Chapter 15

by Carycomic

LENG PLATEAU, TIBET

(JUNE 15, 1955)

While the self-proclaimed Lord Voldemort would tell his followers, in later years, that he had merely engaged in a hasty-but-strategic retreat, the truth was that he had fled the Temple of Shadows in an almost literally blind panic! Consequently, he only knew he was back outside once he fell to his knees on the cold bare earth. That was soon followed by a sense of re-empowerment, confirming that he was once more beyond the temple's magic-dampening field of influence. That, in turn, meant the female werewolf with the broadsword might soon exit the temple in pursuit of him. A possibility he could not risk. So, Voldemort got back on his feet and withdrew his wand.

"Expecto patronum!"

No sooner had he shouted that command than a stream of white light issued from the tip of his wand. Snaking upward like a column of phosphorescent smoke. Only to turn into a glowing replica of some ancient Greek sculpture of the Lernean Hydra! Whereupon, Voldemort shouted a second command in apparent Latin.

"Turbinis vasti!"

A second or two later, that holographic Hydra began spinning counter-clockwise. Slowly and gently, at first. But, gradually, spinning faster and faster. Until, finally, nothing remained but a white tornado! Whereupon, Voldemort shouted a third time.

"Destruere Templum Umbrarum!"

At which point, it began heading for the Temple of Shadows. Then, after making sure it was irreversibly on course, Voldemort doffed his black wool cape in order to spread it upon the ground. All before pointing his wand downward at it and shouting. "Volare sicut magicae tapete!"

A moment later, he was taking off into the sky. Heading roughly southeastward. . .toward the Burmese border.

Meanwhile, back inside the temple, Cassandra Crescent Moon and Fenris Greybeard were still at an impasse, wrestling for control of her sword. As a result, they were both taken by surprise when the temple's foundation began shaking. Followed by an ever-multiplying number of cracks in all of its walls. . .and the total disappearance of the ceiling over their heads!

Needless to say, the two werewolves were then drawn skyward, themselves, by the same cyclonic force.

The next thing Cassandra knew, she was reviving on the ground, flat on her face, her right hand still miraculously clutching her sword. The first thing she noticed after that is that it was night time. . .and she was once more a naked woman! So, she resumed her Krinos form- -and began looking for her back pack- -as quickly as possible. Once that had been accomplished, she swiftly donned her brown leather outfit and matching cape before pausing to recall what she had overheard her quarry and his accomplices discussing with the shade of Herpo the Foul.

SCHLOSS KREVCHESKI, LITHUANIA

(TWELVE YEARS LATER)

"I need your help preventing an assassination that could lead to World War Three!"

John Baring Summers and Peter Ellis looked at each other before looking back at Cassandra.

"Come again?" replied the latter.

"You heard me, correctly."

John shook his head, still somewhat incredulous.

"Look, Cassandra. I'm grateful that you saved our posteriors from becoming Purina Dragon Chow! But, the truth is, we were trying to get vital information from Goratrix and. . ."

"That wasn't the real Goratrix I just slew. That was an impostor."

John could not help repeating himself. "Come, again?"

"The vampire I just slew was a Tremere-bonded Ravnos antitribu posing as Goratrix. The real one is elsewhere, at the center of what I need your help with! If you want more specific details, you'll have listen to me explain, en route."

DUMONT BROWNSTONE, NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK (12 YEARS EARLIER)

"Jethro, when you and Indiana Jones prevented the Japanese from getting their hands on the Gray Maiden, what did you do with the sword afterward?"

The Green Lama looked at the astral body of his visitor with an unblinking stare.

"Someone's after it, again, aren't they?"

"Yes. And I've got to get to it ahead of them, anyway I can. Where is it?"

He sighed before replying. "There was no conventional way to destroy it. We tried everything! Flamethrowers; a hand grenade. Nothing worked. So, in the end, we wrapped it in canvas inscribed with the most sacred sigils in Tibetan Buddhism. Then, we tied some rope around both it and the heaviest boulder we could find, and put in a boat, without capsizing it. The Gray Maiden is now at the bottom of Tarrmyithtarrsaw Raykaan. Otherwise known as Forbidden Lake!"

LITHUANIA (1967)

"Well, you obviously managed to take it away from him," said John as they jogged along. "So, in what way could this Voldemort start a nuclear war?"

"By using the Avra Kadavra curse against a member of East Berlin House," replied Cassandra. ". . .and making it look like a violation of the Archangel Treaty."

tbc