by Karl Morgan
He looked up to see a stag standing nearby. “Sylvester, how are you?”
The deer looked around to see who else might be around. “We are not well at all. When that new place was discovered yesterday, we could smell the stink of death and feel the evil emanating from there. You offered to help us before, and now we would like to take you up on your offer.”
“Of course, you are my friends. How can I help?”
“A seagull of my acquaintance mentioned another island just over the horizon. He said you had been there. Do you know such a place?”
“That’s where Cornelius Thorndike and his sister Lucretia live.”
The stag blinked its eyes. “Charlie and Lucy?” Carl nodded and smiled. “They are old and dear friends. Do you think you could send us there until the danger subsides?”
“Of course. Just you and your does?”
Sylvester shook his head. “Frankly, all the animals on the grounds are desperate to escape.”
Carl stood. “Do you think the danger is that high? Is it worse than the last time?”
“Yes. The thing before was vile and wretched, but now there are many, at least a hundred or more about to reclaim their home.”
“But why here of all places? We’re in the middle of the ocean!”
“Carl, please remember that I am a deer, not a professor, but we hear things. There was a conclave of owls in the forest last night.”
“What’s a conclave of owls?”
Sylvester chuckled. “Sometimes, I wonder how humans dominate the planet when you know so little about nature. Owls are very intellectual, rivaling even the whales. They meet often. When there are ten or more, it is considered a conclave. Last night, there were fifty.”
“That’s amazing.”
Sylvester nodded. “They determined that humanity will likely be exterminated from the planet in the coming weeks and months. They recommended that all nonhumans move as far away from human population centers as possible.”
Carl sat on the ground, held his head in his hands, and groaned. “Anything other good news?”
“Carl, please look up.”
When he did, he saw a large, snow-white owl perched on Sylvester’s antlers. Carl stood.
The owl blinked twice. “It is an honor to meet you, young Carl Prescott. My name is Devin. I’m afraid that what the deer said is true, although there is a chance that an Invisible Hand can slow or stop them. If there were two more to assist you, your odds would be improved, but I understand that Bertrand Aloysius Thorndike has passed on. Also, Aida Whitehall is just beginning to understand her power. Things do not look good.”
“So, everyone here is going to die?”
Devin shook his head. “The evil ones have no interest in anyone at this school other than you.” Carl’s eyes widened. “However, they will relocate their castle to its original location. Since the school is built on top of it, the main building and several other structures will collapse into the pit left by its departure.”
“So, what do I do?”
“You already know, Invisible Hand.” The owl flew away.
“Do you know, Carl?”
“I need more Invisible Hands, and I need to evacuate the school, along with all the animals. Then I need to be ready to face them and likely die.”
Chapter 3
Upon returning to the school, Carl went back to the underground castle alone. He stood in the doorway to the throne room and wondered when the demon Sylvia would choose to act. He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Aida Whitehall heading in his direction.
“What are you doing down here, Carl?”
“How did you know I was here?”
“I noticed you leaving the school and figured you wanted to be alone. Ten minutes ago, a white owl named Devin flew into my room and said I should come here to help you,” she replied.
“I just met the same owl.”
“Yeah, that’s what he told me. So, what are we looking for?”
Carl sighed. “I don’t know. I’m just hoping to find something that will help us stop the demon from destroying the school.”
“And killing us too.”
“For sure, Aida. Devin said the demon isn’t interested in damaging the school, only in killing me. So, if we can relocate everyone somewhere else, the only loss will be the buildings.”
“And your life.”
Carl moaned softly. “Hopefully not.”
“I’ll fight to the death with you. I won’t abandon you, Carl.”
He leaned forward and kissed her lips softly. “I love you. Let’s go see what we can find but stay away from the queen’s throne.”
The two searched the throne room but found nothing. They went to one of the doors to the left of the queen’s throne. Carl turned the handle and pushed the door open. He waved his arm to provide light, and they walked into a narrow hallway, which ended with a right turn in twenty feet. A door stood at the corner. After walking to the corner, Carl put his hand against the door to sense what was outside. He shook his head in disbelief. “That can’t be right.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Put your hand on the door and tell me what you think is on the other side.”
Aida complied. After a few moments, she turned to her friend. “It’s an external door and it seems warm and sunny outside. That’s impossible, isn’t it?”
“That’s what I thought too. Thankfully, it opens out. If it’s blocked, we’ll know it’s the rocks and dirt that bury this place. He removed the bolt and gradually pushed the door open. “Unbelievable!”
Through the doorway, they could see the Danube River not far away. Between the doorway and the river, a field of wheat or other grain moved gently in the breeze. A riverboat chugged its way upstream toward its destination. A few insects lazily flew by in the warm air. Slowly, he moved his arm past the doorway and could see and feel the sun and warm air on it. “I wonder what would happen if I stepped outside?”
“Hold my hand while you do,” Aida replied. “That way I can pull you back if I need to. And watch your step.”
He looked down and noticed the opening was six inches above the ground. He took her hand and carefully stepped down. He turned to face her. He could see her in the doorway, but there was no other evidence that the castle was here. “Let go of my hand.”
“Why?”
“I want to see what happens. I can get back to the school in seconds if the doorway disappears. If that happens, you get back to the shaft and get out, okay?”
She nodded and released his hand.
“I can still see you and the doorway.”
“I can see you too.”
“Hold on a second. I need to check something.” Carl walked around the opening. As soon as he lost sight of the doorway, it was as though the opening was gone. When he returned to his starting point, Aida was still there looking at him. “I said it before, and I’ll say it again: unbelievable. Come out and look for yourself.” He took her hand and helped her out onto the field.
She walked around the door and then back to him. “This is too freaky to believe.”
“You’ve got that right!” He stepped back through the doorway and she followed him. “Well, at least we learned something.” He closed and bolted the door. They headed further down the hall. Next, there was a door on the right. “Your turn.”
Aida put her hand against the door. Then she turned the handle and pushed open the door. “How do you do the light thing?”
“Just imagine the room filled with light and wave your arm in that direction.
She thought for a second and waved her arm. The room will filled with soft, warm light. “Cool.” They stepped inside.
“What is this place?”
“It looks like where the queen would prepare for her audiences with the court. Those other chairs must be for her handmaidens.” Carl opened a closet to see several ornate outfits. Aida began to go through the drawers on several dressers. After a few seconds, she gasped.
/> Carl hurried over to her. She was standing with her hands on the top of a dresser and breathing deeply. “What happened?”
“I looked into that mirror.”
He saw a mirror with a golden handle on the dresser between her hands. The mirrored surface faced the dresser top. “What did you see?”
“I think it was Barbie, but it could have been the queen or the demon.”
Carl picked up the mirror and turned it around. He could see Barbara Conway. She was talking, but he could not tell to whom. Holding the mirror in the same position, he gradually turned around halfway. Now he could see a man smiling and nodding back at her. He turned the mirror a bit more and saw a woman who looked very much like the girl. “I think those are her parents.”
“This is bad, Carl, really bad,” Aida replied. “This proves that the demon is after her specifically.”
“And now she’s helpless. We should show this mirror to the headmaster.”
“No,” Aida replied. “I don’t know why, but I think the demon will know if it’s removed from the castle. Please put it down.”
He set it onto the dresser. “Okay, where do we look now?”
Aida led him over to a small chest on legs. “This looks like a jewelry case. I’m almost afraid to look inside.”
“We’ll do it together.” He opened the top drawer. It contained a single necklace containing twenty large emeralds, each surrounded by diamonds. “Not bad.”
“At least, there aren’t any souls inside the stones like last time.”
“Yeah, the Devil’s Heart and the Sacred Eye saved us from the Beast.” He closed the drawer.
The second drawer was filled with stone-encrusted rings, while the third contained dozens of ornate earrings. He pulled open the larger bottom drawer and stared at its contents.
“It can’t be, can it?” she asked.
Sitting in the drawer was a crystal ball. Hundreds of soft points of white light moved around like fish in an overcrowded aquarium. “This is beyond horrible. Hundreds of human souls trapped forever inside this ball. How grotesque!”
“We have to leave it here, right?”
Carl slid the drawer closed. “Yeah. I’ll tell Manny what we found.”
“I think I’ve had enough for today, Carl. Can we go back now?”
“Aida, let’s try one more door, and then we’ll go, okay?”
“Just one more.”
Carl nodded, took her hand, and led her out of the room. He closed the door behind them. “It looks like there’s one more door before the hallway ends. Let’s check it out.”
They walked to the end of the hallway. Carl put his hand on the door. A moment later, he turned to her and said, “I finally understand why the castle is underground.”
She put her hand on the door and pulled it back quickly with a look of revulsion on her face. “We’re not going in there, Carl!”
“I have to know for sure. If you want to go back, it’s okay.”
She looked down and took his hand. “Let’s just get this over with.”
Carl pulled back the bolt and pulled the heavy door open. Inside was a narrow shaft made of stone blocks. A spiral staircase led downward. Carl released her hand and started down the steps. A few seconds later, Aida began to follow. The temperature rose as they progressed. Soon, both were sweating and breathing heavily.
“What’s that smell?”
Without turning around, Carl replied, “Brimstone.”
After traveling downward two hundred steps or so, they entered the large cavern. The steps ended on a large stone ramp that led to the floor, another two hundred feet below them. The chamber contained the same large lakes of magma, but there were no demons or damned souls about.
Satan stood at the bottom of the ramp waiting for them. He waved and his tail wagged. “Carl and Aida, I’m glad you figured out that part of the puzzle. How are you both today?”
“Is the devil really talking to us?” Aida asked.
Carl nodded. “How are you, Luce?”
He grinned. “Still immortal.” As the teenagers neared, the devil morphed into his human form, except this time he retained his horns and red pigmentation. He extended his hand which Carl shook. Luce leaned forward and kissed Aida on the cheek.
“Hi,” she squeaked.
“Luce, it’s seems very quiet compared to the last time I visited this place.”
“Well, what you witnessed then is what many humans believe happens to wrongdoers. I was simply trying to help you see how ridiculous that was.” He laughed. “Imagine forcing souls to endure such agony for eternity for cheating on a spouse or stealing food for your family.”
“So, this isn’t Hell?”
Luce laughed so hard that he doubled over and gasped for breath. “You believe Hell is a couple hundred feet under the Bulgarian countryside? Carl, be real. Also, imagine the billions of wrongdoers over the millennia. Where the heck are they?”
“I’m confused. What do you think, Aida?”
“What he’s saying makes sense, but I’m not sure what the answer is.”
A chair appeared behind each of them. Luce sat down. “Have a seat. This won’t take long.” When they were seated, he continued, “First of all, Manny and I aren’t going to give you the answers to life and death. Either you’ll figure it out on your own, or you’ll understand when you pass. Second, Manny would never lie to you. I’d say the same about myself, but Carl’s last visit here proves otherwise. Finally, those answers are irrelevant right now. The facts are that you are both alive, and my daughter Sylvia will be coming for Carl soon. If he and maybe some other Invisible Hands can stop her,” he said with a wink toward Aida, “your lives will go back to normal for a time. As Carl knows from the book, being the Invisible Hand is more curse than blessing. Much will be required from any who possess it. Their lives are tied inexorably to the Benefactor. Life will not be normal until those like Victor and Sylvia are convinced that rebellion cannot succeed.”
“That could take our whole lives!” Aida exclaimed.
Luce shrugged his shoulders. “Perhaps, but I think not. In a way, it’s fortunate that Sylvia chose to rebel now. As you are beginning to understand, she did so four thousand years ago. She stayed on your Earth for more than two and a half millennia. Her success in the rebellion probably has others champing at the bit to do it themselves. If Carl can defeat Sylvia, they will learn an important lesson, namely that he is up to the task and their odds of success are scant.”
“But there’s no guarantees,” Carl noted.
Luce nodded. “That’s true. There is an old truism in your culture that remains valid. The only things guaranteed are death and taxes, but I am hopeful, and I believe you two will come to understand the secrets of life and death as well.”
“Thank you, Luce,” Carl replied.
“Yes, thank you, sir,” Aida noted.
Luce stood and the others followed. “Now, it’s a long way back into the school and it’s almost dinner time, so let me give you a hand. Carl, hold Aida’s hand. Good. Now close your eyes.” When they had, he said, “See you soon.” They were gone.
They opened their eyes and found themselves at the bottom of the stairs in the third basement of the main school building. “Let’s get something to eat,” she said and pulled him along.
Burt had returned from the other island and joined them and Grace for dinner. After dinner, Carl and Aida went for a walk around the school grounds to discuss their adventure. “Carl, why do you think Manny and Luce look alike?”
“I’m not sure, but I keep going back to when Manny walked into the storage room after we defeated the Beast. He said he was the only Benefactor and any other thoughts were false.”
“You think they’re one and the same person?”
He shook his head. “No, that would be too easy, but clearly they’re related. I saw Manny the next day too. He said all life was part of him. Each of our souls is a bit of God. I suppose that means Luce is a piece of Him too.”
She smiled. “That makes sense.”
“For some reason, I can’t get Barbie out of my mind.”
Aida nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. “Perhaps she’s enslaved you already.”
He chuckled. “It’s not like that at all. This started when we were almost finished with our dinner. It’s like she’s calling out to me, but the words are too faint to hear.”
“Do you think the demon is already trying to take her?”
“I don’t know.” He stopped in his tracks and gasped.
Aida looked at him and noticed he was fading away. She threw her arms around his neck and held on tightly. They shot into the night sky. In seconds, they began to be pounded with rain. Lightning flashed all around them. Winged demons approached them and tried to block their path. Aida extended her arm and lightning bolts shot out and into the winged beasts. They squealed and many began to plummet to the surface below. “Carl, are you okay?”
“I don’t know.”
They landed on a quiet street. The large home in front of them was ablaze. Residents of nearby houses were outside to witness the fire. The front door of the burning house opened and two winged demons stepped out. They were carrying Barbie who appeared to be unconscious. Carl used the Cocoon talent to put a shield around himself and another around Aida. He charged.
The front demon shot a blast of fire at Carl, but the shield deflected it. The other demon jumped into the air with Barbie in his arms. Carl shot bolts of lightning from each hand and knocked the two demons to the ground. He caught Barbie in his arms, rushed over to Aida, and set Barbie on the ground by her feet. He then stretched the shield to cover the other girl. “Wait here.” He turned and ran into the burning house.
Ten demons now surrounded the two girls. All shot blasts of fire toward the shield, but the flames ricocheted and struck the demons. Two fire engines arrived. When the firefighters noticed the demons, they froze in place, unsure what to do. Aida pushed out with both hands, and the shield around her moved over to the demons and swallowed them. She motioned with her arms causing the shield and demons to shoot into the night sky.