She tried to shake it off, but didn’t want to alarm Dante and Bibi who were talking by the door. She felt consumed, as it gripped hold of her heart causing her to drop her trident. The sound of it clanging against the floor got their attention; Dante looking quite nervous.
“Expel the energies within me. Expel the energies within me,” she chanted quietly as she tried to use her magic to push it out.
Bibi could feel something was amiss and as she pointed her trident, Mila motioned for her to stop.
“Well what happened? Did you get it?” Bibi asked. Mila's eyes were turning from a shade of black, back to normal.
“Yes. Let’s go. Be well Mr. Dante,” she said walking past them. Bibi looked somewhat confused, but made sure Dante was alright before leaving. Mila walked down the Promethean Mount as a dark voice within the forest called out to her. She was drawn to it, like a moth to a flame and followed it.
“Mmm. The sweet sensation of life. Those who live cannot appreciate its grandeur. I thank you for allowing me to free myself. I accept our pact,” the voice in the darkness said. A tear began to fall from Mila's left eye as she felt something flee from her. Control.
In the blink of an eye Mila found herself sitting upon a heap of snow, but this snow wasn’t cold. She picked it up, crunching it in her hands and let it fall through her fingers. The sky above was black and the clouds sang a weeping song; the rain fell like large bits of snow.
She stood up and as the hot winds passed through her hair, looking towards a hill which she began to climb. Oh my god, she said to herself as she looked upon the Land of the Weeping Shadows. The hills were covered in snow, and upon it was thousands of weeping angels, crucified, crying and pleading for death which would not come.
She looked around but could see no exit, no entrance. Just miles of weeping angels. Upon another hill sat a large white mansion; the smell of cigar smoke filling her nose. “The Barons,” she whispered to herself, not understanding why. She summoned her trident as she walked through the rows of weeping angels.
“Mila, release us,” they would cry out as they clawed at her. She kept towards the middle and found herself standing at the base of the mansion stairwell. The large iron door which had upon it the veve of Baron La Croix opened. A black smoke crept out of the darkness of the entryway and surrounded her. It was thick like flesh, and as she stabbed at it, it fled from her.
“Come,” a voice from the darkness said.
Entering the darkness with her eyes closed, she opened them to see she was surrounded by a beautifully decorated white palace. Everything was white; the floors, walls, drapes and antique furniture. An old blues record from the early 20th century played on a white gramophone which stopped spinning as she touched it.
“It’s impolite to touch a man's music whilst he listens,” La Croix said as he sat with his legs crossed on a large white chair, drinking a white cup of coffee.
“Your Baron La Croix?”
“I am. Please join me for a cup of coffee,” he said, as the coffee poured itself. She sat nervously across from him, accepting the cup.
“Your coffee is white?” she asked with a slight giggle.
He stared at her as though waiting for her to drink. She took a sip and her eyes widened.
“Oh my, this is the best coffee I've ever had. Its nutty and flavorful, and sweet,” she said, as he took her hand. “Why have you brought me here?” she asked, sitting the cup down and getting back to business.
“The pact which you unfortunately signed was not meant for you. It was for another, one who lost his soul and wishes it back. But see, we have statutes of limitations. And he is well beyond that time frame, so his soul has been reborn in another. But he doesn’t know that,” La Croix said laughing.
“So why am I here?”
“Well, a pact is a pact. And now you have inherited the job,” he answered.
“Which is?”
“You do not interrogate me!” he yelled, frightening her a little.
“Fuck the job. I have another one for you. See, we Barons can travel back and forth through the realms, but our powers are somewhat weakened in Malkuth. It’s a very, physical plane. That's what brings the weakness out in man and us alike. We must find a suitable match for our powers in order to possess you see,” La Croix began.
“So you want me to find you a vessel?”
La Croix laughed. “I have found my vessel. My favorite vessel. His name is Cesare Borgia. Do you know of him?” Mila stood up and gasped. “Leave him alone!”
La Croix laughed. He grabbed her and drug her out to his porch. “Look there at my feathered fields. Tell me what you see,” he commanded as he gripped her hair tight.
“Angels.”
“And do you know who put them there?” he asked. Mila began to cry. “Do you?!” he shouted.
“Cesare,” she said amidst her crying.
La Croix threw her on the ground as he listened to the sounds of the angel cries. Mila was in shock and disbelief.
“Cesare has been my greatest cross bearer. Together we did wonders. Now that the angels are descending, I wish to go play. I have to find a more discreet way of ravaging because my brother won’t allow it you see,” he said, picking Mila up.
“You can go back to Malkuth, but you shall take me with you. And when your husband comes to fuck you, the transfer will be complete,” he said as he jumped in her abdomen.
Mila began to cough and fell to the ground as her stomach pained.
“I still can't believe that little shit! All I was trying to do was help the guy out,” Bibi continued to rant as though Mila were there the entire time. She realized something was amiss as there was a coldness in Mila and she noticed that the parchment was still tight in her hands.
“Hey, maybe we should get rid of this,” Bibi continued on. Mila fell to the ground, nearly scaring Bibi to death.
“Mila! What happened?!”
“I don’t know, I just passed out. Let’s go home Beebs.”
“I hear ya,” Bibi replied, helping Mila up, taking her back to the Blue Palace.
***
The ladies made their way back to the Blue Palace and Mila’s thoughts fell heavy on Cesare. She was worried about him, but wasn’t sure why. He and his fellow Knights were suspended in time as Rufus had all in the Oubliette of Smyrna frozen in time as he caught whiff of the Alchemists’ deception.
Rufus’s suspicion pointed directly at Solon who was currently walking down the sidewalk of a common neighborhood. Ordo Magnum Opus had failed many times to do away with the Magia and he could only hope his plan to trap the Knights was going smoothly.
Solon’s thoughts were all over the place, and his heart was heavy. He craved greatness, yet felt the Magia stood in the way of that.
“Nice coat,” a man said, as he walked by.
Solon stopped and watched the man as he walked past, noticing he was wearing a seal similar to that of his own Order. He looked around and there was yet another man wearing a t-shirt with the sacred Dactyl hand upon it checking the mail.
“So, the living dead rise. I will do away with them. Just like the Magia. First things first,” he said, continuing his journey to a small house at the end of the road.
The house had a rather large porch, with two white rocking chairs on the far right side; above the door was the seal of the Keepers of the Crossroads.
Before he could knock on the door, there was yelling coming from the inside of the house. The door flung open and Mama Gee was bashing a man and a woman in the head with her broomstick.
“Now y'all get out of here. You hear?!” she shouted, in her Southern accent. “God damn sheeple trying to rip me off!” she continued to shout as they ran down the sidewalk.
She was a big lady, always wearing a flower dress and house slippers. Her face was round, freckled and welcoming; her bright complexion and gap teeth was an inherited trait, much like the curly Borgia hair.
“What's going on?” Solon asked.
; “Well I'll be. Master Solon it’s been too long suga!” she said, hugging him tight.
“We just want some flying potion!” the woman turned around and yelled.
“I done told ya, I don’t sell to your kind!”
“Well then we'll just have to take it!” she said, pulling out a gun.
“Oh no she ain’t! Get em Francis!” Mama Gee yelled, stomping on the front porch. An abnormally large black hen ran from beneath the porch clucking with its wings spread.
“Really? A guard chick --” the woman began to say before Francis began clawing at her.
She dropped her gun and ran. Francis picked the gun up with his beak and threw it into the road, hopping back to his space beneath the porch. Solon thought it was quite hilarious.
“Damn sheeple been finding me Solon. Wanting all my tricks. Seems like every day now I’m beating someone off my porch with a broom! But they gone now. Come on in,” she said, taking one last peek out the door before she closed it.
Solon stood in the living room taking it all in. He felt at home and took his coat off, quickly remembering he had no shirt on beneath it.
“Hang it up over there,” Mama Gee pointed at the coat rack near the door.
“Marvelous,” Solon said, as he looked upon Mama Gee's wall of ancestors. There were hundreds of photos lined in many different frames going down a long hall.
The smell of fresh cooked collard greens, cornbread and ham filled his nose, giving him a very homelike sensation he never felt anywhere else.
“You know ol' Doc Pete don’t cha?” she asked, as she wobbled her way to the old, wood burning oven.
“Of course,” Solon said sitting at the table.
Doctor Pete, an old black man with a bald head and a few missing teeth, smiled at him.
“This right here be the finest lemonade in all the land,” Doctor Pete said, in a more broken and southern accent than Mama Gee.
“So why you here baby?” she asked, as she was taking the cornbread out of the oven.
“You still try'na kill Rufus ain't cha?” Doctor Pete asked with a hearty laugh. Solon laughed with him.
“Actually, I'm trying as we speak,” Solon said so bluntly.
“Y'all need to stop all that! Especially with the angels flying around here. We Orders gotta band together. Besides, I done gave you my last dume candle. I ain’t giving you no mo!” Mama Gee said fussing.
“No ma'am. That's not why I’m here. See, I'm looking for my soul. It may have already been reincarnated into another vessel. I need to retrieve it,” Solon said, changing the tone of the room.
“That’s a big problem. A man needs the soul. It’s what makes the magic work,” Doctor Pete said.
“Petey go get my chest,” Mama Gee ordered.
She sat down and began to fan herself as it was awfully hot in the kitchen. She grabbed Solon's arm and noticed his sigils weren’t moving.
“You losing power, ain’t cha?” she asked.
“Yes. It’s difficult to do basic alchemy now.”
Mama Gee sat a tin can in front of him and motioned for him to do a demonstration. Solon grabbed the can and grunted as he attempted to turn it to gold. Mama Gee looked shocked as he struggled to transmutate the can. He threw it on the ground in frustration and Mama Gee looked sad for him.
“Well here's the thing. If your soul is in someone else, you take it, what then? Then the other person will be without a soul. Depending on who it is, taking it could change the way of things,” Mama Gee said, as Doctor Pete placed a small chest on the table.
Mama Gee pulled a small, red flannel bag out and began stuffing it with herbs, crystals and coins. “Give me a drop of blood,” she said and Solon took the small knife on the table and pricked his finger.
“Right now you about as useful as a pile of dead sheeple. You need a soul baby. This is a special gris-gris. The crystals inside will light up as you come in contact with your soul. Now, when you find it, the only way to get it back is with the ritual of love,” Mama Gee said.
“So if your soul is in a man, you gotta sex him to get it back,” Doctor Pete said. Solon shrugged as he had no issue with that.
“But before I give it to you, let me read your cards to see if you should,” she said, pulling out a deck of playing cards.
“This be the Conjure hand. The cards sometimes see things we can’t. It’s best to listen,” she said, as she shuffled and spread the deck. Solon chose the cards as instructed and Mama Gee shook her head.
“See here, you picked a lot of spades. The eight of spades with the ten of spades indicate a crossed condition. Together they mean bad news. The queen of spades could mean a woman, but one you should be weary of. The cards don’t like the idea of you tryna to get ya soul,” Mama Gee said.
“I just want what's mine.”
“But you gave it up baby. So now it belongs to someone else. Best thing to do is find a new one searching for a home,” she said.
“But I could --”
“Lose your powers yes. But you barely have powers now. So you won’t be losing anything,” she said. Solon was visibly upset and Mama Gee's words gave him no comfort.
“Here, have some dinner. It’s been a while since you been by. Have supper with me and Ol' Petey,” she said giving him a plate.
Solon was not one to pass up such a meal and smiled. The three ate, laughed and talked for a while, then Solon got up as he felt it was time to leave. Mama Gee walked him to the door and she handed him a hummingbird elixir.
“Why not go to the Blue Palace and find you a nice lady friend for the night. It will help settle your emotions. You all over the place right now. The Blue Goddesses have several rituals that may help you. Your chakras need to be realigned and your aura is dark from the many years of dark magic you studied. A good chakra cleansing will make you feel better. I just pray I was some help to you.”
Solon grabbed her and held her like a mother. “Thank you. Your wisdom is most appreciated.”
Mama Gee knew that was about all she was going to get out of him as not having a soul dulled the emotions. Solon walked on the porch and Wild Eyes sat in the corner with his hat over his face taking a nap in the heat of the night.
Solon took the hummingbird elixir and rubbed it on his hands and up his arms, placing the rest in an inner pocket of his coat. He trailed down the street towards the Blue Palace still in his thoughts, hoping his Alchemists were making progress in the Oubliette.
19
failure
Rufus entered the inner barrier of the Oubliette, and his skin began to tighten as the pressure of the layers of magic caused his muscles to rip and tear. He mustered his energy and pushed through the barrier until he laid his eyes upon it. There was a dim light glowing in the middle of darkness which appeared to be endless.
There was no bottom, no top, no left or right; simply darkness. The dim light however, would go in and out of focus. At its brightest, Rufus eyed a large dome, partially covered in black soil, with a small cross sticking out of the center. Upon it stood a large man in old, Roman armor with a sword in hand.
Rufus approached the Guardian with his hands lifted, looking of signs that Solon had recently visited. He stood upon a pile of soil which appeared to be undisturbed. Rufus looked back towards the tear he entered through and could see his Knights in the hole; suspended in time.
“Who approaches the Oubliette of Smyrna?” the Guardian asked, in a deep, booming voice.
“It is I, Great Proculus. Rufus Sosius the Elder, Magia Magnificent Rex of the Order of Magia Chaotica who approaches. I wish an audience with you,” he said, holding his hands up as a motion of peace.
Proculus laughed a deep laugh giving Rufus a sense of comfort that he remembered him. Proculus, once the Doctore of the Magia, now stood as the Guardian of Smyrna. He wore an armor crafted of the same black metal which fashioned the Magia blades of the Black Knights; his large sword bearing the Magia seal.
His eyes a dark red from staring at the purpl
e skies for many centuries; his helmet of an old Roman style.
“It has been some time since last I saw you little brother. I remember when you were a simple White Coat with no structure. Now, you lead our great Order as Rex,” he said proudly.
“Indeed. And I have missed your ass kickings. But I have not come for a social call my brother, I have come because as you see a rift has been torn in the outer seal of the Oubliette. I must ask what has been taken from this place. Did you see who created the rift?” Rufus asked.
“Certainly. The Baron Kriminel has left this Oubliette. The rift was made by he who holds the key.”
“And why did you not stop him?” Rufus asked.
“The Baron did not escape, rather he was escorted.”
“Are you certain old friend? The Alchemist did this intentionally?”
“My eyes do not deceive dear Rufus. It was an Alchemist,” Proculus said. Rufus was pissed, but realized Nicky’s intel was correct.
“I see that temper is the same,” Proculus laughed.
“You know; you can come with me. I hate seeing you spend your retirement baby-sitting assholes.”
“I made a vow and I shall keep it. But I have enjoyed your company,” he said sincerely.
“Thank you for your help and all that you do. I shall burn an offering upon our altar in your honor,” Rufus said.
“Mmm. I do fancy the smell of patchouli and rose. Reminds me of the old fields in Thrace,” Proculus said happily.
Rufus bowed to him and returned to the scene; the Knights engaging in hostile conversation with the Alchemists. Rufus was not one for playing games and called his Knights to arms as he released time. Each of the Knights had a black blade beneath the throat of an Alchemist, including Messalla who stared intensely at Dosos.
“Come on brother, you dare raise your sword to me?” he asked trying to sway Messalla’s heart. He didn’t say a word, simply smiled.
“War. Is that the only thing you Knights know?” Cornelius asked, attempting to move Cesare’s angel blade from his throat. Cesare pulled out a second blade, scissoring his scrawny neck.
Knights of Enmity: The Barons Have Fallen (Descending Fires Book 1) Page 24