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Display a printable version Blue Moon Revelations
Lamiel, dressed in her best Victorian finery, broke the anticipatory silence. "We are met on this night, fourteen days after the new moon. We are met on the evening of the second full moon of this month; the blue moon. We are met here at the request of another who petitions for our help and asks for our wisdom. Shall we welcome them in?" Juliet, the right hand woman of Lamiel, spoke, "Who is the seeker?" Susan answered, "Susan Moore, Mistress of Gargoyles of the city of Kendrick." "Susan Moore, seeker of wisdom, do you affirm that your petition is for the good of the city of Kendrick as well as for the Bacchanalia Coven?" "I do." "Witnessed and agreed upon by the long standing pact between the Bacchanalia Coven and the Gargoyles of Kendrick." She looked around. "I say we welcome Susan Moore in. What say you?" "We welcome her in," responded the eleven other members of the coven. "As you have spoken, so shall it be done. Susan Moore, you are welcome within the sacred circle of the working tonight." Juliet said. "What is it that you ask for, Susan, sister of our heart and of our cause?" Lamiel asked. "I wish a seeking of the plans and intentions of the Children of Anu within the city of Kendrick." Susan said All but Lamiel and Susan took a breath this announcement. She continued on. "They have grown even more strange and bolder than usual. I believe they are the ones who attacked my museum. I believe we all need to know what they are planning for the good of the city." "As head of the Bacchanalia Coven, I concur with this assessment. Let any who disagree step forward and speak their piece." Lamiel said and then waited for a full minute, looking each of the coven members in the eyes in turn. When she was satisfied that all were ready, she nodded, "Then let us begin." *** "The modern definition of the blue moon is the result of a misinterpretation of the Maine Farmer's Almanac, where a second full moon occurs in a calendar month. The original definition of a blue moon was an extra full moon that happened in a quarter of a year. Instead of three full moons, there are four. It is the third full moon that is considered to be the 'blue moon' instead of the fourth. I haven't figured out why this is." Corelli said to the First and Second Circles of the Order who had gathered at her request. "By the original definition, the next actual blue moon will not be until May 2008. However, by the modern definition, tonight is the blue moon. It is the second full moon in the month of June. Legends state that whenever there is a blue moon, the moon has a face and speaks to those within its light. We know this legend is not true in a literal sense. However, it aligns neatly with the magic that we of the Order of the Sacred Eye perform. That is why we are here tonight." V'ger stepped forward. He no longer required a cane at all times from the injury he had sustained back in December but his steps were careful and controlled; a young man in an old man's body. "I am V'ger, First in the Order of the Sacred Eye. Do any dispute my title or claim?" There were a couple of glances towards Corelli, the young acolyte who had rocketed her way into the First Circle by strength of will, determination, magical talent and her unwavering belief that the Order could be brought back to its original calling. It was by her actions alone that the Order had not been completely decimated by the other supernatural groups within Kendrick after the failed grab for power by the former leader of the Order. If Corelli noticed these glances, she chose not to respond to them. Instead, she patiently watched V'ger and waited for the ritual to begin. When it was clear there were no dissenters, V'ger spoke again. "We are gathered here on this night to work a great magic. We all know that there are strong magical forces at work in the city of Kendrick and there is movement on the field. The Order of the Sacred Eye is not responsible for this but we are being pulled into it whether or not we approve. We must know what is happening. Tonight, by the light of the blue moon, we will seek a vision for what is happening and, from there, the First and Second Circles will make a choice of what to do about it." *** John Corso watched Mason Stewart with no little curiosity. It all the time that Mason had been Mayor of Kendrick, and also known about John's connection to the supernatural, the man had never once requested a private audience. All of their dealings had been by phone or random encounters on the street or as guests of a mutual friend. "Would you like something to drink?" Mason asked from the bar to the right side of the den. John shook his head and looked around the well appointed den. The walls were neatly lined with bookshelves and books from all walks of life. There was an entertainment center across from Mason's desk filled with the latest and greatest toys that technology had to offer. The Stewarts had always done well for themselves in Kendrick. It showed in every part of their estate. "Do you mind if I have something?" "Please," he gestured, "go ahead." "I know you're wondering why I asked you here." "The thought had crossed my mind." Mason sat behind his desk again, a glass of amber liquid in hand, "In the interest of being blunt, John, I'm going to dispense with the usual verbal sparring to figure out what you know and what you don't know and come to the point." He sipped his drink. "The Stewarts are the caretakers of Kendrick. This is not a boast and I do mean it in a literal sense. We were here at its inception, my ancestor stood along side Colonel Kendrick as his seneschal when the first building was built. I do not know if there was a ritual involved or if the city of Kendrick just decided that as the Stewarts were the family servants of Colonel Kendrick, so would they ever be for the city itself." He shrugged. "My family is intimately connected to the land. Inside the borders of Kendrick, we can feel where magic is or has touched a place... or a person. Something is happening. Something very big. All of the members of the family can feel it. It is like butterflies in the stomach and a buzzing in the back of our heads. No matter what we do, we cannot pinpoint this disturbance." Mason stopped and stared at his drink. John took off his glasses. "I appreciate your trust in me to give me this concrete information about your family and about this ... disturbance. But, what do you want me to do about it?" At first, Mason did not speak. He gazed at John while his hands put the drink down and opened his desk drawer. He pulled out a flat box six inches by nine inches. It was wrapped up in moon and stars wrapping paper and a white ribbon. "I have a gift for you, John. A thank you gift for all you have already done for me, Kendrick and the Special Unit. This gift is already yours." He did not push it forward but he saw John's sudden and intense interest in the box. "I have a favor to ask of you." *** Brother Peter looked out over the members of the Brotherhood of Light and nodded with satisfaction. All of them were armed with both prayer and holy weapons, preparing to do battle as they always did when the barriers between this world and the next were thin. "Brothers, tonight is the full moon. As usual, anyone who believes they know anything about the supernatural is attempting some sort of magical invocation. Most have no idea what they are doing. Some have just enough knowledge to be dangerous. Those who actually know what they are doing will be properly protected. That means we will need to protect the rest and the blissfully ignorant from the thrashings of those whose talent can rip at the barrier in malice or ignorance." There was a chuckle as the monks nodded and listened. "Tonight," Brother Peter continued, "is the blue moon. Tonight will be even more chaotic than usual. I wish all of you to be extra diligent once we pass over and take up our Sentry Stations. All spirits must be driven back. None may be allowed to enter. A time of change is upon us and we must make sure that it is a change for the better." He looked over the shining, eager faces of the novices and the stony faces of those who had seen too many battles but still believed in the cause and their personal calling. It made an old man proud. He just wished that Brother Simon was still at his side but that was a personal regret and he had no time for regrets right now. "Let us pray." *** "Anu. Marduk. Enlil. Bel." In the dimness of a cave, three dozen teenagers and young adults knelt in reverent prayer. Each worshipper wore a set of bull horns; either as part of a hat or sewn onto their clothing. Beyond that, their clothing and dress varied from homeless street kid to well-to-do but slumming "rough and tumble" weekend warrior. They chanted the names of their deity over and over. "Anu. Marduk. Enlil. Bel. Anu. Marduk. Enlil. Bel." The object of this worship was a central stone obelisk. This obelisk was stained a deep brown red and everything within the cave; the people, the frescos on the wall, even the candles, seemed to focus itself on this altar. When Reggie stood, the rest immediately fell silent. As before, he wore a crown with bull horns and heavy cloak of bull hide. He raised both hands in the air, his palms facing the obelisk. "Great god Anu! Father of Heaven, creator of the stars, lord of the constellations, king of gods, spirits and demons, your Children have not forgotten you. Your Children remember this is the prophesied year of your return. Your humble servant, Reagan Lee Mordecai, has gathered your believers here in this sacred cave dedicated to you on this night to beg of you a vision of what must be done. This is the year of your return, Great god Anu! Instruct us in your wisdom. Judge us worthy with this task. Tell us what we must do! We are your Children and your servants. Guide us in this holy year." *** Lamiel, Susan and the Bacchanalia Coven murmured over and over within their sacred circle. They rocked as one, their hands clasped and their eyes on the large silver dish filled with water in the center of them. All of their offerings and spell recitations had been cast. All that was left was to keep the Coven focused. Lamiel led the mantra."Luna, Goddess of inner wisdom and inner light, provide us with your clarity this full moon night!" As they all watched, the water shimmered and swirled then cleared into a series of flickering images: A club smashing the skulls in of an old man and a young man. Blood spreading over the city of Kendrick as a bull charged through, trampling specific buildings - the museum, the Grey Lady's estate, Bacchanalia club and most of the Colonel's park. Three women, looking as the Maiden, the Warrior and the Crone, stood in the bull's path. The scrying pool focused on this last image, allowing it to come to life. The three women seemed in a struggle with each other. The Maiden wanted to go to the Bull. The Warrior tried to block its path. The Crone had the choice of preventing the Maiden or preventing the Warrior. She could not do both even though she tried. The Crone reached out for them both, attempting to thwart both in their chosen paths. The bull rushed head long towards the three of them, heedless of their intentions. The scrying pool turned blood red as the bull reached the women and obscured the outcome of the struggle between them. The water turned black, then cleared and was nothing more than water in a silver bowl. "Oh, damn. I think we have a real problem on our hands." Susan muttered as their collective senses started to come back to them all. The Bacchanalia Coven looked at each other with wonder and trepidation. *** Corelli, as the Mistress of Magic, led the First and Second Circles in the divination work they were attempting. Each member sat with a clear crystal ball in front of them. All of them knew that this was only one way to peer into the future. To help with the sympathetic magic of what they were divining for, the crystal ball pedestals all stood on modern day maps of Kendrick. "See the future, see it clear. See the future, see it clear." Corelli mouthed to herself. Each member of the circle had his or her own way of focusing on the intent of the group working. Some rocked. Some sang. Some did nothing at all it seemed. An image blossomed in Corelli's mind: It was herself walking down a path towards a fork in the road. On the left hand path stood a bull. On the right hand path stood Karen. Behind the bull stood a huge, formless shape that writhed and swayed. There was the promise of power and of love from it - everything she could want. The closer she got to it, the more she influenced it, forcing the shape into something more and more recognizable. Almost human looking. Behind Karen stood people from all of the other supernatural factions. They were hurt and bleeding but with every step Corelli took towards them, they were healed. She looked down and saw that she was now on Kendrick's Main Street. She looked towards the bull and Karen again. This time, she saw that there was a rope around her waist. The rope's other end was connected to the bull by the horns. There was nothing connecting her to Karen. However, she saw that Karen was offering her bread and salt. There were flowers lining the way towards her. Corelli paused at the fork in the road. She dearly wanted to step towards Karen despite the lack of gifts in the power that the thing behind the bull promised. Tied though she was to the bull, Corelli took a step towards Karen. There was a terrible pain at her waist as the rope from the bull to her cut into her side. She took another step towards Karen, gasping in the pain. Suddenly, the bull jerked its horns backwards and the rope cutting into Corelli's side not only cut deeper but yanked her off of the path towards Karen and onto the path towards itself. The pain was too much. Corelli screamed and fell to her knees. Corelli's scream of pain yanked everyone else out of their meditative trance. They looked around, dazed. It was V'ger who got them moving. He crouched over Corelli's unconscious form, pressing his hands to her bleeding side. "You! Get the med kit! You! Get some blankets!" "What happened?" One of the First Circle asked. "I don't know." V'ger said. "I didn't get the vision." "Did she?" He looked at the blood seeping between his fingers. "Yeah. I think she did. Let's hope she remembers what it was when she wakes up." *** Brother Peter and Brother Luke stood side-by-side. In this realm of spirit, the two old men were young again and they reveled in the battle. They were winning this round but they both could see something huge looming on the horizon towards them. The spirit, for that was all it was despite what anyone else thought, was powerful in this realm and the next. It would take all of them to hold it back. "To me, brothers! To me!" Brother Luke cried as Brother Peter, the Abbot of their Brotherhood in Kendrick set himself at the head of their defenses. Those who could dispatch or drive off their current foes did so immediately. Brother Peter felt a bit like Gandalf on the bridge facing the balrog. Here, he was as powerful as Gandalf and here, he had the same job. "You shall not pass." He muttered at the spirit charging towards them. "Steady, my brothers! Steady!" Perhaps if his thought had not referenced the movie, he would not have fallen. Perhaps. Perhaps not. Unknown to all from the Brotherhood of Light who stood at the ready, the spirit's intent was not to break through into the other realm. Not just yet. It was to send a message upon the winds of blood. That was why it took them all by surprise when, intend of attacking the barrier between this world and the next, it succeeded when it focused its full attack on Brother Peter and laid him low before retreating once more. Back in the world of flesh and blood, Brother Luke and Brother Thomas rushed to Brother Peter's side. There was blood dribbling out of the old man's mouth and his breathing was labored. "The infirmary! Get him to the infirmary!" Brother Luke ordered. *** The high priest of the Children of Anu stopped speaking aloud but continued his prayer and plea to Anu for instruction and blessing in his mind as did the rest of the congregation. They could all feel the presence of Anu. They knew he was there, judging them, weighing them, finding them worthy or not. The next few moments would tell. He found one of them worthy. There was no sound. No light. No show of force. Suddenly, Reggie collapsed in an ecstatic vision of blessing and instruction. He knew what the Children were meant to do. He knew and it made him smile through his weakness. "Reggie?" Vicki came to his side. "I know, sis." "What do you know?" "I know who the vessel of Anu is supposed to be." She crouched next to him, not helping him because that would make it seem as if he were weak. "Who?" "Me. I will be his avatar on earth." She grinned a feral grin at him. "I knew it!" "We have work to do. I also know who the sacrifice is supposed to be." He struggled to his feet and paused. "I can taste blood in my mouth. Can you?" Vicki licked her lips and nodded. "Yes." *** John put his trembling hands in his lap. "You cannot buy a favor with a gift. That's not how it works." Mason frowned. "I'm not trying to buy anything." He slid the package over to John's side of the table. "The gift is yours already. You may take it and go if you wish." Try as he might, John could not keep himself from taking the gift wrapped package and putting it in his lap. He knew what it would be. He knew. Just not which one. "You won't stop me if I leave now?" Mason shook his head. "No. I would not. It is a gift. If you would feel better going home and coming back tomorrow to listen to my request, I would accept that. I know the rules of such gifts. It is yours. I give it to you freely." John stood up, holding the gift in his hand. He walked to the door, paused, then opened it and stepped to the other side. He looked back, "No entreaty to stay?" "No." Mason took a long swallow of his drink, watching John but saying no more. The two of them stared at each other for a long time. Finally, John decided that the gift was still a gift and was given as Mason spoke. However, at the same time, he knew it was also a way to get him to listen to whatever favor the Mayor of Kendrick needed and to possibly look upon it favorably. The more John stared at Mason, the more curious he became. He stepped back inside the den and closed the office door. "I think I'll have that drink now." Mason gestured to the bar with his own glass in a 'help yourself' gesture. "What's this favor?" He asked, smelling the different liquors in crystal decanters until he came to one he liked. "You are close to Karen Wilson." "Yes." He poured himself a healthy glass. "You know who she belongs to." "Yes." "The Master of the City." John replaced the crystal decanter and turned back to Mason. "Yes." He took a long swallow of the drink before returning to his seat, placing the drink on the desk before him. "I think she's in more danger than she knows. Would you keep an eye on her for me and tell me if you think she's about to do something monumentally stupid?" He paused. "I only ask because you've done so in the past and I think it is needed now. She will not accept the Special Unit as protectors." "She won't accept anyone as a protector." "So, she cannot know you are protecting her." John smiled a bitter smile. "That is a dangerous game to play with her. I do care about her a great deal. I don't want to repeat the mistakes of her past loves." "You won't. You know better." Mason gestured to John's lap, "Are you going to open it?" Looking down, John was surprised to find that his fingers had had a mind of their own and had already unwrapped the gift box in his lap. What's done is done, he thought and lifted the lid to look inside. It was a Todari tarot card. His heart leapt. It was the Moon, number 18 in the major arcana. As always, the vivid colors made him catch his breath. He stroked the card before picking it up from the box. This card was of a crescent moon. Sitting on the inner curve of the crescent was a beautiful woman with long flowing dark hair and a diaphanous white gown. Below her, on the edge of a lake were two dogs howling and barking up at her as she looked off to the side, unconcerned. Crawling out of the lake from the other side appeared to be a lobster. "Imagination, intuition and dreams for you. But for one you love, bad luck may ensue. Unseen perils, possible woes. Deceptions abound with secret foes." John recited, gazing with rapt adoration at the object of his obsession. However, while he watched, he saw the card change in his hand. The woman sitting on the moon became Karen and the dogs leapt for her feet as she drew them up out of the way of their snarling jaws. Unable to reach anything but the gown, the dogs began to tear at it, ripping it to pieces as Karen seemed to look around in a panic. She then seemed to see John and reached out a hand to him, imploring him to take it. Then, in a blink of an eye, the card was once more the stunning piece of artwork that he collected. Taking a shaky breath, John recovered himself as he put the card back into its box. "Yeah, I can keep an eye on Karen. She's going to need it." *** Elsewhere... Karen sat out on her balcony with a mug of tea in her hand and Sebastian perched nearby. She gazed up at the gorgeous full moon and marveled how quiet the evening seemed. She could certainly use more evenings like this. Most people could. She sipped her tea and smiled at the moon enjoying the silence, peace and beauty of it.
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| Last updated on 1/3/2008 9:10:22 PM by Jennifer Brozek |
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| Other documents at this level: 01 - Caller ID: Unknown 02 - Eye of the Engraving 03 - Arbiter 04 - Forgotten School Days 05 - Sacrificium Memoriae 06 - The Inspiration of Insanity 07 - The Running Feeling 08 - Afternoon Tea 09 - Sins of the Brother 10 - Burning Bridges 11 - Betrayal 12 - Warfare & the Rite 13 - Beginnings and Endings 14 - Heart's Desire 15 - Burn 16 - Many Happy Returns 17 - Many Unanswered Questions 18 - Concessions 20 - First Blood 21 - Transcript 22 - Ultimatums Part One 23 - Ultimatums Part Two 24 - Too Little Too Late |
"If they say the moon is blue,