Wordy as always. But I hope you like it, and that it's understandable... Not a strength of mine.

She touched her abdomen, trying to remain calm, suppress her anxiety... could she be?

He laughed.

"No need to worry," he sighed, his voice stronger, "Imagine the possibilities of the child, the power you could grant her... the good you could do. You just need to get past me... the giant outside waiting for you to come out and bring you to the boss... and your Sam... waiting to take your daughter's soul. Good luck."

She lifted her pistols, held her breath...

A thousand thoughts raced through her mind in the instant before she heard the click... his watch.

She released the breath...

'Sylph... wind,' HE whispered... to her.

Time slowed to a crawl around her, yet she moved through it at an accelerated speed almost beyond human perception; she didn't dwell on it, just spun into the room, and emptied both guns into the Ripper's astonished face, sending him out the window, crashing through the atrium glass, two stories down, and laying still.

"Merlin?," she asked as whatever just happened abated,and she rested her eyes.

'if you wish. I cannot recall my given name. Any who used it are dust.'

"Why betray your own man?"

'A tool is broken... discard it. Hehehe... Time to chat later... he isn't done... yet.'

"Why would I believe you?"

"'Don't; by all means, look for yourself. Hehe he is favored by his master...not by me. I've no control of the old ones...only of fools...like myself.'

She opened her eyes, and almost screamed: the face before her was mangled, half blew apart, but the eyes stared at her with at first open terror, but a second later, malevolent glee as her terror filled volcanus to bursting, and it rebuilt its toy in its entirety...only the face changed to resemble a flesh and blood vindication of all statues representing the young insane emperor. An instant later...her quary vanished before her eyes. But to where? to attack who? She rushed out of the room.

'Poorly played... daughter. Now you need to kill him fully empowered by his benefactor. Only I can help you, to end them both...him and his whore lover...Himiko.'

" Why should I kill her at all? The word of two malevolent fucks like jack and you? Sorcerer?'

'The immortal soul of your beloved Rhiannon...or Doppy...unless you don't mind being the instrument of a brilliant mass murderer of apocalyptic proportions. The dog is rabid, but not wrong. She may well try to claim the child for a host once you give yourself to the nymph, and then... I would prevent what happens next. You should too. My daughter...Himiko is beyond all reason powerful. Far beyond me. But not your daughter once she is full in her power. I can show you...and her how to tap the full potential of your gifts that I had nothing to do in your attaining. I've seen this gift once... a carpenter..'

"How are you different? Isn't world domination your ambition?"

"Been there...doing that. hehe... I tired of that tired ambition centuries ago. My mutts want only to live, and do so in their present forms. Jack - Caligula- Mr. Townsend - wants to serve the greater good...at the prompting of a power beyond his understanding...or mine. Something took hold of him, something I cannot control. You need to let my guild you to stop him...free him. Then help defeat your Sam before damnation will be preferable to what her innocent soul will experience.'

"So...you're afraid? Odd for a master of the universe to be frightened of a girl."

"Amusing...sarcasm from the boldly ignorant often is, but in you it may be disastrous...for all. I'm a mortal man...a VERY long-lived, and cunning, mortal man. But I am no fool, and neither are you; so listen!'

She reloaded the guns. Did she have any choice but to listen?

'I am thirty-three centuries old...physically. I lead these fools, exploit them for my own ends...that is true. But it has allowed me to live long enough, to see patterns in history, in men's ambitions, that need correction before they repeat...even my own designs I've influenced too many to copy my means. Nero, for instance, was a mistake his own forebearer corrected. Caligula was sent in to 'haunt' him...prod his madness to see if he was truly losing his mind. When it was proven...we purged the throne...mother and son. Was that in me evil? Was it malevolent to kill a mad man and his power-hungry whore of a mother before they tortured a nation to death?'

"Working against volcanus? Not wise."

'It was preoccupied with your brother's interests... Himiko. If an elemental could fall in love, she seduced it. It will never let her soul dwell in the spirit world. It keeps her bound to flesh. If she was not bound to Hoshi by us...she would have been unstoppable. All she needs is to be surrounded by a willing or empty vessel to be reborn, unchanged...so we prevented that possibility. You must..."

"BRILLIANT JOB FATHER! Another towering success!" Sam was heard to scream from below.

Lara had reached the head of the staircase leading to the foyer, and gazed down at the only two people she felt least concerned for: Sam and the seer.

Sam laughed hysterically, "You really don't have a good grasp of the facts, do you little man? I can see you! And through your bond to all your toys... my brothers! Rome, St. Petersburg, Taiwan... this girl is well traveled... thank you for being so arrogant, and bonding to one bound to me! be seeing you."

HE went silent.

"He can see what I see? what I do?" Lara asked.

"Till you're bound to the nymph; then, your child will be unbreakable, and a carrier of the nymphs gift. SHE will blind him. If he tries to bond to you... Volcanus will recind his power from father... and father knows this."

"Volcanus told her, " the seer answered, "when it bonded with her completely. It's why she cannot bond with a nymph. It's why she needs to..."

"Possess my baby, " Lara finished; staring daggers at Sam.

Sam laughed, "Father is hysterical when he's terrified. We are so close to ending him...to make him SO pathetic in his desperation. I CANNOT possess an unwilling host; nor a fetus without being bound to it's mother in that mother's body. I wanted to possess a mature woman... until Hoshi. She offered a way out. a way for a lifetime of happiness...foolish old woman. Sam begged for help in her paralyzed state. Consent."

Lara stepped cautiously to the lower floor. "You wanted out? So they trapped you to keep you as a slave?"

"Father... Merlin... Trinity... HE sent my love to see me. I was joyful. I wanted to tell him that we could be together forever, without causing a problem for father's plans... but father had another idea. He knew a nymph had been enchanted...the one spirit of nature no man can fully exploit. HOSHI was the threat; SHE was going to possess ME without even knowing how. He manipulated her through the ruby; brain washed her; as he had my love... the madman you seek to kill. He was so different then... so beautiful."

"A beautiful raging psychopath... happily ever after personified." Lara muttered.

Sam smiled sadly, "He wasn't always..."

"LOVER!, " the Ripper shouted from the shadows, "never expected you would come inside."

"Why? You always did. Too bad you introduced me to volcanus..he hasn't let up with the pleasure and pain. Come to claim this shell? Set me free? Bind me again? Your boss has betrayed you...you are all alone...little boots."

"I never wanted you tethered. I wanted YOU...but you wanted to rule immortal...alone."

"SAYS FATHER! I chose Hoshi for you! I was dying! Volcanus wanted me to grow old, wither and suffer the loss of you, again, and again, and again. I thought letting Hoshi take control, birth a thrice blessed girl child, and gave that child MY soul. Volcanus would be tricked I...we...it... " Sam closed her eyes, " Hoshi would retain dominion over the storm...WE could be free. I should have known. Father is a delusional coward... And YOU are his DOG!"

"I'm here against the will of his herald," the Ripper whispered.

Sam shook her head, "You are never beyond his will, beloved. I saw into his mind when he bonded with the Countess here. You didn't kill Mary... HE did... through you. He was manipulated by the sylph. He is more a slave than any of us are to him."

"I..., " the shadows stammered.

"I was blinded by rage beloved, " Sam said softly, tears starting to flow, "I remember you as you were...before; the emperor so disgusted by his predecessor and his vile treatment of others you sought to bring about the destruction of the very empire that gave you power by forcing the people to rise against you. Spoke of love... Eternal. The man you now let out only so sparingly. I wanted to make you suffer. Now let me deny father his new toy; let ME set that true YOU free."

The sound of steel scraping against the marble of the doorway to the great hall, "Your control of the storm is worthless to you in here, " he said.

Sam smiled, and sniffed, "Oh my love... Father has fooled you terribly. I don't control the storm..."

The sound of steel scratching against stone became irratic. Sam gasped out her heaving sobs, "I AM THE STORM !" She clenched her fists.

The room was suddenly illuminated by a blinding light as the Ripper was evaporated in a flash. The diamond fell from the shattered watch face.

Lara walked to the fallen jewel.

"DON'T!," the seer all but commanded, "you'll fall straight into the mouth of madness. You need to get out of here fast. HER brothers are coming... all two thousand six hundered or so of them. She is powerful, but mortal. YOU are the only one who can end them... GO!"