him?" Caliban asked.
"He should be punished somehow," Ruthie agreed.
"Let's leave him here. He's alive and he has to live with himself. That's enough," Cassie told them.
"No! Don't leave me!" he pleaded.
"Are you certain that you can handle the Seal, Elijah?" Caliban asked.
"No. But I do not see an alternative," Elijah answered as he reached for the Seal.
The room seemed to grow colder and the darkness returned as Elijah touched the First Seal of Creation. He could feel it calling to him, but Elijah ignored it's siren call. Elijah could feel it trying to bend and mold him in it's image, but Elijah was his own man. It offered power, wealth, and pleasures beyond imagination, but Elijah possessed all that we wanted. In the end, it all came down to a show of wills. The Seal asked the dark question: What do you want? Elijah ignored it. This was the moment that Elijah had been born for. This was his purpose. He could sense it now that he held the Seal. This was his candle to hold.
"Are you okay, Dudley?" Marguerite asked.
"He's holding it! He's holding it! He's winning!" the boy who was once the Shadow Lord cried.
"I am fine. . .for now. We must go," Elijah stated slowly.
"Cassie, now would be a good time to take us back to the Bar," Caliban informed her.
"NO! NO! Don't leave me!" the boy cried.
Cassie pulled the others into her. She could feel the taint of the First Seal of Creation like a cancer eating at her heart. Her first urge was to cast it out of her, but she quickly suppressed it. Once the Five became One, they leapt across time, space, and all of the dimensions to reach Jack's Bar and Grill.
As soon as Elijah realized he was standing in the Bar, he dropped the Seal. "It is so evil," he muttered.
"But you held it," Cassie cheered him.
"It took all of the will that I had to not give in," Elijah stated.
"Okay, all we have to do is jump to the Pit and then we can dumb this Seal off and then be happy," Marguerite told them.
"That will not be as easy as it sounds," Caliban informed her.
"Why is that?" Ruthie asked as she pulled out a small folded pile of black clothes from her backpack and handed it to Cassie.
"I believe that the Shadow Lord was telling the truth and that we have to cross the realm of madness. If this is true, then we need Bucky," Caliban informed them.
"Didn't he mention something about a pit?" Cassie asked as she slipped into her clothes, which included a black dress, black undergarments, and black sandals.
"Yeah, I remember him babbling about an arm pit," Marguerite agreed.
"I believe that you are correct. This would suggest that Bucky is supposed to go with us," Caliban reasoned.
"No. I am not going to the Pit with Bucky!" Elijah insisted.
"Do you want to hold on to that Seal forever?" Marguerite asked him.
"No," Elijah answered.
"We can't make it without him," Marguerite stated.
"He is an imp," Cassie muttered, disgusted.
"So?" Caliban asked.
"He's insane. . .we can't trust him," Cassie answered.
"Do we have a choice?" Marguerite inquired.
"How do we know if the Shadow Lord was telling the truth?" Elijah asked.
"We both know he told the truth. Part of him wanted to see the Seal destroyed. It was eating him alive. You could feel that," Caliban argued.
"You must understand how difficult this is for me. First, we have to ask MacDuff for information, now we have to ask Bucky for help. Bucky is more than an enemy. I can not explain it, but he frightens me. What if what he says is true?" Elijah asked.
"Then we all become heroes," Caliban answered.
"Wait, didn't he say something about you being smothered by the arm pit?" Marguerite asked.
"Yes, he did," Elijah answered.
"Then if we ask his help, you could die," Marguerite said.
"But if I can save everyone else, it would be worth it," Elijah admitted.
"Maybe we can find another way," Marguerite suggested.
"There is no other way," Elijah told her.
"I know." Marguerite said coldly, "I know."
"How do we find him?" Ruthie asked.
"We can use the tapestry to locate his position," Caliban answered.
"Should we look at his defining moment?" Cassie asked.
"That sounds like a pleasant stroll," Marguerite muttered sarcastically.
"Whatever his defining moment is, I am quite certain that it will not be logical or understandable," Caliban added.
"What do you mean? There has to be a method to the madness," Elijah argued.
"Of that I am certain. I simply do not believe I will be able to find that method," Caliban explained.
"Besides, do we really want to look into his head?" Marguerite asked, sarcastically.
"The mere thought gives me chills," Ruthie admitted. "Perhaps he can be helped."
"Oh yea, I suppose we could just take him out to a nice chicken restaurant," Marguerite replied.
"I have the fix on him. Are we ready?" Cassie asked.
Elijah bent down and picked up the First Seal of Creation. Elijah could feel the Seal calling to him. Instead of trying to bribe Kincaid, it showed him his death. It was the same as his dream. This was the only course of action.
"Are you okay?" Marguerite asked, seeing the painful look on Elijah's face.
"I. . .will be once we find Bucky," Elijah muttered.
Cassie nodded and drew them into her. The Seal was like an icepick stabbed into her spine, but she endured. Locating Bucky was easy. It was almost as though he wanted to be found.
Three purple doors were in front of them. The small white room was filled with green and blue poka dots. Do not open me was painted on the first door. Open me was painted on the second door. Bowling Ball Crossing was painted on the third door.
"Where in the Hell are we?" Marguerite asked.
"According to the rumors I have heard, this would be Bucky's Playhouse," Caliban answered.
"I assume we have to open one of the doors," Cassie told them.
"If I know Bucky, it is the door that says 'Do not open me,'" Elijah told them.
"Feel free to open it," Cassie told him.
Elijah opened to door and tried to scream. A hundred gallons of yellow liquid washed over him, knocking him against the wall. Behind the door was a small closet designed to hold a large amount of liquid.
"Man that shit smells," Marguerite complained.
"That is because it is urine mixed with a small amount of feces," Caliban observed.
Elijah screamed. Quickly, he rushed to the door that read Open me, and opened it. Another hundred gallons of yellow liquid washed over him, knocking him against the wall. Behind the door was a small closet designed to hold a large amount of liquid. Elijah screamed again. This time, he was losing control.
"If the third door pisses on him too, I say we split," Marguerite suggested.
Elijah opened the third door to see a huge bowling ball roll towards him. Quickly, he dodged to the left escaping the bowling ball. Caliban was not as lucky. The three ton bowling ball knocked Caliban into the wall.
"Gary, are you hurt?" Cassie cried.
"No. Not much anyway," Caliban moaned from behind the ball.
The Five listened and could hear electronic music. It was music that was familiar but they could not quite place it. Looking through door number three, Marguerite could see a long tunnel that ended with a long black curtain. A voice seemed to be talking behind the curtain. The voice was much too calm for it to belong to Bucky. Not having any other leads, Marguerite lead the Five down the tunnel.
Quickly, they burst through the curtain ready for a fight to find themselves on a giant stage with hundreds of TV screens. The familiar music echoed from the speakers. The host, wearing a gray conservative suit, stood to the left of the Five and seemed to be waiting for them. "Our newest contestants have arrived. From Los Angeles California we have the Five!" he told the audience who clapped wildly.
"What the Hell?" Marguerite swore.
"We're on Jeopardy! That's Alex Trebeck!" Ruthie cried.
Two other contestants joined them; Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. "Should we play?" Elijah asked.
"This is Bucky's game and we have to play by his rules," Caliban reminded him.
"Which one of us goes on stage?" Cassie asked.
"I know the show," Ruthie stated.
"You're up. Good luck," Marguerite told her.
Ruthie took her place next to Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein and played the game. The first round of categories included Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Biology, Mathematics, and famous scientists. Ruthie failed to answer one question correctly. During the second round, the categories were Bible Trivia, famous saints, Civil War history, Alabama, and the Five. Because Ruthie was in last place, she chose the first category. "I'll take 'the Five' for 200, Alex," Ruthie replied.
"A woman who always wears leather, a real bitch, and needs money for a personality transplant. This person tries to act tough all the time because she is afraid of being hurt," Alex said.
Ruthie's light flashed. She looked over to Marguerite, who did not seem happy. "Who is Marguerite Sanchez?" Ruthie answered.
"That's correct, Ruthie and now you're on the board for 200," Alex congratulated her.
"I'll take 'the Five' for 400," Ruthie told him.
"A fat girl who complains too much. Her hobbies include wearing black, chasing after men who she knows can't love them, and eating bon-bons. Her most famous incident is streaking in the Viper Room," Alex said.
Ruthie's light flashed. "Who is Cassie Byron?"
"That's correct. Ruthie."
"'The Five' for 600, Alex."
"A man that is part monster and part man. His problem is that he can never decide which part he wants to be. His hobbies include watching people with real lives, punishing himself by reading Kant, and feeling sorry for himself."
Ruthie's light flashed. "Who is Caliban?"
"That's correct."
"I'll take 'The Five' for 800," Ruthie replied.
"A man who is filled with Batman envy. His hobbies include quoting people he thinks is wise, wearing tights, and falling in love with vampires and other strange demonic creatures."
Ruthie's light flashed. "Who is Elijah Kincaid?"
"That's correct."
"I'll take 'The Five' for a thousand."
"A woman who is part sinner and part saint. Her problem is that she thinks that she can be one without the other. Her hobbies include bible thumping, praising Jesus, and sending money to televanglists."
Ruthie's light flashed. "Who is Ruthie Jones?"
"Correct. I'm afraid that's all the time we have left for the second round of Jeopardy. We now have Einstein with eight thousand, Newton with eight thousand, and Ruthie Jones with three thousand. Please prepare your wagers for final Jeopardy. The category is Super geniuses."
"Okay, we have all of your answers logged in. The question is 'a man above men. An imp's imp. Brilliant. Divine. Handsome. Charming. A man without weakness. A man without fear. A man without hair. And Ruthie, since you are in last place what is your answer?"
"Who is Bucky?"
"That's right and how much did you wager?"
"Three thousand."
"That places you with Six thousand. And Mr. Newton what was your answer?"
"G.Gordon Liddy," Newton replied.
Alex drew a pistol from his pocket and shot Newton. "I'm afraid you didn't put your answer in the form of a question." he replied, "Mr. Einstein, what is your answer?"
"Who is Patrick Stewart?" Einstein asked.
"Close but I'm afraid the answer in incorrect, since Patrick Steward is not yet a vampire. And how much was your wager?"
"I'm afraid I bet it all, sir," Einstein answered.
Alex shot Einstein. "It seems that you are the winner Mrs. Jones and now you have a choice you can take home the money or see the wizard," Alex offered her.
"I choose the wizard," Ruthie answered.
Alex morphed into Bucky before her eyes. Before she could comment, the entire room shifted into an abandoned warehouse. "Greetings and Salutations, you passed," Bucky told them.
Much to Elijah's delight, he discovered that the urine had been an illusion. Seeing Elijah's delight made Bucky laugh. Elijah drew Ascalon in response. "Now! Now! Kincaid, you came to me, remember? I don't recall inviting you," Bucky told him as he skipped away from Elijah.
"Elijah, we need him, remember?" Ruthie reminded Elijah.
Grunting with anger, Elijah sheathed Ascalon. "You know why we're here," Elijah stated.
"As a matter of fact, I do," Bucky agreed.
"Will you help us?" Ruthie asked.
"Yes, on one condition," Bucky told them.
"And that is?" Marguerite asked.
"I want Elijah Kincaid, the Chiyanbara, to sing the twenty pieces of chicken song!" Bucky answered.
"What?" Elijah cried.
"I want you to sing the twenty pieces of chicken song," Bucky repeated his answer.
"I do not know the twenty pieces of chicken song," Elijah insisted.
"You are supposed to make it up as you go along," Bucky explained.
"I am not going to sing the twenty pieces of chicken song!" Elijah insisted.
"Oh sing the fucking song!" Marguerite barked.
"Please, Elijah, sing the song," Ruthie pleaded.
"What's a matter, Mr. Hero. Your willing to risk your life but not your dignity?" Bucky inquired.
"Twenty pieces of chicken! Twenty pieces of chicken!" Elijah sang, "They're extra spicy. Yum! Yum! Yum. A real good treat!"
"That is the worst twenty pieces of chicken song I have ever heard! But I'll go anyway," Bucky told him.
"Okay, then. Where to?" Cassie asked.
"Take us to the Bar. We need to see if we can find anything out about this Pit," Caliban told her.
"And Elijah can shower and change his clothes," Cassie teased him.
"It was an illusion," Elijah insisted.
"I know. I have to learn that trick," Cassie giggled.
Cassie absorbed them into her. She excepted Bucky to feel like the Seal, but had the sense that he belonged. As they leapt across the dimensions, they could all feel Bucky's joy. When they hoped past the black void, Cassie could sense that Bucky belonged there. It was almost as though the Dreamweb sensed his presence and called to him. It took a few moments for Cassie to fight its power. Once free, Cassie slingshot them straight into Jack's Bar and Grill.