by Mika B. Coit
Iliana raised her eyes and scanned Beach Cove. The fresh breeze wisped through from the open sea. The yachts swayed as the water rippled below them. Then like a switch that had turned on her mind, Iliana knew who would know more about Lord Baddesley than anyone else in Primrose Bay.
Striding through Beach Cove with Yuki by her side Iliana made her way to the yacht harbour. A couple of people walked out of the door to the light blue wooden building that was attached to the yacht harbour. Iliana allowed them to past first before entering into the open space lobby. Inside looked much bigger than Iliana thought. One side was the lounge area with comfy sofas that stood by the wide windows looking out to sea. The other side was where the bar was stationed and the reception desk was straight ahead in between wide open doors either side of it.
Iliana instantly recognised Mr. Williams standing by the reception desk dressed smartly in a black and white striped suit. For a moment she thought it was Kazuki. She still could not accept how identical they both looked, it was quite spooky. When Mr. Williams saw Iliana he waved at her from the desk.
"Iliana... it is alright... Yuki can come in too... How are you?" He asked when Iliana stood by the desk.
"Good thank you."
"You sure are an early bird when Eleanor went to your room this morning, you were already up and gone."
Iliana smiled awkwardly. The only reason why she left so early was to avoid Kazuki.
"I really wanted to see Mother... I have not seen her for awhile now."
"Of course, we thought that was were you headed. Anyway... if you wanted to see Kazuki, he just left about ten to fifteen minutes ago. He received a call from Jung earlier and quickly dashed off."
"Actually... I wanted to talk to you, if you are not too busy."
Mr. Williams’s eyebrows cowered before summoning a lady to cover the reception desk over the phone. He led Iliana and Yuki through one of the large open doors into a long wooden corridor. There were many rooms with the doors closed apart from one which Mr. Williams encouraged Iliana to enter. Yuki quickly trotted inside and sat by the window next to the chair that Iliana strode towards.
Sitting down on the soft chair in front of an oak desk Iliana’s eyes darted to the large wide window. The scenic panoramic view of the sea was there before her. It looked like thousands of diamonds shimmering on the water’s surface with the sun setting behind in the horizon. The day seemed to have hastily gone by without Iliana noticing.
"Beautiful is it not?" Mr. Williams commented sitting on the armchair on the other side of the desk.
Iliana smiled after tearing her eyes from the window.
"It is... most beautiful... I love the sea."
"We have something in common. Now what was it you wanted to talk about?"
Iliana took a deep breath before meeting Mr. Williams’s eyes.
"I have recently found out that long ago you were close to Lord Baddesley... I was wondering if you could tell me more."
Mr. Williams’s blue sapphire eyes lowered to the thick oak desk before replying to her question.
"That was a long time ago... Why do you want to know?"
"I..." Iliana started not quite knowing how to answer to that without spilling the true reasons why she asked. "I-I need to understand him and his son. I have heard things and... I cannot quite link them together to make any sense of it... it bothers me somehow."
"Have you been talking to Mr. and Mrs. Croppe?"
When Iliana nodded slowly Mr. Williams smiled and shook his head.
"So they still spread their stories of him even after so many years had past."
"Do you agree that Lord Baddesley might have performed some kind of magic to the sea when he was younger?"
Mr. Williams placed his elbows on the table and leaned forward slightly, lacing his fingers together.
"That was not the first one he did."
Iliana perked up on her chair as Mr. Williams carried on.
"Further out from the City in the countryside, he made the field of dying wheat grow again. The farmers could not believe it... They said that the land was spoiled and crop would never grow from it... It still grows to this day. He showed me his gifts and it was I who asked him if he could use his powers to bring fish back to the sea when there was none for months... Everyone thought it was a coincidence."
"Apart from Mr. and Mrs. Croppe." Iliana noted.
"Yes... apart from them and me, of course." Mr. Williams smiled. "Ever since we became friends in kindergartens he told me of his powers. He loved helping people... even the poor. He worked hard to develop the powers he possessed. He gave so much to people... that was why I stood by him and helped him as much as I could. But when we were seventeen... our long friendship ended so suddenly."
"What happened?"
"I fell in love with the new scullery maid that worked in his mansion. He was fine with it to begin with... but when his father died, he turned. I knew he was very close to his father and loved him. But... he changed into someone... something entirely different. His hatred for the poor began from that point. He came here to Beach Cove. He ordered me to stop my relationship with Eleanor and find someone matching my rank in society and not a pauper. I fought him... I hated what he said to her... what he said to me. He then took away what he had given me and my family years ago... We lost our fishing business." Mr. Williams sighed before continuing on.
"When I tried to talk to him the next day he just looked at me... he did not even recognise me. Like... he had forgotten who I was."
"What?... Just like that?"
"Yes... just like that." Mr. Williams replied clicking his fingers. "However... when he married Mr. and Mrs. Croppe’s niece Lucy, he was content and even came to Beach Cove with her for first time since our argument. It was the opening of our yacht harbour. Our eyes met for a moment. I thought he remembered me but he walked away before I could say anything. Then when Lucy Baddesley died in the house fire a few years ago... and his son went into coma... he returned to the ruthless man that he had become before he met Lucy... in actual fact, worse!"
‘Lucy Baddesley must have Purified his soul... but when she died... his inner demon returned.’ Iliana thought sitting back in her chair, trying to make sense of all this. ‘Was she a Purifier too?’
"I have never told this story to anyone else other than Eleanor... it has brought back many memories."
"Do you regret anything that you have done in the past?"
Thinking about it for a moment, Mr. Williams shook his head.
"No... well actually... I do regret one thing. I wish I had tried harder to bring my friend back. I turned my back on him and it was probably then that he needed a friend the most."
Mr. Williams buried his head in his hands, Iliana attempted to reach out to him to comfort him when her phone rang.
"Sorry... excuse me for a minute." Iliana apologised fumbling in her bag until she eventually found her phone.
"Hello... Iliana, it is Father."
"Father... is everything alright?"
"Your Mother... she is awake!"
Iliana gasped with the emotions of relief, happiness and anticipation rolling inside her.
*** Chapter 10 ***
Iliana quickly thanked Mr. Williams for his time before running all the way from Beach Cove to the hospital. It took her under half an hour to run without stopping, her legs started to feel heavy and achy. After tying Yuki to the same bench as earlier that morning and giving her a big hug, Iliana dashed to Mother’s private room in the hospital. Sweat moisturised her forehead and her breathing was hard. Before swinging the door open, Iliana took a deep breath.
The first person her eye caught inside the room was Kazuki. He looked dashingly cool in black and the short leather jacket just finished the model like look. Her heart skipped a beat as his eyes met hers. Quickly looking away she scanned the rest of the room. Next to him were Jung and Caitlyn. Jung looked as if he had just left the office, his badge was still clipped on the belt of his dark
trousers. All of them stood by Mother’s bedside. Father stood opposite them and turned round when Iliana closed the door revealing Mother sitting up on the bed.
"Mother!" Iliana gasped running to her side.
She flung her arms round her neck and hugged her so tightly, Mother coughed.
"Oh... I am sorry." Iliana apologised stepping back.
Mother laughed and reached out for her hand which Iliana gave and squeezed.
"It is so good to see you."
"How are you?" Iliana asked.
It was strange to see Mother without any makeup. She always made a rule to never be without it. Mother also usually has her waist length black hair up, but instead it hung loosely above the simple white night dress she wore. She looked drained and her face was pale, but her brown eyes were filled with warmth.
"A little weak but I am well now... Thanks to you and your friends here."
Iliana’s eyebrows cowered but Mother just smiled and squeezed her hand a little tighter.
"Why is everyone here?" Iliana asked looking up at Jung and Caitlyn and deliberately avoiding Kazuki’s direction.
Jung and Caitlyn both shrugged at the same time, obviously also clueless to why they were there.
"Because I asked them to come." Mother replied.
"Why?"
A small knock at the door interrupted Mother from answering.
"Come in." Father ordered turning round.
An Indian nurse dressed in a mint green coloured tunic and trousers opened the door and entered.
"Forgive my intrusion Mr. D’coye... but the new doctor needs your assistance with a patient of his."
"Can he not ask for another doctor?"
"Actually... he specifically asked for you. I told him you were occupied with a personal matter, but he still insisted for you." The nurse reported.
"Go Leslie... you know what it is like to be a new doctor at a big hospital!" Mother said.
"I know, but you..."
"I will be fine... I will still be here when you come back... my doctor insists of me being fully recovered before being discharged."
Mother gave Father an amused look with one eyebrow raised.
"Yes... and you must obey that doctor otherwise you will be in trouble." Father chuckled.
He made his way out the door but before he exited he turned round and pointed at Iliana.
"You keep an eye on our girl Jane."
"I will."
When Father disappeared Iliana whipped round to Mother who was grinning from ear to ear.
"What did he mean by that?" She asked thinking she was in trouble.
Mother laughed before she replied.
"Earlier today when your Father opened my windows, he saw you with Lucas Baddesley against the wall."
Iliana blushed, she could feel the gaze from the others piercing in her direction.
"W-we were just talking." She managed to stutter.
"From what your Father saw, it was pretty up close and personal... and your faces were almost touching!" Mother stated her eyebrows raising even higher, it almost reached her hair line.
"Woo!... Stirring it up with the enemy are you Iliana?" Jung remarked both he and Caitlyn staring at her with a bemused expression.
As Iliana turned to them her eyes flitted to Kazuki. He too had his eyes on her but with a poker-faced look.
"Honestly... we were just talking. There was absolutely nothing to it. In fact I found out he knows of the Unkn..." Iliana started to explain but stopped knowing she could not go any further with Mother present.
"It is alright, you can carry on." Mother said pulling on Iliana’s hand a little and forcing her to look at her. "I know of the Unknown world."
"What? Y-you do?"
Mother nodded forcing a small smile.
"I do now... that is why I have asked your friends to come here."
"How long have you known?"
"Since that night of Lucas’s welcome back party. Lord Baddesley opened my eyes to the Unknown World after I accepted his proposal."
"That was the night when you decided to sleep in the spare room for the first time!" Iliana recalled. "And you did not speak or even look at me from that night onwards."
Mother winced at Iliana’s comment, her hand slipped from Iliana’s and rested it by her side.
"Please do not remind me of what I have done... It pains me to hear it, especially coming from you."
Iliana gazed at Mother’s saddened face that stared at the bed sheets, Iliana sat on the chair that stood next the bed and placed her hand back on top of Mother’s.
"I knew what I was doing was wrong but the demon I invited was so strong and my own demon relished it’s power. I could not fight them both. I hurt you in many ways... and even lured you to Lord Baddesley’s mansion. I knew you would follow me..."
Tears rolled down Mother’s cheeks unable to continue. Iliana felt a lump in her throat whilst holding back her own tears.
"It is all over now Mother... you have been Purified." Iliana reassured stroking Mother’s arm and comforting her as much as she could.
Mother sniffed, took a deep breath and nodded.
"I still cannot believe that you are a Purifier, one with the power over water. That was why you have always loved water because you could control it. I knew you were special."
Mother turned to the others.
"You all save people but you do not receive any gratitude from them... They do not know of your heroic actions."
"Well... you know... it cannot be helped!" Jung remarked sounding very cocky.
Caitlyn nudged him in the arm with her elbow laughing at his comment.
"Do not let that get to your head... otherwise you will never pass through the door, my little Korean big headed bear."
"Do not reign on my parade little Welsh bear. Just give me a moment to soak in this glory." Jung said jokingly stretching his arms out like an spread-eagle and closing his eyes.
"You are a nutter." Kazuki commented shaking his head yet unable to hide his smile.
"I must tell you though... Lord Baddesley has a plan that I need to tell you." Mother stated after the amusing commotion with Jung ended.
Before Mother could carry on with her explanations, Iliana suddenly felt a cold shiver ripple down her spine. She spun round to face the closed door behind her, feeling a strange presence nearby.
"What is wrong?" Mother asked.
"I do not know... something does not feel right."
"I cannot feel anything." Jung announced, then turned to Caitlyn. "Can you?"
Caitlyn shook her head, her neat and tidy blonde locks bouncing effortlessly at every movement.
"I can." Kazuki responded in a deep tone, taking off his silver chain from under his black shirt and preparing himself to morph the cross pendant into a sword. "It is coming!"
All of a sudden the room door flew open. Iliana turned round shielding Mother with her body. Jung, Caitlyn and Kazuki also ducked as the flying door crashed to the other side of the wall just missing them by the skin of their teeth. A deep growling noise that resembled an angry wolf echoed through the room. Iliana whipped round and gasped.
"Mrs. Rawlins!"
The ringleted mass of brown hair gave away her identity. Her eyes were as black as night. Her skin was pale and dry. She was just wearing a simple white night dress. Continuously growling under her breath Mrs. Rawlins stepped into the room. But before she got any further Caitlyn began to sing. Her angelic voice enveloped the whole room causing Mrs. Rawlins to cower and drape herself on the door frame. She fell to her knees, black thick smoke emerged from her eyes, nose and her open mouth. The smoke materialised into not just one or two demons, but twelve. All of them lined the entrance of the room like regimental soldiers. Their skins as dark as charcoal, their claws like knives and their beady eyes scanning the large room.
"That’s new!" Jung commented before he began to shoot them with his guns which he whipped out from behind his black jacket.
L
ike the speed of a lightening bolt the remaining demons lunged forwards. Almost just as quick Kazuki leapt right over the bed that Mother laid on and landed in front of Iliana. His slender sword in his hand swiped off the heads of at least two demons in one hit. Three glowing long white arrows shot passed Kazuki in unison and targeted three other demons straight to their foreheads. Iliana turned to where the arrows originated from. Caitlyn stood towards the back of the room. Her hand gripped round a glowing white bow and three arrows appeared as she pulled back the bowstring. Within moments the twelve demons were gone and Mrs. Rawlins inhaled deeply before letting out her breath again.
"She is fine, just unconscious." Jung reported after checking her pulse.
"I cannot believe she dwelled a dozen of those demons along with her own soul!" Caitlyn remarked lowering her bow.
"This is Lord Baddesley’s plan... It is happening!" Mother cried out sitting up on the bed and breathing heavily.
"What do you mean?" Iliana asked as everyone turned to Mother.
"All those that attended Lucas’s welcome back party are all possessed by other demons." Mother responded, her eyes now fixed on the bed sheets again.
A pinch of pain splashed on Mother’s face when everyone cried out in unison.
"What?"
"Every person that shook the hands of Lord Baddesley that night... is affected. And everyone shook his hand at some point at the party. He said that..... with the touch of his hand he would feed everyone’s inner demon with darkness. And after performing the special ritual later that night, everyone’s body would become an open vessel for other demons who would be called out from Hell!"
Staring at Mother Iliana felt nauseated and was unable to think properly, yet Mother continued.
"The first symptoms that everyone suffers is a fever and sickness. A result from their own soul being tampered with."
"The bug!" Caitlyn said, her eyes wide and alert. "Loads of people have been off sick with this bug!"
"I-I do not recall seeing Mrs. Rawlins at the party!" Iliana exclaimed, trying to remember that night back in her mind.
"She was there with her husband who is a member of the County Council. You disappeared somewhere when she arrived. And when you came back... she and the rest of Council members gathered for a private meeting."