“What do you know of this Esu? Is this your doing?” “No, my dear, it is your doing. What did you think was going to happen when you sent him there without adequate supervision? He knows you can’t go there and has subverted all your agents. Right now, he is preparing to marry the Kpelekpe. Do you really believe that he is going to leave her so that he can allow you to core him completely when you rip the weapon from him? I don’t think he realizes your true intentions yet, but it is only a matter of time before he does. Anyway, he seems to have already made his choice.”
“Did you come here to gloat?” “No, I came here to put you at ease. I told you I serve the balance; I am part of the balance that is why I came to you so long ago. Alade will become the weapon that you desire, Yemoja have no fear; in fact, he will become more than the weapon because this love of his has made him vulnerable.”
“What do you mean, Esu?” “I mean woe betide the world if anything bad should happen to Sunshine.” Yemoja was startled awake by that comment and she looked at Esu and smiled knowingly, bowing with respect to the God. “How will it happen?” she asked quietly.
“Don’t worry,” he said, his eyes blazing with power, “I have it under control. I have always had it under control.”
The Interloper sat upon his throne frustrated and angry that he could not see what was going on the place where the weapon was and though he had periodical reports, he wondered how it was possible that such a place existed beyond the ken of the Gods. “Because of the need for balance, Interloper,” Esu said materializing in front of him and answered the question he was pondering in his mind, “Everything must have balance and this place was created in counterpoint to your tyranny, you and the other Gods. It is not within any of your powers to penetrate it.”
“And you my Lord, can you see into it?”
“Yes, but I respect the balance so I do not act upon what I see there.”
“I see. You are here about the Quandisa I assume? Well she is not here, I know not where she is, and she does not answer my calls, which is odd.”
“That is because she cannot hear you.”
“What do you mean, my Lord?” “I mean that she is doing what she is supposed to, what you told her to. Even as we speak, she is planning some treachery that should have some very interesting effects on things in that place.”
“Treachery, Is that so? That is not exactly what I commanded her to do? And the weapon? Has he bloomed yet?”
“Not yet, but I anticipate his rebirth very soon. Prepare yourself, for he will have questions for you, if he doesn’t simply destroy you.”
“Destroy me? Why would he do that, I am not his enemy? He will be that powerful?”
“Yes. Even more than you can imagine.”
“And what would you have me do Lord Esu when he comes? Stretch out my neck and let him take my head?”
“Of course not.”
“Then what?”
“Talk to him. Tell him the truth of the Gods’ War. Be his friend.”
“His friend?”
“Yes, his friend.”
“I am the Interloper, I have no friends. I do not even understand the concept.” “Well you had better learn quickly, because I am warning you that when he comes if you are not his friend, then you will be his enemy. Remember that he will be called the Destroyer. See to it that he loves you like a brother, and you will survive.”
“And what of the other Gods, and what of the Orishas? Will they be his friend too?”
“Only some of them.”
“And the rest?” “He will destroy them.”
“Then I will be his friend.”
“A wise choice, Interloper for you too are becoming something other than what you are now.”
“What do you mean my Lord?”
“It means that you will soon be his match.”
“I thought you said he could destroy me. Why can’t you speak frankly?” “For now, he can destroy you because you do not yet have your future strength, but very soon you will. Things are changing in this universe Interloper, and soon I must leave this plane. You and your counterparts will be tasked to maintain this cosmos.”
“I do not understand, Lord Esu. My counterparts? Future strength? You are speaking in riddles.”
“So instead of whining, try to solve them then. You will understand in time, but for now obey me.”
“As you wish, my Lord” Lubaniba, the Spirit who sparks communication between the Veils of the world, was able to see what was going on in Alade’s fledging nation of supernaturals because it was already inside of Alade’s boundaries. It was trapped inside Lulu, so Lubaniba could eavesdrop on events occurring in this world, and due to some quirk from the effect of the power Lungombe had given it, it could see into the realms of the other Gods and eavesdrop on their conversations. It watched as Lungombe visited both Yemoja and the Interloper and was astounded at the differences in attitudes each of those two Gods had toward it. Yemoja seem to have respect but also a certain amount of disdain for the One God while the Interloper, showed it nothing but respect. While its siblings slumbered around him, gathering power and waiting for the right time to reemerge, Lubaniba began to consider what would happen if this weapon chose not to serve any Gods or any balance, but instead chose to serve himself. The power that he represented would change everything. He would make many powerful enemies. Perhaps, it thought, in such a climate if one approached him carefully and in friendship an alliance could be struck. The situation bore watching. But until the weapon was reborn there was nothing to be concerned about. Besides, it did not seem as if that was going to happen now that he was in love. The darkness needed for the weapon to be reborn was anathema to love and he would not sacrifice his Kpelekpe for any amount of power that much was evident.
16 It was 1932, and I was now living in Washington D.C., a city that I came to know and love almost as much as my ancient home. I had used my time in New York wisely by parlaying my longevity in power. Simply put, all I had to do was remain inconspicuous, listen and remember and in time the information I had uncovered would become valuable to someone. Oh, I dabbled in various business ventures, ventures which allowed me to hide my true nature and live in comfortable obscurity, allowing White proxies to take care of my businesses, businesses which were begun by taking advantage of the hoard of secrets which I carried within me. I not only knew where the gold had been buried because I had been there, but more importantly I knew where the bodies were buried, and this gave me leverage over many of the rich and powerful. Akharu demonstrated more and more distaste with our new life, for it was a mighty weapon forged for death and battle, not for a life of civility and leisure. When I woke one night with the voice of Akharu in my head saying goodbye, I was not surprised but I was saddened. It had grown as an entity and was powerful, with powers that I could not imagine, powers which it had cultivated while I had allowed my own to wither and die. Although we were bound together, and although I had created it, Akharu was as much my master, as I was its, and it could not stomach this life and had chosen to go explore the world without me. It would find some worthy proxy to wield it battle, since I no longer could, and true to its nature it could sense the tides of war forming in the ether. I knew it was returning to Europe, the site of our greatest slaughter, where a new war machine was already beginning to grow in strength. My only friend had abandoned me to drink deeply from the fountain of WWII which eventually consumed the world. I was now alone and as human seeming as I had hoped to become. And even though I knew that at any time I could have called for Akharu to come to me and it would have come, I could not bring myself to do it, for there would be no more wars for me. The days of blood and battle were over for me and now I would live as a human. So I turned my secret knowledge into a business which I would carefully mold and which would eventually evolve into and lead to my consulting firm culminating in that fateful day in my office eighty years later when my world turned topsy-turvy and all that I had tried to forget came rushing back with a ven
geance. Where had been Akharu when the Gods came calling again? Back in the present, I had left my reverie and began to awake but through the veil I felt a power reaching out to me and through its loneliness I could hear a familiar voice in the distance calling out my name. Akharu wanted to come home.
17 My life seems to have been nothing but a series of unfortunate incidents designed to push me onto a predestined path. How could I ever have believed that fate would allow me in even a moment of happiness? How did I delude myself into thinking there would be a happily ever after for me? Something woke me up with dread and I rolled onto my back and opened my eyes, ripping myself from the dream world and launching myself from the bed. Something was wrong I could feel it and I looked around desperately, wondering where was Sunshine. I felt and awful sense of foreboding so I grabbed the closest clothes I could find and rushed out of our bedroom and stormed into the living room where I saw Shawn and Samantha sitting down with their heads in their hands. “What’s going on Shawn?” I demanded, “Where is Sunshine?” He looked down at the floor, unable to face me so I turned to Samantha. “Samantha, tell me what is going on please, where the hell is Sunshine?” Samantha calmly stood up and walked over to me and put its arms around me. “I am so sorry Lucius,” it said sadly, “Sunshine was ambushed this morning. She is dead.” The room was silent and no one spoke. I felt the world reeling and I found it difficult to breathe. Shawn rushed around the sofa and caught me before I fell and guided me to a chair. I sat still for a few moments before quietly asking, “Are you sure?”
“Yes Lucius,” he said.
“I knew something was wrong, I felt it, goddammit it woke me up! I should have known the moment she was in danger. Damn it Shawn, who or what did this?”
“A leopard.”
“A leopard?”
“Yes, Lucius.”
“Why? We are not enemies. And if we were why not strike at me instead?”
“Because Lucius, it was not the Society itself; it was a single individual acting alone. He wanted you to feel as he did when you slew his mate during the war.”
“His mate was a warrior?”
“Yes.” “Then she knew the risks just as did he. Why take this vengeance for something that happened in battle? Does he know there can be no going back from this, that I will torture his miserable soul for the rest of my many years? This is not their way. The Leopard Society are honorable foes.”
“We are not sure why he did this, Lucius; perhaps Lulu can enlighten us. She has been acting very strangely lately. She swears she saw someone from her childhood here.”
“She saw someone from her childhood? What the hell is she talking about? Forget that for now, where is Sunshine? Where is she? I need to go to her right now.”
“I am sorry Lucius, but she was devoured. There is nothing left of her.” At that I screamed, screamed as I have never screamed, and all the love that I bore for Sunshine erupted from me and the darkness which it had held at bay came to the forefront on my senses and all I could hear was the call of vengeance for the life that had been so untimely ripped from me. Sunshine, my love, my heart, how could you be gone, I thought? We had so many things planned for our life together. I cried for her as I have never shed tears in my long existence, and for each tear that I shed I found new sense of resolve. Vengeance would not satisfy me for wouldn’t I have slain the Leopard anyway if he had killed Sunshine in a battle? Something felt wrong here, there was too much synchronicity in these events. I needed to get myself together so I could figure this out, but I felt as if my heart had just been torn from my body, and as I sat there weeping, Lulu walked in red-eyed, as if she had been crying also and sat next to me. She placed her arm around my shoulders and held me while I wept and after what seemed to be an eternity she leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “Lucius, I know you are in pain, but we have much bigger problems right now. Remember the story I told you about my father, the king being seduced by some mystery woman? Well guess what? She is here, now in this place. I saw her talking to the leopard that killed Sunshine just a few weeks ago, and it has been bothering me since then, but I chalked it up to an old girl’s poor eyesight and wishful thinking. And now this tragedy strikes. Remember that Seku, or whatever her real name is, is a harbinger, or even worse the cause of disaster. We must find her before she takes anything more from both of us. I am sure it is her influence that caused this.” I looked up at Lulu and saw the truth in her eyes, and as I began to contemplate that creature’s role in Sunshine’s death my dark power began to grow once more and the darkness came flowing back into me like an old friend. I let it soothe me and fill up the great wound where my love for Sunshine had once been, and turn my rising grief into anger, and my rising anger into murderous intent. “Lulu,” I said menacingly, my eyes dripping despair, “find this creature and bring her to me in one piece, mind you. I know what she did to your father so we will both take our vengeance upon her together. Samantha when Lulu locates her bring her here quickly for she will be protected by some power no doubt and we must careful. The Leopard Society must think that I am about to come after them so Shawn go reassure the Elders there will be no problems if they turn over the leopard who did this, I have questions to ask him too. Bring them both here and I will use my renewed strength to take us somewhere very private. Now take me to my beloved, or whatever remains of her, I must say goodbye.” Everyone scrambled to take care of their various tasks, while Samantha shifted me to the alleyway where Sunshine had been ambushed and lost her life. I asked Samantha to shift a wreath of white Chrysanthemums to me which by investing a small amount of power into them, would never die and would always be in bloom. I knelt on the pavement and placed the wreath on the spot where only a splash of blood remained to mark her passing. “Goodbye my love,” I whispered, “forgive me, but I am going to kill a lot of people for doing this to you. You deserved better, requiescat in pace.” I stood up and walked back to Samantha who immediately folded me in its arms and shifted me back to the apartment so I could await my righteous revenge. But what I could not know was that Sunshine’s death had already served its purpose for those who had commanded her death and though I was unaware of it, the power within me had already begun to multiply. It was now far beyond the levels at which it had previously been before I had stopped feeding it and was it growing quickly. Soon it would need to be expressed or it would devour me. But even though I was oblivious to the rising danger within me I was still adamant that I would not leave this place, but soon events would take place which would change me, and as a result, this would greatly affect the balance, and I would have no choice but to leave.
18 A little-known fact about the Art of Torture is that it is not the physical pain which the prisoner suffers that achieves the desired results, but instead it is the mental aspect of the art which is in fact the most effective part. The anticipation of the blessed pain to come is a powerful tool, since the mind itself is capable of envisioning and creating greater horrors and scenarios than the artist is actually physically capable of inflicting upon them. The horrors the prisoner believes he or she is about to experience begins as a small bundle of possibility, of great and mind-altering pain that is only enhanced by the hope that he or she holds onto for the simple reason that the artist has not yet begun to ply his or her skills upon the prisoner yet, but simply talks to them. But of course, the prisoner knows that this hope is false, yet he or she still holds onto this flimsy thread, a line thrown to a drowning man. But you see this cannot be, for the artist cannot be certain that the truth has been revealed without taking the prisoner on a long journey of pain and mental anguish, pushing the prisoner to the limits of sensation and letting him or her taste the grave. In the end, it must always come down to this: A great deal of pain to be inflicted and of course, absolutely no mercy. The whereabouts of the Quandisa were easily found and it was not until later that I would come to realize that she was not actually hiding from me, that she had been in fact waiting for me. Lulu found her with her trademark
efficiency and despite being a Goddess, albeit a fallen one, Lulu took the opportunity to have a little fun of her own with the creature, brutalizing her in own way, using the powers granted her by her Gods for this very purpose. For the Spirit Lubaniba who was within Lulu had also recognized the Quandisa and relished the opportunity for vengeance. Against my specific orders, Lulu took her to a place that I had not been aware that she had created, a small pocket dimension like the one where the Nephilim and I had trained together and bound her with metaphysical chains strong enough to hold a Goddess and sat down to have a chat. Through it all the Goddess of Lust had only smiled indulgently as if she were dealing with a child, which only infuriated Lulu worse, the torture rapidly becoming a not very artistic expression of the torturer’s art.
“You don’t remember me, do you?” Lulu said coldly as she took a break, “I am the daughter of the great king who you ruined.” “Which great king would that be? You know there were quite a few over the years.” She giggled as she spoke which further enraged Lulu, who lashed out at her with a serpentine power which reared and struck repeatedly causing the fallen Goddess to violently convulse. “Not so flippant, now are we?” Lulu turned away from the creature, breathing heavily, her own emotions getting the better of her. But this was her father’s betrayer and the cause of the fall the Kongo Empire. So why did she feel sympathy for this broken creature, why did she feel a kinship with her when she should feel nothing but hate? The Quandisa recovered and floated upright and with her eyes she beckoned to Lulu. “Mbilia,” she said, “Oh yes, I remember you and your father who was indeed a great king. But more importantly I remember the lash and the whip, which was applied to me by one who has the power to compel me. I am a Goddess of Lust, what do I care about Gods and kingdoms? Even the Orishas themselves experience lust, so my place in the cosmos is assured. Granted in this prudish era of hypocritical morality and false sensibilities, I am no longer worshipped openly, but it matters not because when men take male enhancement pills, or women augment their breasts or backsides is it not so that lust can be ultimately expressed? Am I not still being worshipped, only through a different medium? I did not ruin your father or the Kongo Empire because I am evil; I tempted your father in the one way in which all men are ultimately vulnerable, because I was compelled to. The torture you inflict upon me is nothing when faced with the prospect of oblivion after tens of thousands of years of existence. I am not yet ready to die, so do your worst.”
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