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NOTE: These stories are
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Candle's Flame
A Kendrick story
By
Jennifer Brozek
Start from the beginning of the Kendrick series

September 14th, 2008

It started with a gun butt to the head. My gun. Doctor Mercer's head. I never thought that I would ever kidnap a man to save his soul but that is exactly what we did. The mayor, Aaron and I talked about it. Doctor Mercer's exorcism would not be the classic priest with holy water routine. I have seen firsthand what these spirit things can do. No. It had to be a three pronged attack. Mason would fight on the physical plane. Aaron would fight on the spiritual one. I would straddle  the two worlds. Not like I haven't done that before.

We took Mercer to a monastery that was once a train station. Pretty thing. All brick with a  bell tower with a new brick wall to hide it. Nice and peaceful. A man could get used to that sort of quiet. We did not meet with any other brothers. Aaron said that it was best that we not know who they are and that they not know us. Fair enough. I'm familiar with undercover work.

An empty workroom was waiting for us. We put Mercer down and set a circle that the spirit possessing him could not cross. Then Aaron sat cross-legged and put a sword in his lap. He was  going into that other world I can't see. I wish I could. I do. But, I'm mundane and doing the best I can. Mason (yes, after this incident, I'm on a first name basis with the mayor) must have been a hell raiser in his day. He held himself well in the fight.

Me? My job was to pray. And believe in that prayer. I grew up Catholic and am one of the most devout people I know. I just don't push it on others. Also, I needed to guard both Mason and Aaron. I held my own.

As soon as I started praying Aaron began doing his thing. He likened it to playing a 3-D video game where you really can be hurt or killed but you were more than you are in the real world. What is real? I don't know anymore. Mason was standing guard, watching. The whole thing turned into a movie. At least, that's what it felt like to me.

Mercer's eyes popped open. He stood in the blink of an eye and moved to the edge of the circle. "These barriers trap me but they don't trap this flesh," he said and started to walk through. Mason decked him. It was a good shot. Then fists and things started flying.

You know how you walk into a room and think it is empty? It's not. There are things there that your eyes don't see. While I was praying - for salvation, healing, freedom, protection, help - all of it, benches were flying and so were small forgotten tools. Mason fought with Mercer and I shielded Aaron from the debris. But he was still being hurt. I could see it on his face in bruises and in the blood on his clothes from the mysteriously appearing cuts in his skin.

In the end, everything stopped as suddenly as it began. Mason had Mercer in an arm lock and was doing everything in his power to keep him in the circle. I was shouting the Litany of the Saints and Aaron was just sitting there. Until he wasn't. In a single move, he opened his eyes, stood and swung his sword at Mercer, almost hitting Mason. It was so close that Mercer's face was scratched.

There was a scream in the air and Mercer went limp in Mason's arms. All was suddenly quiet. Instead of a fight for life and freedom, four men were there, breathing heavy, hurt, and bleeding but victorious.

Eventually Mercer woke up. It really didn't take that much for us to convince him of what had happened. He still had his memories and his memories told him we didn't have time to rest. Bad things were happening with the Children of Anu and they were about to get worse.

So, it was time to get to the hard part of all this. It was time to take Mercer and go talk to Karen and John.  I'll talk about that more later. Just know, self, that you should be proud of what you accomplished. The only mundane man in the room and you held yourself well.

David stopped writing and closed his journal. Closing his eyes, he remembered the awkwardness of what happened next.

***

John looked up from his game of cards with Karen. "Trouble's on its way."

Figures. I was going to win this hand. She put her cards down. "What kind of trouble?"

"I don't know but it involves blood and lots of it." They both looked up at the knock on the back door of the Teller's Fortune. "I'll get it. You get ready."

Karen nodded and shifted from her sitting position to one partly under cover by a pillar near the store's gun. As much as she hated the things, she was learning how to use one for 'just in case' purposes. She would take it and open fire if it was an attack. She did not think it was. Reginald had not spoken up yet. "Reginald? Do you know what's going on?" She asked quietly.

Her Bluetooth earpiece responded. "No danger that I can see. Aaron, Mason, David and James are here."

"Who are Mason and James?"

"Mason Stewart is the mayor of Kendrick. One of my caretakers. James Mercer is a doctor of the mind. He has a private practice but works mostly with the Kendrick Police Department."

"Oh. Ideas on why they are here?"

"No. But they all seem to be bleeding in one way or another."

Karen waited until John returned with his gaggle of guests in tow and gave her the all clear sign before she came out of her spot. She looked at the group of beaten and bloody men. "What happened? You guys look like you need help."

There was an exchange of looks between the men and, by silent agreement, David took charge as the leader of the pack. "We could use some first aid but there's trouble in the city and we think you're the person to help solve it."

Karen looked from David to John. John nodded, "Let me get the first aid kit."

Karen nodded. "Ok. What's up and why are the four of you so hurt?"

This time, Mason took the lead, "It was my idea. Doctor Mercer was spirit-ridden and we needed to free him." He went on to explain what had happened and how they had been injured. He filled her in on the story as they knew it to date.

*

John dug through drawers in his desk, looking for the first aid kit. He finally found it in the last drawer he looked in. He turned to put it on top of the desk and almost set it on top of Sebastian who was sitting there with the Four of Swords Todari tarot card in hand. John's heart felt like it stopped in his chest at the sight of both. "Hey, little buddy. Are you finally well?"

Sebastian nodded.

"I'll bet Karen will be happy to see you." John kept his eyes on Sebastian's face and tried hard to not stare at the tarot card. He had, for the second time, given the card to the small gargoyle to help it heal. It was only due to the magic of the card that Sebastian did not die during the attacks on the gargoyles. In the back of his mind, that greedy obsessive part of him was screaming to take the card back. To take it before the little monster could run off with it. John ignored this screaming voice as best he could. That was not how things worked with the Todari tarot cards. "I'll bet you'll be happy to see her, too. I've taken good care of her while you've been healing."

Sebastian nodded again as it was not the way of gargoyles to speak to those they are not bonded to. He lifted the Todari card that was almost as big as he and offered it to John.

He smiled in relief. "You give me this card of your own free will?" Again came that nod, giving permission for John to take and possess his most precious item. He took the card and stroked it. "Thank you, Sebastian. I appreciate your gift. I'm going to keep it right here to make sure I have it in case something happens to Karen. We both know that Karen's the only one, other than you, that I'll give this card, too. Right?"

The small gargoyle gave a huge yawn and leapt to John's shoulder. It was clear that he no longer cared what happened to the card. John just hoped that Karen would not ask him to use it to help anyone in the next room. He would not be able to agree.

*

"... and that is when Doctor Mercer told us what Victoria has been doing with the Children. We need to stop her before it gets to human sacrifices but we can't just arrest her. The spirit riding her is so much stronger than the one exorcised from Doctor Mercer that the collateral damage and death toll would be unacceptable. We need to do this with stealth, guile and a decisive strike." Mason said.

Karen was overwhelmed by the sudden influx of information about Vicki and what she had been doing to the clubs in the area and was doing with the Children. She needed the sudden reappearance of Sebastian in her arms for a moment to think and to hope. "Sebastian!" She held the gargoyle who had launched himself from John's shoulder to Karen.

Everyone but John and Karen flinched. David and Aaron remembered the small gargoyle from their last encounter with him. Mason did not want to be hit by the flying gargoyle projectile and Doctor Mercer grimaced, knowing he was almost responsible for killing the creatures off. Still everyone waited while Karen said hello to an old friend.

When she was done, she looked up and the gears were turning. "All right. If you say, Mayor Stewart, that this must be done with 'stealth, guile and a decisive strike,' this is my idea. We send Doctor Mercer in to get as much information as possible. Especially about where Vicki will hit next after the clubs and if the Children are actually moving to human sacrifice. Once we have that information, we can work to isolate her. Mr. Mayor, that would be your job as she is living with you. Then ..." she said, looking at Aaron, "... we let the righteous hand deal with her. The buildings damaged should the Stewart home. The death toll would be minimal with only some of us there. But... before you ask, yes, I'm going to explain about the 'righteous hand.'"

She turned to John. "Do you have that prophecy handy?"

***

It was a clash of cultures and a historic moment all at the same time. Sixteen members of the Bacchanalia Coven, led by Lamiel, sat in the room across from the three Makah elders, led by Chief Walks-the-Ocean. It was a sea of black leather, lace and velvet met by the calm autumn colors of brown, green and gold.

"The Makah Council will hear the Bacchanalia Coven," Walks-the-Ocean said.

Lamiel bowed her head to the elder council. At this point, it should be nothing more than a ritual but there was always a chance of betrayal. Once Juliet had brought the idea of finding sanctuary on Makah land, it seemed to be the only logical thing to do right now. Band together with a greater force and offer their protection. There had been a private conversation with Chief Walks-the-Ocean and the details had been worked out. All had been agreed upon in private. But still, all of that could have been for nothing if even one of the Makah elders betrayed them. Lamiel knew Walks-the-Ocean but not Sees-the-Wind, the eldest of the elders, or Lumbering-Bear, the youngest of the elders.

"The Bacchanalia Coven thanks the Makah Council for granting this audience."

"Why has the Bacchanalia Coven come before the Makah Council?"

"We have come to ask for sanctuary from the Makah. We have come to ask for permission to do good works and rites while upon Makah land. We have come to make a compact with the Makah people." Lamiel's voice was strong and clear.

"What does the Bacchanalia Coven fear that it needs to ask for protection?" Lumbering-Bear asked.

"The Children of Anu have long waged war against all of us in the city of Kendrick. Recently, they have become more vicious and cunning. Right now, they have people within Kendrick's government and have used this to seize the places of power that we have built. In order to protect those who do not see and the members of our Coven, we must act decisively. We must remove ourselves from our chosen place of power and transfer to a new, more protected, place of power. One that the city government has no right to act upon."

"What does the Bacchanalia Coven offer in return to the Makah Tribe for this sanctuary and ritual space?" Sees-the-Wind's voice was breathy and old but still full of power.

Lamiel turned her answer to Sees-the-Wind, though the answer was for all in the room. "The Bacchanalia Coven will bind together with the Makah Tribe. They will protect its borders, physical and otherwise, as if they were our own. We will lend our power once a month to the magical workings of the Makah Tribe if a greater magical undertaking is needed. We will abide by Makah law while on their land and will protect the Makah Tribe in the city as best we can. The enemies of the Makah Tribe will be the enemies of the Bacchanalia Coven."

There was a long silence in the room once Lamiel was done speaking. The compact offered would bind the two groups together for a period of time as if all members of the Makah Tribe and the Bacchanalia Coven were one. It was not a decision to be made lightly.

Finally, Chief Walks-the-Ocean spoke. "The Makah Tribe sees the need of the Bacchanalia Coven. The Bacchanalia Coven has been friend and ally to the Makah Tribe in the past and this should not end now. For a period of one lunar year, the Bacchanalia Coven and the Makah Tribe will be as one."

The old man stood and offered his arms to Lamiel.  Lamiel stood and placed her forearms on top of his. He smiled. "Be welcome, sister, Daughter-of-the-Moon. May our time together as one be fruitful."

"Thank you, Chief Walks-the-Ocean. The Bacchanalia Coven is welcomed into your home and will see you well."

***

"The end is nigh for one who harries this city. But, only the righteous hand may kill that which needs to die while not killing the one who should be redeemed. One of the city's own will be sacrificed if the righteous hand does not move quickly enough. There are only days left."

John put down the paper he read the prophecy from and Karen looked back at the four other, now bandaged, men in the room. Mostly, she looked at Aaron. "This prophecy was given to me by the Grey Lady. John and I talked about it and why I would receive the prophecy and not someone else. We came to the conclusion that as the city is being affected by Vicki  and I am the Master's representative, that I probably know the 'righteous hand' destined to defeat Vicki. I think this person is you, Aaron. And since you brought Doctor Mercer to me, you've shown us how to 'kill that which needs to die while not killing the one who should be redeemed.'"

John folded up the paper and put it in his pocket. "We know who is to do what to whom now. At least we have a good guess. What we need to know now is what Vicki's timeline is because we need to isolate and defeat her before then."

"That's where I come in." Doctor Mercer said. His voice was tired and his shoulders sagged forward, hunching his back.

"Only if you choose to help, James." Mason interrupted. "This is not an order from me or the city."

"It's a request," Karen said. "It's your choice."

Doctor Mercer straightened up, looked among all those in the room, his eyes lingering on David. "I'll do it. I owe the people of the city that much."

Mason stood up. "If I may, I believe I have a plan that will work. She is my daughter, spirit-ridden or not. She's staying with me and she trusts me. Between that and her trust of Doctor Mercer, I believe I know exactly what to do." He looked around the room for permission to continue.

There were nodding heads all around. "The floor's yours, Mr. Mayor," Karen said. She was distinctly relieved not to be in charge - for once - of this particular life threatening problem and its solution.

***

Elsewhere...

Vicki smiled up at the silvery metallic sign. It was a predatory smile, full of promised pain. 'Bacchanalia. How obvious can you be? Did you expect to be safe when you advertise exactly what you are doing in the middle of downtown?' She sneered at the 'Members Only' sign. With a flick of the wrist, the door to the closed Gothic club opened to her. Immediately, she felt the magic within.

She let her senses feel what was there. 'More than just a place of power, I see. You want to fight? I'll fight.' Vicki let some raw power, gathered from the offerings of the Children and the rapine of the other places of power in the city, whip out and strike at the barriers before her.

Lamiel screamed in pain. Juliet rushed to her mentor's side. "Get me back to the Makah reservation."

So easy. Like taking blood from a willing servant. Vicki walked farther in, careful and slow. She was drawn to the heavy pulse of the power here. But, someone had left traps. Tricksy, this coven was. The next barrier was an illusion. A door to the back but really another door to the outside. It was no match for the next lick of power as Anu devoured the magic that held it together.

Juliet sped through the city, praying the Goddess and the moon that she would make it in time. Next to her, Lamiel gasped in pain but held her own. "Faster. I can't hold her much longer."

The third barrier was a subtle thing, deeply hidden but, on closer inspection at the door of the back room, it was very powerful and designed to knock all supernatural creatures unconscious, regardless of species, based on the creature's own power. Vicki stepped back and had to admit a certain amount of respect for the witch who cast the ward. It was devious and deadly. But, as all things must, it had a weakness. The anchoring rune. She found it after some time of looking. A tiny rune at the bottom of the doorframe. Three swift kicks to the doorframe with steel toed boots put an end to the only trap that could have actually harmed her.

Blood leaked from Lamiel's nose and mouth by the time Juliet pulled into the parking lot. She helped Lamiel through the lot, past the visitor's center and to the first home of the Makah people. This was Lumbering-Bear's home. He would help. He had to. Lamiel was dying.

After ensuring that the room was no longer a danger, Vicki turned her attention to the place of power itself and watched the dancing energy, sensing its power. She had clearly found the best of the clubs in the city and now the power was hers. She stepped into the room and seized the power, drawing it into her. At first, it resisted. Then, she overcame that resistance. Then, the fourth trap was sprung and, suddenly, Vicki was in a fight to keep control and hold onto her own power. This place, and its mistress, was trying to strip her of it.

Lumbering-Bear held Lamiel in his arms. "I need her things of power. I need them to protect her." Juliet nodded and sprinted back towards the car.

Vicki found an opening in the attacker's defenses and struck with everything she had.

"No. Don't let her. She needs to be here ..."  Lamiel panted to Lumbering-Bear. He looked up to see Juliet take two steps into the parking lot and then crumple silently to the ground.

Vicki gave a cry of triumph and latched onto her victim as hard as she could. The energy flowed into her so fast it burned and threatened to overwhelm. Then, the source she had control of ceased altogether. She could not tell if the victim had died or if something else had happened.

Much to her dismay, all of the enticing energy in this place of power suddenly winked out as if it had never been there to begin with. It seemed that a fifth and final trap had been sprung, taking all that she needed with it. Vicki's cry, this time, was one of rage.

'Enough,' she thought. 'I have had enough.' Stalking out of the defunct club, she pulled out her cell phone and made the call that Sam had been waiting for.

Story by Jennifer Brozek, Copyright 2008
Image by Rory Clark, Stopped Motion Photography, Copyright 2008