by Matthew Fish
“Last time, the water Elementals we were fighting used the water to make a shield from my fire,” Emily spoke as she pointed to a far corner where she had confronted the Elementals. “It was annoying as fuck.”
“So why is my assault rifle on my back in a duffel bag if we’re just here for a meeting?” Felecia asked as she looked around in awe of her surroundings.
“Insurance,” Christopher said as a man dressed in a blue suit approached.
“I remember you,” Mark said as he stepped in front of Christopher and confronted the man. “Henry…wasn’t it?”
“That’s right,” Henry spoke as he ran a hand through his short spiky hair. “That was a different time. A rather unfortunate misunderstanding…”
“Didn’t you get shot in the face?” Emily asked as she folded her arms beneath her chest and shot the man a tight lipped look with arched eyebrows. “How’d that work out for you?”
“Better than expected,” Henry spoke as he looked to the large group. “More visitors than we had planned for—regardless, Cain is waiting to speak to you first, Mr. Argent…if the rest of you would kindly wait here…”
“I expect that nothing bad will happen to us this time,” Maddie said as she placed a hand to her black Heart Sash. She had her bright white conductor outfit on and her long blonde curly hair pulled back into a ponytail.
“Of course not,” Henry said as he looked confused. “I know that last time you were not particularly received very well at the council. However, Cain holds you all in high regard—he just wishes to speak to Mark about private matters. He will see you all after.”
“Alright,” Mark said as he turned to the group and nodded.
“One thing,” Christopher said as he ran to Mark and whispered into his ear. “If he asks for it, you must not give it to him.”
“Of course I will remember my manners,” Mark said as he nodded. “You may be a member, but I still know how to conduct myself properly.”
“Right,” Christopher said as he joined the rest of the group.
Mark climbed into an elevator as the door shut. He stood with his hands upon his belt as the elevator quickly ascended.
“So, a Perpetual Conductor,” Henry spoke as he smiled at Mark. “I can say in all my life, I have not had the honor of meeting one. I can see why Cain originally wanted you with him.”
“I’d say it was an honor, but last time you threatened to have all of my friends killed,” Mark replied sharply.
“A very disagreeable situation,” Henry said as he feigned a disheartened sigh. “I worked for much more ruthless people. I did not agree with them. I was simply following orders.”
“I think a lot of former Nazi’s had the same excuse,” Mark said as he continued to reject any sort of pleasantry from Henry.
“Well studied in history, a good trait for a Perpetual.”
“I’ve seen a lot of movies,” Mark added.
“Here we are,” Henry spoke as Mark entered a familiar room.
Mark looked to the spot that he lay dying in the past summer. He remembered the bright light—that was now absent from the ceiling. He walked up the staircase and past a row of frosted windows that reminded Mark of a frozen lake. Henry bowed and exited the room as Mark entered the large office.
“Mark,” Cain spoke as he sat at the edge of a large round table. “It is very good to see you again.”
“Cain,” Mark said as he smiled and nodded. “I hear you are doing well…that the council is getting bigger.”
“Yes, indeed,” Cain said as he smiled widely and placed his hands upon the table. “Unfortunately, not many people have volunteered, so I have sought to currently hire and buyout the necessary manpower to protect the council. We are still very few in official members. Mostly, these days, it is just Henry and I working on matters—but please, have a seat.”
“Yeah…that guy,” Mark said as he sat across the long table from Cain. “What are you doing with that guy anyway, last time I ran into him—he wasn’t a very nice person.”
“He has been very…instrumental in letting me know how the council used to run.”
“Doesn’t that go against what you’re trying to do now?” Mark asked.
“Having good intentions often does lead to a different outcome when faced with the realities that certain things do have to run a certain way. Think of it as a river, you can become a part of it, but you cannot change the direction it flows. I still seek to do good things…”
“You just…are going about them in ways that aren’t…as good?”
“A council needs money to run, we need money to hire the people we need to enforce it and protect it. With Tany Zampa gone…other operations have sprung up. It is like a plot of dirt with weeds, you can pull them, but they will always grow back,” Cain said as he let out a sigh and folded his hands upon the table.
“While I appreciate all the nature metaphors,” Mark said as he shrugged. “What I’m getting is that you’re working with these bad people, having the Department of Perpetual Affairs take out the occasional drug and or weapons deal so it looks good to the Mortal media, and you get two paychecks—but all that, in order to do some good.”
“Your job is much less…stressful,” Cain said as he attempted to explain in a manner that did not cast him in such a dim light. “It is less, complicated. The Perpetual Council that existed has worked—because it worked in that manner. And I have done some good. In fact I bring you news—I was able to track down the Perpetual that killed your mother. He was a particularly nasty piece of work—killed children and countless others…but I put an end to his existence.”
“I would have liked to talk to him,” Mark said as he nodded. “Would have just wanted to know why he did it…”
“Madness,” Cain said as he let out a strained sigh. “The curse that all Perpetuals face…if we do not keep our minds keen, then they will fail us eventually. Madness—and a special item, one that I do believe might be in your custody?”
“Christopher brought over a….well, let’s say a particularly interesting case,” Mark said as he nodded.
“I have decided to release Christopher and Jenna as council members and send them to Captain William—I feel I have wasted their talents as members when they could be working out in the field. I have my own conductors now…well, a handful. But enough that I can release them to where they really can do some good…which does bring up an important issue. Part of Christopher’s contract with me a little over a month ago was that he would stay onboard if the axe went to Red Manor.”
“I see,” Mark said as he nodded. “William will appreciate having a large dedicated team. So with…his contract up with you, I suppose there’s something you want in return?”
“The axe,” Cain said as he nodded.
“You already have the power to kill other Perpetuals,” Mark said as he folded his arms against the table. “What good will this axe do you? I’ve heard that it drives people insane…”
“It is not simply just an axe…”
“What is it?” Mark asked as he felt himself growing rather agitated with the entire conversation. Things were just as bad as he had feared. Cain had fallen into the old council ways—working with bad people in order to do supposedly good deeds. Now, just as Christopher had warned, he was asking for the axe. Not to mention the fact that he downplayed the incident involving the man who killed his mother—or rather, straight out lied.
“The White Stags believe very strongly in Cernunnos—despite the fact that they have no proof that he exists,” Cain explained as he squeezed his hands together tightly and placed them beneath his wide chin. “It is because they have never evolved past the old ways. They have no interest in changing—joining modern society. They have passed down the story of Cernunnos since their existence began on Earth. The other two races, Mortals, Perpetuals, they have forgotten the old gods. Most of them believe in just the singular God. I have, in my lifetime, done much research—I had a feeling about the axe as s
oon as my eyes were upon it. It is a gift to the Perpetuals—it is the axe of God Abelio—creator of all Perpetuals. It is a weapon to use against future threats.”
“What future threats?” Mark asked as he grew even more tired with the conversation. “The Ankou has been destroyed, that threat is gone. Besides…the axe makes people nuts.”
“Which is why I must research it,” Cain said as he slowly nodded his head as though the thought of having the axe was an all consuming one. “There can always be a new threat upon us—at any given moment. Another White Stag might turn, or there may be a Perpetuals out there with powers stronger than mine. I cannot always protect those that need it.”
“I will not give you the axe,” Mark said plainly as he rested his hands, palms down, upon the table. He did not feel that Cain’s intentions were completely wrong—just that they did rather reek of someone who had become power hungry. “I will not let it drive you to madness.”
“I will not let it,” Cain said in a quick snide tone. “I found the axe—perhaps it has chosen me to wield it. I do believe there is a reason why I did find it.”
“You found it because you were seeking the man who killed your love,” Mark said as he shook his head. “It was in his possession…maybe it was his to wield.”
“Abelio would have never chosen that filth!” Cain shouted loudly as he brought his fist down upon the table. “I am the one that deserves it.”
“Which is exactly why I have to…well, say no…firmly,” Mark said as he nervously reached into his pocket and fingered the nail from 113. “Let’s talk about other things, forget the axe—it’s cursed.”
“After all I have done for you, you would deny me?” Cain said coldly as his hand began to tremble. “I killed the council members that were set to kill you, I am the one that brought you Christopher and I risked my own life at Lake Falls to help defeat the Ankou.”
“Here’s something to remind you,” Mark spoke as he rolled a damaged quarter against the table.
“What is this?” Cain spoke as he picked up the quarter that read 1993.
“When we had that…altercation, at the water distillery plant, you called that out and it hit Emily instead of me. Didn’t think much of it at the time because I thought I was mortal, but—you tried to kill me.”
“I would have never killed you,” Cain said as he threw the coin back to Mark. “I already told you that I attacked your companions because I mistook them for council members…If I called that out it was by accident because I did truly believe that you were mortal.”
“That’s the point,” Mark said as he placed the coin back into his pocket. His other hand still rested against the nail. He felt that he would not need to use it. He believed that he could easily reason with Cain thanks to Emily’s coin. “When you become obsessed with something—such as finding me, you tend to make mistakes. You killed William’s former lover, does that give him the right to hunt you down and destroy you? You would have killed my love; because you mistakenly believed she was with the council…would that give me a good reason to come after you? We have this time for peace—it might not last forever, but we should not seek to make war in the meantime. Forget about the axe.”
“I have done all that you have asked of me,” Cain said as his face welled up and his eyes narrowed. “I have not gained your trust? After all I have risked? Will you not grant me one request for the many I have granted you? I reinstated William, I made Maddie a Grand Conductor, I gave you power.”
“I do not want power…”
“I lent you my strength none the less, my love gave birth to your powers,” Cain continued. “You would be dead if your father had been fucking any other woman—but it was my love.”
“Can you not see that you are being unreasonable?”
“I have been more than reasonable,” Cain spoke as he shook his head and stood up from the table as his fist came crashing down cracking a large hole in the wood. “I have been pliable, necessary, and vital to all of your endeavors and you repay me with your insolence?”
“Yeah,” Mark said plainly as he remained calm. “I guess if that’s how you want to see it.”
“I shall not play down to a boy a single moment longer,” Cain spoke as he balled his fist that was full of wooden splinters. “I am now the one that will make demands and they will be met—swiftly. I will have the axe, today. Also, you will remove yourself from Red Manor and serve on the Perpetual Council.”
Mark stood up and placed both hands upon the table, one of them contained the nail beneath his palm. “There was an intercom…in that cell where you killed the Perpetual man. Christopher heard everything. The man was not crazy, he was regretful. You killed him out of revenge…despite the promise you made. You turned into what you fought against…just another murder.”
“Meet my demands, boy,” Cain said as he shook his head and looked to Mark in disgust. “Do so, and you friends will be spared.”
“Exactly like the people you claimed to be against,” Mark said as he quickly tossed the 113 nail up into the air. With one deft movement he gestured a short direct punch towards Cain with a pointed finger. A bang like a gunshot filled the room as the nail shot into Cain’s chest.
Cain stumbled back for a moment and looked down at the nail that was embedded in his chest. He pulled the nail out and spat as he threw it back at Mark. “You would seek to kill me?”
“You did tell me to do so, if you ever strayed from the path…” Mark said as he backed up a bit. He did not quite understand why Cain was not a tiny pile of ash.
“It was a fake,” Cain spoke as he placed his hand to the wound and brought up a bit of fresh crimson blood. “I kept the original nail…”
“Not very trustworthy of you,” Mark said as he continued to back himself up until he was out of the room. “Everything you did…you did for yourself.”
“I found out about my powers when anger consumed me when the council denied my request for justice,” Cain spoke as he his face grew bright red and beads of sweat came streaming down his cheeks. “I have only grown stronger—denying me is not a wise move.”
“Things don’t have to be this way,” Mark said as he brought up his hands. Things were definitely not going as planned. He had worried that after getting revenge—the absence of the goal might have driven Cain a bit mad. However, a bit seemed like a rather large understatement. Perhaps Cain was not an evil person, that he had moments of clarity and calmness—but when angered, the long years of his life showed the toll they had taken on his fragile mind. “Let’s talk this out…you’re not a bad person. We…we’re all friends, remember.”
“One last chance, boy,” Cain said as he slowly advanced. “My demands—and we remain at peace. If anything resembling a negative reply crosses your lips, then you will find yourself alone…very, very soon. I will be the only ‘family’ that you have left.”
Mark backed up as he felt a presence behind him. He turned and saw Henry who wrapped his arms tightly around Mark’s chest. Cain stepped out of the office and pulled out his cell phone. He pushed a button on the touch screen and a crashing sound of metal falling could be heard faintly through the elevator shaft.
“Let me go, you fuck,” Mark said as he struggled to pull himself from the surprisingly strong Henry.
“Your friends are trapped and soon they will face a large force—“
“I’ve heard about how this played out last time,” Henry spoke as he tightened his grip on Mark. “Let’s hope you have a plan.”
“No!” Cain shouted just as a gust of wind filled the room.
Mark felt that terrible, twisting feeling as he and Henry raced down to the bottom floor. They appeared in a large gust as the group looked confused.
“He’s lost his shit,” Mark said as he turned and looked at Henry. “Why?”
“I know to pick my enemies very wisely,” Henry said as he bowed. “However, I am a coward—so I’m headed up to the roof, then out of here. Idiots didn’t plate the ceiling…
”
“Thank you,” Mark said as he nodded.
“Good luck,” Henry spoke as he disappeared in a gust of wind.
“Any chance we can do the same?” Christopher asked as he turned to Emily.
“Ahh, yeah…about that, “Emily said as she took cover behind the familiar large concrete slabs. “I can’t project where I haven’t been…or that far, on the matter. Fuck me…”
“The nail then…?” Christopher said as he turned to Mark who was helping Felecia and Maddie with the large duffel bag. Felecia pulled out her carbine assault rifle as Maddie retrieved her recurve bow and a handful of the white tipped arrows that Lily had left with her.
“The one he gave back to me was a fake,” Mark said as he peered around the giant concrete slab just as a large group of men dressed in camouflaged gear and decked out with all manner of large guns started to fill into the room.
“Anyone else having bad flashbacks…?” Emily spoke as she pressed her back against the wall and took in a heavy breath of air.
“When those metal walls came down, I certainly had a déjà vu moment,” Maddie said as she looked nervously as the thunderous pounding of footsteps echoed through the large room. “Anyone got a plan?”
“We’ve been through a similar situation before, well most of us have,” Mark said as he pressed his back against cover as a spray of bullet fire filled the concrete slab above them. “Felecia lay down some covering fire and try and spot as many Perpetuals as you can—Christopher, get the coins up in air as soon as they’re called. Emily, light up a good smoke screen and burn as many of those assholes as you can. Amelia, see if you can’t do something with all this water around us.”
“I can set up some kind of ice shield,” Amelia said as she reached her hands out.
“Maddie, if you’re not terribly blood shy…run the tips of your arrows against your shoulder and get some Conductor blood on them. Then shoot if Cain comes anywhere close.”
“Not happy about it,” Maddie said as she placed the tip of an arrow against her left arm and did a quick slit motion. A small stream of blood flowed from the new wound as she dipped the tips of her arrows against her flesh. “This arm was just completely healed…”
