Genuflect

by Tracy R Twyman

  “Hey,thephone’sat3%,boss,”Dennissaidashehandedthephoneto Rosenberg.“Wantmetoplugitinsomewhere?”

  “Inaminute,”hesaidashelookedatthescreen.

  “CanIsitdownnow?”Ipleaded.

  Rosenbergnoddedandwavedinourdirection,givinghisascent.Thenhelooked atthephoneagainandgasped.

  “Youalreadyhaveaphotoofrawmeatonyourphone.Whatisthisfor?”

  “Whatdoyoumean?”Isaid.IhopedthatIwouldn’tbestruckbylightningfor violatingmyoathtobetruthfultohim.Ialsohopedthatmyphonebeingalmost deadwouldbuymesometimebeforeIhadtogivehimanexplanation.Ididn’t knowexactlywhattherelationshipwasbetweenRosenberg’sMithrascultand Leopold’sButchers,butifRosenbergdidn’talreadyknoweverythingaboutthe bullliveratStratfordPlace,Iwasn’tgoingtovolunteertotellhim.

  Anyinformationgapbetweenmeandhim,Ithought, isastrategic advantage.

  Myhopewaswell‐founded.Withthephoneat3%,hecouldn’topenupthe imagegallerytoseethedetail.Thephonejustshutdownwhenhetried.He rebootedit,butitimmediatelyshutdownagainassoonasheopenedthegallery.

  “Fuck!”heyelled,andalmostthrewthephoneacrosstheroom.Thenhestopped himselfandhandedittoDennis.

  “Plugitin,”hetoldthelad,nodoubtregrettingthatthiswastheoneroominthe buildingwherehe’ddecided,outofrespectforhistory,nottoputphonechargers everywhere(or,indeed,anyelectricaloutletswhatsoever).Hesignaledtothe boyatthepiano,whobeganplayinganunsettlinglineofnotesinrepetition.

  TheRavenssetmedownonthegroundwithmyfeetoutinfrontofme.

  ThenDenniswentoutthefrontentrancetoplugthephoneinwhiletheother Ravendraggedmetothenearestofthefourteenpillarsinthetemple.

  Hesatmeonthefirststonebenchontherightsideandproppedmeupwithmy backagainstthepillarsecondfromthealtar,sothatthealtarwasinfrontofme.

  ThensomeoneelsewhoIcouldn’tseecameupfrombehindmeandwrappeda heavyironchainaroundmybody,fixingmeinposition.Myarmswerepressed tightagainstmysides,andmybackwasfirmlyagainstthepillar.

  “So,Cryphius,”saidConsivia,addressingmefrombehindthealtar.“Partof yourdutyistohelpusdeterminethecorrectorderofoperationsfortherestof therituals.Weshouldnothavetotellyouwhatthepurposeoftheritualsis.

  WhichoftheArchonsshouldbeweinvokenext?”

  Well,Ididn’tgetananswerfrommytelepathicinformant,butitseemedonly obvioustome.Eventslikethisalwaysstartwithanorgyofrape,followedbyan orgyofmurderinvolvingevenmoreheinousformsofrape.Eroticritesprecede ritesofsadisticviolence,butthelongerthepreliminariescouldbestretchedout, thelongerthemurderscouldbepostponed.Thatwouldn’tmaketherapesany lessdifficulttowatch,ormakemefeelanylessresponsibleforwhathappened tothevictims.Butitseemedliketheleastharmfulchoice.

  “InvokefirsttheArchonofLust,”Ianswered.

  “Yessss!”thecrowdhissed,likeserpents.Consivianoddedandraisedher shepherd’scrook,thenusedittogesturetothegirlintheblacklacedveil,who,I nowsaw,waschainedtothepillaroppositefromme.

  “Now,Luna,laydownuponthealtar,withinthecarcassofthisbeast,andlet

  yourbrothersmakeyoupregnantwiththeseedofanewaeon!”declared Consivia.

  ARavencametounlockherchains.Heunfastenedherrobeandletitfalltothe ground,sothatshestoodtherenakedandshivering.Thenheledhertothealtar, wheresheobliginglylaiddowninherbedofrawmeat,sobbingpiteously.

  TheRaventhenbeganwrappingthechainsaroundthecarcasstostrapthegirlto it.Herlegswerepositionedsothatthechainsheldthemopen,withhervagina gapingopenandeasilyaccessiblefromtheleftsideofthealtar.

  Theblackcurtainwasnowcoveringthewallbehindthealtaroncemore.

  NowoneoftheRavenspulleditbackagain,revealingthistime,insteadofthe taurtoctony,anothercurtain,madeofredtranslucentlinen,intowhichan invertedcross–theCrossofSt.Peter—hadbeencut.Throughthecross‐shaped holesomethingelsedisplayedbehindthecurtaincouldbeseenmountedonthe wall.

  IrecognizeditasoneofthebrokenpiecesofthereliefofDionysusthathadbeen foundintheoriginal mithraeum.Thiswasthesectionwithonlyhisnakedrear

  end.Ididn’tknowitatthetime,butInowrealizethattheimagebeforeme—of thebacksideofDionysusseenthroughtheinvertedcrosscutintothecurtain—

  lookedjustlikeManRay’spicture MonumentàD.A.F.deSade,whichheused asacoverforhispersonaleditionofMarquisDeSade’s 120DaysofSodomin 1933.

  “MasteroftheNymphi,comeforthbeforethealtar!”Consiviacalledtotheback oftheroom.

  There,seatedonthestonebenchatthebackwithseveraloftheyoungveiled boyswastheonlygrownmanwearingsuchacostume:CrispinMartina.Herose anddidashewastold,standingwithtall,proudsensualityinfrontofthe altar.Thepriestesswateredhimwithlustrationsfromheraspergillum,thenlaid herhanduponhishead.

  “Aphrodite,QueenofHarlots,comenow,andbejoinedinmarriagewithOur Father!Comeintothebodyofthisyoungmanandenjoythedoublepleasureof the Tanin'iver, thepolebetwixttheserpents.Fuckandbefucked!”

  “Toyouwewillgivethefirsttasteofthefleshofourbeautifulyoungboysof highbirth,andofourvirginroyalqueen.Toyouwewillalsogivethepleasure ofpenetrationfromtherodofOurFather.LadyVenus,youwhowerebornfrom thefoamofthephallusuponthewatersoffemininedesire,yetwhoburnswith thefireofmaleferocity,comeforthandtakeyourfilloftheDistinguished CharityofMete!”

  Thatlastphrase,ifyou’llrecall,camerightoutofmycommissionedtranslation ofHammer‐Purgstall’s MysteriumBaphometisRevelatum,wherehewrotethat hefounditencodedonaformerTemplarsiteinBavaria.Nootherpublished workbesidesminehadutilizedthatphraseinEnglish.

  Myworkisbeingusedtowritelinesforeliteraperituals,Ithoughtwithhorror.

  Itwassounbelievable,yetitwashappeningbeforeme.

  Next,Isawayellow‐whiteballoflightemergefromwithinthewellinthe southwestcorneroftheroom,whichhad,intheoriginal mithraeum,been connectedtotheWalbrookRiverunderground.(LittledidIknowatthetimethat theWalbrookhadalreadybeenre‐irrigatedsurreptitiouslybyRosenbergandhis friends,soitwaspresentlyfloatingbackthroughthesitewestoodondownto

  theThamesonceagain.)Thelightballthenglidedacrosstheroom,hoveredover Crispin’sheadforamoment,andthenswiftlyenteredthroughthecrownofhis skull.Isawhisfaceandneckbecomeflushassweatpoureddownhisforehead.

  Consiviatookastepbackwards,andRosenbergstoodbeforeCrispin.

  “Harlot,kneelbeforeOurFather,”Consiviacommanded.

  Theyoungmandidso.Rosenbergsplitopenhisrobeinfront,thenstepped forwardandpulledtheveiloverCrispin’shead.Heshovedhiscrotchin Crispin’sface,andwaseagerlyservicedbytheman,nowpossessedbythe goddessoflove,

  orrather,“strangelove.”Afteraminute,the“Father”pulledoutandthepriestess proclaimed:

  “InowpronounceyouthebrideoftheFather!Letusallenjoytheharlotsofthe templeinthespiritoftheArchonofLust.ComeforthNymphi!”

  Withthat,alloftheboysinveilssteppedintothecenterofthetemple.

  Theretheywereseizeduponbytheolderparticipants.Thesemen,andone woman,draggedthemofftothestonebenchesbetweenthecolumnsonthesides ofthechamberandhadtheirwaywiththem.

  Onlyoneoftheritual’sparticipantsoptedoutofthechildrape:Consivia.

  Shestoodbehindthealtarwithhereyesclosed,prayingintonguesandmaking thecrosssignwithherhandseveryfewm
inutes.Marciasquattedwithherrobe hikedupoverthefaceofatwelve‐year‐old.IhadlosttrackofwhereLeopold wasintheroom,butIcertainlydidn’tseehimstandingonthesidelines.Miles seemedtohavelefttheroom.Almosteveryonewasfullyengagedineither rapingorbeingraped.

  ThisincludedRosenberg,who,afterbeingformally“married”tohisboyfriend inabizarreriteofsexualsubjugation,extendedhishandasifinfriendshiptothe manonthefloor.Hehelpedhimtohisfeet,butthenspunhimaroundandheld himfrombehind.Rosenbergpulleduptheyoungman’srobe,exposinghiserect penis,whichhestrokedafewtimes.

  ThePaterthengesturedtooneoftheNymphi,abouttenyearsold,whowas alreadyservicingoneoftheLions.Theboyimmediatelystoppedandcameover toattendtoCrispin’snowthrobbingmember.Themanhowledinbestialecstasy andleanedbackonRosenbergtosupporthisweight.

  Afteraboutaminuteofthis,RosenbergpushedCrispintowardstheendofthe altarwherePhilippinelaystrappedinsidethebullcarcass.Theyoungman shovedhimselfintoherbodyandbeganthrustingasshescreamed.Then RosenbergpulledupthebackofCrispin’srobeandinsertedhimselfintothe youngman’sbuttocks.Beneaththeweightofthedaisychain,thebullcarcass crackedabitmore,butitstillhelditsgeneralshapewiththehelpofthechains.

  AstheNymphiwereboththeprostitutesandthemusicians,andtheywere presentlyemployed,theonlysoundtrackforthisriteofdebaucherywasthe screamingandthemoaningoftheparticipants,thesoundsoftheirbodies slappingtogether,theslurpingsoundsoffellatioandanalingus.Theodorofsex, andanalsexinparticular,aidedwiththecansof“Lyle’sGoldenSyrup”that werebeingpassedaroundtheroomforlubricant,mixedwiththesmellof incenseanddeadanimalsintoasickeningperfume.That,themorphine,andthe shockofthephysicalpain,aswellasthesightofthemeatonthealtar,andthe rapeoftheyoung,wasenoughtocausemetovomitrightnexttotheplace whereIsatchainedhelplesslywatching.Thesmellofmyownvomitmademe wanttovomitmore,whichIdid.

  Thoughtheyseemedtotransgresseverysexualbarrier,Inoticedthatthemodern Mithraistsdidobserveonerestraint.Allofthemaleswerequitecarefulabout wheretheirseedwent.Mosthadtheirsemencollectedintometalbowlsthat werepassedaround.Thisincludedtheboys,allofwhom,itseemed,were successfullymilkedforthispurpose.Thesebowlswerethenemptiedintotwo largeGreek‐stylekratersthatstoodoneithersideofthealtarabouttwofeet awayinfrontofit.

  WetzelandRosenberg,however,pulledoutbeforetheygottothatpoint,and gavethemselvesa“cold niptron”(Rosenberg’swords)fromthe amphoraofholy waterthatsatnexttothealtar,coolingofftheirexcitedgenitals.Rosenberg askedhisfriendtohelpwipeoffhispenis,andheseemedmorethanhappyto comply.HethenstoodnexttoCrispin,rubbinghisbacksideandpromisinghim divineprogenyastheyoungmanpumpedhissemenintoPhilippine.

  “Youshallsireusanewgodoflove,anewEroswhowillcomeforthfromthe eggofanewaeon.IshallnamehimCupidonus,”Rosenbergcooed.

  “Whycan’t Inamehim?”saidCrispin,turningtowardsRosenbergashefinished hisorgasm.“Iwanttonamehimaftermyfather.”

  “Silence!”shoutedRosenberg.BeforeCrispincouldreact,Rosenberggrabbed himbythethroat,andpushedhimbackintothecenteroftheroomwiththe others.Thenhepointeddirectlyatme.

  “Cryphius!Whomshallweinvokenext?”

  ThistimeIwastoosickandwearytothinkupagoodanswer.Myfirstchoice hadbeenmadestrategicallytosaveoratleastextendpeople’slives, hopefullylongenoughforsomeonetocomealongandsaveus.Butnowthefirst waveoforgieshadpassedanditwastimeformetomakeanotherdecision.

  Rosenbergwantedmetousedmysixthsensetofindtheanswer,sothatwas whatIdecidedtoso.Inthemomentofrelativesilenceheallowedme,Icleared mymindasbestIcould,andputoutthequestiontothevoicethathadspokento mebefore.Ireceivedananswer,whichIrepeatedverbatimwithoutthinking.

  “LetArescomeforthtoplaybloodsportandenjoythecaressesofAphrodite,as heiswonttodo.”

  Therewasalogicatworkhere.Eachofthegodsinvokedsofarhadbeenbaited withsomethingtheyfoundirresistible.Ares(a.k.a.Mars)wasagodofwarfare, rapeandpillage.HewasalsofamousforfornicatingwithAphrodite(a.k.a.

  Venus)despitehermarriagetoHephaestus(a.k.a.Vulcan).

  “Yes,lethimcomeforth,”saidRosenberg.“I’vealwayspreferredthepurityof hatredtolove,anddeathtosex.Marcia,ifyouplease,marchyourselfuptothe altarhere.”

  Fromtherightsideoftheroom,whereshehadsatbeingservicedbyboy prostitutes,MarciaMartinaarose,withherRomanhelmetstillon,butwiththe visorup,sothatherfacewasvisible.Shegrinnedfromeartoear,andstared lustfullyatherson,wholookedbackatherwithdread.Consiviasprayedher withtheaspergillum,andaLionwaftedherwithincenseagain.

  ThenoneoftheRavenspulledawaythecurtainwiththeSataniccrossofSt.

  PeterandbroughtforwardacurtaindisplayingaGreek‐styletapestry.Frommy positionIcouldseethatitshowedanumberofancientbattlescenes,including soldiersspillingoutofalargewoodenhorse.

  TheTrojanWar,Ithought.

  IthenunderstoodthatthecurtainhadbeenmadetorepresentPenelope’stapestry fromHomer’s Odyssey,theoneshesupposedlyneverfinished.

  Rosenbergsteppedintothecenteroftheroomandbeganbellowingoutaspeech.

  “LordMayorMarciaMartina:forcenturiesyourfamilyhasbeenthekeeperof theholybucklerofourtemple.Itwasthissacredobjectthatthesitewherewe nowstand,Bucklersbury,wassecretlynamedfor,asonlytheinitiatesofour esteemedsyndicateknow.Thispowerfultalismanisrepresentedonyour family’sarms,andreferencetoitcanbefoundinthecurrentincarnationofyour family’sname.”

  Shenoddedherassent,asiftosay“ThismuchIknow.”

  “Asthepatronsofsoldiers,yourfamilyhaslentyourwealthtoassistinmany greatpageantsofhonorandvalor,ofbloodshedandrape.Yourgoldhasbeen spenttopourtheWaterofLifeupontheEarth,andshehasthirstilydrunkitup.

  WithyourhelpBritannia’senemieshavebeenconqueredmanytimes,creating anempirewheretheSunneverdies,shieldingherwithyourstrength.

  Evennow,astheaegisoftheempirehasbeenoccultedfromtheeyesofthe profane,youandyourkinhavecontinuedinthisservice.”

  Shenoddedagain,nowwithabitofcuriosityinhereyes,likeshewondering wherethiswasgoing.

  ThenaRavenpulledbackthetapestrytorevealadisplayoftwelveheavy metallicshieldsmountedonthewall,paintedred,allofdifferentshapesand sizes.Oneofthem,however,wasintheshapeoftheSupermanlogo.Itwas placedinthecenterofthearrangement.Rosenbergcontinuedhisspeech.

  “Now,LordMayor,ifyouarefittobethescionofyourseed,theonewhoshall

  wearthemantleofgreatMars,thecaptainofallarmies,pleasewalkuptothe wallandtakeupthebucklerofyouresteemedheritage.”

  Marciaseemedconfusedatfirst,thenscared.Sheturnedaroundandlookedat meforhelp.Ilookedatthegroundandtriedtoblankoutmymind.Iknewwhat wascoming,andIwasn’tabouttosaveherass.Soshewalkeduptothewall behindthealtarandstartedguessing.

  ItwaslikewatchingsomeoneplayingPlinkoon“ThePriceisRight,”tryingto guessthecorrectdigit.Firstshegravitatedtowardstheonethatlookedlikethe shapeoftheshieldoftheRothschildcoatofarms.Thiswasinfacttheonethat lookedmostlikeeveryheraldicshieldyou’veeverseen.Thenshereviewedthe fieldofchoicesagain,andsettledonamuchsmallerone,whichlookedlikethe smallroundbucklerthatformedthecentraljewelontheRothschildarms.Thisis theonethatactuallyrepresentedthe“redshield”ofpopularlore.

  ItwasthissymbolthatMayerAmschelRothschildsupposedlyus
edasalogofor hiscurrencyexchangebusinessinFrankfurt.Thisiswhatthefamilywas allegedlynamedafter,accordingtomainstreamhistorians.ButnowIknew better.Theywerenamedafteranotherobject,somekindof“talisman.”

  Bucklersbury,theoldnamefortheintersectionofstreetswherethe mithraeum andNewCourtbothstood,hadbeennamedafterthisobject,probablylong beforetheRothschilds“officially”tookresidencethere.Iwascertainthatittook theshapeoftheSupermanlogo,althoughIhadnoideawhatthatmeant.

  SoMarciahadtakenthewrongshieldfromthewall,albeitthelogicalchoice.

  Butshedidn’tpossessthesecretgnosisthatIhadbeengivenquiteaccidentally.

  Shewouldpaythepriceforthismistakeeventually,butnotrightaway.

  Rosenbergpreferredtoplaywithherfirst.Shestoodwithherlefthandinserted intothehandleofthebucklerandstaredatRosenberg.

  “Nowwhat?”

  RosenbergturnedtoConsivia.

  “Priestess,please,invoketheArchonofWar,”hesaid.

  ConsiviamotionedforMarciatocomestandwithherbeforethealtar.Thenshe

  laidherhanduponthewoman’sbrowandspokecommandsintotheaether.

  “LordAres,comeintothisvesselofpower.Enjoywithusthefruitsof incarnation.Feelthegloryofkillinginthefleshforyourselfonceagainasyou helpusinitiatethegreatestbloodbaththeEarthhaseverknown.Youcanbethe general,andyoucancalloutthefirstshot!”

  Suddenlyweheardtheringingofacellphonewitha“99Luftballons”

  ringtone.Marcia,startled,fumbledinsideherrobewithherrighthandandpulled outherphone.Shethenstaredatitinexcitedastonishment.

  “Ohmygoodness,”shesaid,asifshehadanygoodness.“It’stheLordHigh Admiral.Heonlycallswhenthere’sawaron.”