Chapter 13 Confrontation
Time passes.
Nuala is not aware how long.
She is lost, absorbed in exploring the conspiracy.
Suddenly, jarringly.
"Loony kook…"
Taken aback she yelps:
"Creepy critter!"
And freezes.
"I should have guessed. As notorious as your kind is for its errantry, you also can be reckoned to bouts of obsession where you will bang away at a problem until you solve it, and also of bouts of insight to help you along."
In answer, Nuala addresses the Painted Cave:
"Womb, I distinctly remember asking you, no visitors!"
Pointed silence.
Then, shaking so hard that her knees threaten to buckle from underneath her, she turns to face the intruder.
Though she is expecting it, she is still struck by how heinously disfigured the intruder is.
She manages to blurt:
"A guest, no matter how unwelcome, should introduce himself to his host…"
"Leonardo Di Caprio."
Nuala groans.
"I know. Don't start. You?"
She manages a degree of poise.
"You can call me Finola."
And that is all Nuala can manage. She then falters, leaning her back against the computer desk.
She barely manages to stutter:
"I have friends, you know?"
To this the intruder snickers.
Wohpe steps forward.
"I come in the name of the Maiden."
The intruder makes a welcoming motion.
But it is not directed at Wohpe.
Out of nowhere steps an ally of him.
A young man, in his mid twenties, exceptionally fit and handsome, with Italian heritage, with close fit tailor made Italian design black suit complete with a black fedora and the bulge of a gun holster underneath his armpit.
Nuala snorts, a sound that would be of derision if she were not so terrified.
"Michael Corleone! How quaint! I'm guessing you come in the name of the Carthian Movement… but are you not more associated with outlaws and organized crime, instead of governments?"
Then:
"I have more…"
To this Selu steps forward.
"I come in the name of the Mother."
To this the newcomer replies with another mock welcoming bow.
Out of nowhere materializes another person.
This one is outfitted as a legionary from the roman legions, a centurion more exactly, with a gold crown on his head, bearing a lion pelt as a cloak, complete with a mane bearing head acting as a cloak, totally unbefitting his rank, and a lance from which tip perpetually drips fresh blood.
"Centurion Longinus! Exalted one! The founder of the Lancea Sanctum himself! You do us honor!"
This time it takes her longer to recover.
"I'm not done yet…"
Taking this as a cue, Pah steps up.
"I come in the name of the Crone!"
Another bow from the intruder.
The person who materializes is attired in an imperial roman toga, adorned with imperial purple. He is an exceedingly old and preternaturally aged man, with twisted limbs afflicted with palsy, drool threatening to drop from the corner of his mouth. But one is taken aback by his eyes, always shifting, never meeting one's glance, always perusing the whole of you and the space around and frequent glances behind, wholly paranoid eyes.
"Emperor Claudius! Your highness! There is only the Invictus left! What a majestic representative did they decide to grace us with?"
It takes her even longer to recover.
This time she only barely manages a shooing motion.
Delirium steps forward.
"I like her. She is me, or rather, she is not me but she is a lot like me, more so than any other of your kind, that any other vampire."
The inviting bow.
The appearance of the entity that next materializes is somewhat bewildering. She has a base aspect, that of a totally androgynous human being with a sexless outfit and hairdo. But overlaid to that base is the most alluring and enticing looks to whoever is watching him/her, down to the smell he/she exudes.
Delirium blurts out:
"Sister? Desire? You, in league with these… ruffians!"
Desire casts Delirium a coy gaze.
"Why not, sister? Did you think that I was only concerned with desires of a romantic or lustful nature? But, tell me, sister, isn't any government based on an individual's desire to rule over others? Isn't power a desire to own others? Isn't greed a desire for possession? Isn't predation a desire to consume others? So, tell me, sister, why should I not be involved with them?"
"But, but…"
"Now, you tell me, sister, answer me this: Why did you let yourself get entangled in all this? This confrontation involves at the most gods and goddesses, which as you know are beneath our kind."
Delirium at first looks ashamed but then shifts to offended, but through her swinging responses to her sister's declaration she is unable to find the words to support her emotions.
Finally, embarrassed, she settles for.
"… Because…"
Desire snorts.
Silence.
Nuala mutters more to herself:
"If you think that I asked Womb not to let any visitors in… this place looks like Grand Central effing Station…"
Pointed silence.
Leonardo breaks it.
"So, are you done?"
Silence.
"Well, it would appear we have a Mexican stand-off."
