"Hello, Ianto," Lady Baughan said as she greeted him in the entry hall.
"It's you," Ianto said, astonished, finally recognising the voice. "That voice in my head..."
"Oh, yes, that was me. My name is Viola Penelope Baughan, and I've really enjoyed being this close to you over the last few weeks. You are truly special."
"I'm really not," Ianto said.
"Yes, you are. You complete the circle of empaths I have selected through my dolls. You are by far the most intriguing. How tragic that you're so full of self-doubt. The life you live, the things you have seen, the pain you have suffered and yet you love with such fierce devotion and passion. Exactly what I was looking for. It was quite a challenge to get you here. Your inner strength is remarkable. You will be a worthy centrepiece for my ceremony."
"Ceremony?" Ianto asked cautiously, stoically ignoring the sorrow her compliments caused his heart.
"Oh yes. Because I'm the last of my order, there will be no more. I believe it is finally time to lift the curse and channel the forces unleashed into something constructive. The world around us is in shambles. Politics, economics, everything is crumbling. I saw it first-hand with the near demise of my father's company. This country needs a strong hand, and Carfaren and Lorasys can provide that with proper guidance," Viola exclaimed.
Ianto stared at her. This was madness.
"But let's not waste time; I fear your friends will arrive soon. I think we should start with the ceremony," she suggested.
"What happens to your hostages when everything is over?"
Viola laughed.
"Hostages. What a harsh word. The Circle is precious! And nothing will happen to them, absolutely nothing. They can either stay here with me, or they can go home if there is anything left for them to go back to. This is not about suffering. This is about resurrection."
Ianto gave her a sceptical look. She appeared sincere, but he knew from experience that things like this had a catch.
"Let me show you the courtyard," she said, gently guiding him forward with her hand on his back.
The gravel paths were lined with narrow hedges that offered an unobstructed view of a grotesque-looking art installation in their centre. It was the statue Emma had told them about. Two intertwined creatures stood on a pedestal that could be reached via well-trodden steps. A large hexagon carved in stone formed the basis for the structure.
"Nice place you have here," he said wryly.
Ianto noticed movement in the courtyard's far corner. A group of people appeared barefoot and dressed in plain white gowns. They seemed to be in a trance.
"These empaths will form a circle, making this resurrection possible. It was wonderful to get to know each and every one of them through my dolls. Beautiful souls. Penny made so many friends," Viola said excitedly.
Ianto recognised some of them from the pictures Gwen had shown them of the missing people. When he saw one of the hostages, he stopped dead in his tracks.
"Gwen," Ianto yelled.
"She can't hear you."
Thirteen people in white robes gathered around the statue. Gwen was one of them.
"Glorious," Viola gushed.
Ianto heard a light cough behind them. When he turned around, he saw a young woman with a white gown draped over her arms.
Viola smiled. "Thank you, Molly. Ianto, please put this on. It's more casual than your suit and better suited to the occasion."
Ianto hesitated.
That brief moment of pushback was enough for him to feel Penny's presence in his mind, urging him on.
"Don't resist."
Viola wielded incredible power when she inserted herself into his thoughts. To keep at least some control, Ianto had to play along. So, he just nodded and followed Molly inside to change.
Emma had parked her Beetle a short distance down the road, and they were now standing in front of the massive walls surrounding the monastery. Long shadows hung over the old structure. The low sun cast a golden light through the tall trees.
"How do we get inside?" she wondered as she looked around.
"No broom?" Owen joked.
"Not enough room for passengers," she winked at him with a smirk.
"Who needs to fly when we have this?" Jack grinned as he held up their alien lockpick. It had been included in the emergency kit Ianto had left behind.
Jack pressed it against the door, and they were inside a few clicks later.
After passing through a few more doors, they discovered the monastery courtyard. The cursed statue, the source of all their problems, stood in its centre, surrounded by a group dressed in white robes, oblivious to their presence.
"I guess I can save myself the trouble of looking for the hostages," Owen muttered as he stared at the scene before him.
"We can still try to talk to Viola," Jack said, assessing the situation. It looked like the ceremony was about to begin.
"We can, but I doubt she'll listen; the wheels are already in motion. All we have left is the spell," Emma said, disappointed.
"And no blood reserves," Owen muttered. He wished they had more time to return to the hub, but bloody Ianto had to rush things.
"Don't worry about that," Jack said quietly. The weight of the kitchen knife in the inner pocket of his coat reminded him of what he had to do.
His heart skipped a beat when he saw Gwen as a member of the circle. He instinctively moved forward, but Owen's hand on his arm stopped him just in time before he could do anything reckless.
"I don't think it's a good idea to just drag her away," the medic said.
"They are all under Viola's spell," Emma whispered. "Her powers to manipulate the thoughts of others is very impressive."
"Where is she anyway?" Owen looked around. The courtyard was empty except for the circle of white-clad people.
No sign of Viola or Ianto.
"I'm sure she's not far," Emma said as she looked around. "Let's prepare for the ritual. Unfortunately, we cannot do it in advance. We have to wait for her to begin the resurrection process. When the demons come back to life, we must be ready to reverse the resurrection until they turn back to stone."
"Why can't we stop them from resurrecting in the first place? What's the difference between now and later?" Jack asked, his voice tense. It was unnecessarily dangerous to wait and risk losing control of the situation.
"As I told you, the circle is under her control. With a single thought, she can turn them against us or each other," Emma explained. "I'm hoping the resurrection will either distract or exhaust her to the point where she no longer has complete control. Then we'll try to take over. If we act too quickly, we will fail and risk the lives of all these people."
"Crap," Owen muttered. "Our plan is built on an awful lot of hopes and wishes."
"It's all we've got," Emma sighed.
"Oh, we have an audience tonight," they suddenly heard Viola's voice from the doorway.
All three turned around to face her. She stood not far from them, dressed in a flamboyant ceremonial robe, a long cape with a wide collar. The material resembled brocade, shimmering gold and ruby, in the last rays of the setting sun. The man in the white robe behind her almost faded into the background. Almost.
"Ianto!" Jack shouted.
Ianto didn't react; he just stared at him intently. Jack could only hope that the young man's mind was clear and that he wasn't under Viola's spell.
"Yes, I'm delighted he is finally here. My most precious piece of the puzzle. What a pleasure to finally meet you, Captain Harkness. And you must be Doctor Harper," she said, nodding in Owen's direction.
Owen just glared at her.
When Viola's eyes fell on Emma, her swanky demeanour faltered for a moment, but she quickly caught herself.
"And this must be the witch you found," she said dismissively, but it was clear that she wasn't sure how to judge the young witch.
"Please don't do this, Viola," Emma pleaded. "Resurrecting these demons is madness! There is a reason the Order of Cisgod bound them in stone! No one can control them!"
"You don't know what you're talking about, child," Viola chuckled. "I have spent my entire life studying their powers and the curse. They have slept in this courtyard for nearly a thousand years! The kings and rulers of those ancient times were stupid and weak! Their minds were uneducated compared to ours. This country is in shambles, on the verge of economic and social collapse. I know that they can bring order to this chaos. All they need is a strong and capable leader!"
"You want to bring them back because you're concerned for this country?" Jack asked, perplexed. "Do you think we actually believe that?
"I don't care what you believe," Viola said sharply. "All I care about is that you don't interfere, while we perform the ritual."
"If you think we're just going to stand by and watch, you're wrong," Jack spat.
"Whatever tricks you have up your sleeve, it won't be enough. Once the demons are released, your little herb witch's powers will not be strong enough to do anything about it. All you can do is watch the world change around you," she boasted.
The atmosphere in the courtyard was tense, but no one dared to move. There was no telling what Viola would do with the hostages if she felt her plan was in jeopardy.
"Come on, Ianto, let's enter the circle," she said encouragingly.
Fearing the worst, Jack was one step away from throwing caution to the wind; the desire to rush in and take Viola out of action was almost overwhelming. But Ianto's stern expression made it abundantly clear that this was a bad idea. At least he seemed to be acting of his own will. Jack forced himself to stand still and watch his lover follow the woman up the steps to the statue.
Lady Viola began to speak, her voice full of gravity.
"We are here today to make amends for a mistake made centuries ago. Witches and druids with limited knowledge withheld an unfathomable power from humankind," she spoke loudly. We will resurrect Carafren and Lorasys tonight, and under my tutelage, the world will become a better place!"
The circle began to chant in low tones as all thirteen reached out and joined hands.
Viola looked around as if trying to make a decision. Then her eyes brightened, and she smiled.
"To perform the ceremony, I have chosen a special pair from our circle of empaths to take the place of Carafren and Lorasys. They will have the honour of sacrificing their life force to free them from their stone prison."
"No!" Jack shouted over the low chanting of the circle as her intentions dawned on him.
Viola's high-pitched laugh echoed across the courtyard as she took Gwen's hand and led her to the stone statue, where Ianto was already waiting for them.
Ianto forced himself not to flinch when he heard Viola's decision, but inside, he was shaking. He had no problem offering himself to satisfy Viola's madness, but Gwen was helpless under the woman's influence and at her mercy. That had not been part of the deal.
"You lied! You said no one would get hurt," Ianto hissed.
"Oops," Viola said sarcastically.
Obviously, he and Gwen were nothing more than necessary sacrificial lambs in her eyes. If Emma's plan failed, they were unlikely to survive.
"You don't need to sacrifice them, Viola. Take me instead!" Jack shouted, panic in his eyes. He couldn't let Gwen or Ianto fall victim to such madness.
Viola grinned cattily.
"Considering that you're immortal, this offer is actually very generous and intriguing," she said. "But I need two people for the resurrection."
Jack scowled at her.
"So, tell me, Jack, who would you choose if I let you? Who would go home, and who would stay here with you forever?"