“We need six graves,” he said staring at the sheeple. They looked at each other and started running. The Baron made quick work of them. One by one casting them into Masaka's graves. He straightened his coat as Masaka put a cigar in his mouth and lit it.
“How the fuck did these simple ass sheeple call me down?” he asked angrily.
“I don’t know my lord. Ever since the Prophet enlightened the sheeple they have been coming here night after night trying to summon spirits. And they aren’t the only ones either,” Masaka said.
“Their voices are loud in my head. I don’t like it. I can no longer here the devotionals. The Prophet made a real shit storm and I'm going to fix it!” Samedi said standing up.
“Have you seen La Croix?”
“No my lord. But I have sensed his presence on the Upper Earth.”
“La Croix!” he shouted. His voice traveled around the entire globe and all of the Hidden could hear it. Mama Gee stuck her head out of the house as did Doctor Pete and Wild Eyes.
“What the Baron be doing down here?” Doc Pete asked.
“I don’t know but he sounds mad. Get back in the house,” Mama Gee said closing the door.
Solon who was passed out on his bed woke as he heard Samedi's voice. He took a deep gasp as he couldn’t remember how and why he was at Castle Panchrest. His head was spinning and something was tearing at his chest again.
“No! It’s my power!” he shouted, pushing it back in.
He stumbled to his feet and stared in the mirror and could see La Croix's reflection yet, could not release him. He stormed towards the torture chamber where a very weak Kriminel continued to hang.
Solon paced back and forth as his powers seemed to be weakening and weakening quickly. He fell to his knees in pain as the piece of Mila’s soul and La Croix tore at his chest for release.
“No! It’s mine!” he shouted, waking Kriminel.
He began to laugh through the ball gag in his mouth and suddenly the castle began to shake. The Barons three broke through the barriers of Castle Panchrest and they found themselves standing before Solon.
“Ah, my dear Kriminel. Time has done you no good,” he said releasing his bounds.
Kriminel landed on his feet, but fell as he was very weak. Samedi picked Solon up and began to shake him. La Croix fell out of him and he rolled to his feet with an annoyed look on his face.
“La Croix! We don’t have time for your bullshit! Not today!”
“I was just having fun.”
Samedi slapped La Croix back into seriousness. “Do you know what kind of day I've had. While you're up here prancing around in this piece of shit body, the House of Guédé has been made a mockery of!” he stormed.
Kriminel fell to his knees and Samedi placed a top hat on his head. “Here, clean yourself up boy,” he said, as the power of the House of Guédé began to return to him. Kriminel's nasty, bloody, disheveled appearance became one of a well-groomed man. His dreads twisted themselves clean and well done, his facial hair trimmed itself and his clothes became new; a suit with a short jacket. He took a deep breath as he felt a sense of relief.
“Welcome back,” Cimitiére said.
“Well it took you long enough!” he shouted as he walked over to Solon who was lying face down on the ground.
“La Croix, you dumb shit. You know you never possess a soulless body. They never want to let go,” Kriminel said as he began slapping the Alchemist until he woke. Solon knew he was in trouble and there was no way out of it. His memories were foggy and his body was weak. Pieces of the past few hours began to flood him with each punch Kriminel put on his face.
“Just so you know, Kriminel is proud of you. Because only a fool would attempt to hurt me,” he said caressing his face.
“Kriminel. That’s not why we brought you back,” Samedi said.
“But I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten shit in ages!”
“Oh you will my friend. Come, we have work to do,” Samedi said disappearing.
Kriminel waved at Solon and took his leave. As Solon struggled to stand up, Ornaeus walked in as he was doing one of his routine checks.
“Master! Are you alright? What has happened?!”
“I have made a mistake. Help me.”
Ornaeus reached in his robe and pulled out a healing elixir. Solon drank it, and while his body began to heal, the powers which he felt just hours ago did not return. Ornaeus helped him to his chambers where he stared at the ceiling.
“Try and rest. I'll go fetch Cornelius,” he said sincerely.
“No. Leave Cornelius where he is. Besides, who can rest while the scythe is dangled over their head? On second thought, I'm going to take a walk,” he said throwing his robe on and walking out the door.
23
Callan Meets the Knights
Dante was in the Owl Tower where he laid his weary head upon his pillow. Although he was tired, his mind was far too troubled for him to sleep. He enjoyed his night walks, as the sky in The Hollow was amplified one hundred fold, but enjoyed his short time at the Blue Palace even more. Dante felt as though he could reach up and touch God's hand, but as of late, God had become a burden.
Hopping out of bed and grabbing his walking stick, he made his way to the courtyard where the splashing sounds of Deucalion’s fountain were being drowned by the sounds of a woman crying.
“Calliope?” he asked looking at the young lady.
“Mr. Dante sir. I'm sorry. I thought I was alone,” she said, hiding one of the books gifted to her by Cornelius under her dress.
“No need to hide it my dear, I love romance novels as well,” he said giggling. “In fact, I have a few you may want to borrow,” he added.
“I have always thought being a Dactyl was such an honor. But I would be lying if I said I didn't desire the touch of a man,” she said, looking down at her palms.
She was a short woman with a round face and rosy cheeks. Her straight brows and long lashes gave her the look of innocence which she in fact upheld.
“You know my rules. I don't wish to keep anyone from finding love. It is necessary. We see such dark things in our minds every time we go into vision. Love should stand as a beacon of hope. It should be something that we should look forward to.”
“But I will lose my powers.”
Dante shook his head. “Power is within you. It is tradition which says a Virgin Dactyl will lose her sight upon the touch of love.”
“But it has happened. To several of our sisters and brothers. I won’t be of any help without my sight. It’s part of who I am,” Calliope said. Dante shook his head.
“Well, have you ever been in love?”
Dante looked up at Orion's belt as it shined through the darkness. Calliope could see the sudden shift in his mood as a deep sadness fell upon his face.
“I'm sorry if I overstepped,” she said quickly trying to dismiss the question. Just as Dante was about to tell his story, Callan walked up and joined them.
“Love clouds the mind. It's a gateway for lust and sinfulness and that is why we don't fall far for it,” Callan said taking Calliope's book and throwing it in the fountain. They both stared at him uncomfortably as they remembered the events not long passed. Dante was getting more and more displeased with Callan; especially since he felt the need to destroy books.
“I have spoken with Rufus Sosius of the Order of Magia Chaotica. He has prepared a place for you at Temple Salamanca. I wish you to stay with the Knights and learn about them; see what it is they truly do. Only then will you understand their importance of balance, because one extreme is just as bad as another.”
Callan threw a fit. He began to kick at the fountain and yell, causing Calliope to cower. “Why would you have me do such a thing?! Do you hate me? I have paid penance for my sins! I am your most loyal student!”
“Yes, but you are also the most imbalanced. If you are to take my place one day as the head of this order, you must understand your role. You are indeed devout and live a most pious life
, but without understanding and bearing witness to that which is the opposite, true understanding of God's vision will be beyond you. Go pack and you will leave here within the next hour.”
Callan's face was red and his anger frightened Calliope. “I will relinquish my vows before I go to Temple Salamanca!”
“So be it, either way you will leave here tonight,” Dante said staring.
He looked at Calliope as if he were embarrassed and stormed off. Dante sighed and placed his hand on the nervous Calliope's shoulder. She felt somewhat relieved to know that Callan would be leaving soon, and so did Dante.
He knew that the Knights would be better fit to combat whatever spirits he was dealing with, and the safety of his order was key. Yet, there was a since of guilt he carried in not telling Rufus that his guest came as a package.
“Well my dear, to answer your question. I have been in love. Only once in my entire life time. But that story is for another day,” he said standing up.
“What was her name?”
He turned to her and smiled. “Beatrice,” he said walking off.
***
Callan returned to his dorm and destroyed everything. He threw what few possessions he had all about and sat on the edge of his mattress weeping; rocking back and forth holding his head. “How dare him! Who does he think he is?!” he shouted aloud. He contemplated on leaving, and leaving for good.
As the thought about his lifetime of work with the Order of Dactyls, he instantly regretted that inner feeling of abandonment. He sighed and cried hard, but eventually packed a single bag. Walking towards the front of the Parthenon, he could see Dante pacing back and forth in the Owl Tower, but hesitated on speaking with him.
Dante was the only father he had ever known as he had been at the Parthenon since the age of five. Now at thirty-one, it was the only place he could ever remember living. Callan trotted down the mountainside, deciding not to call upon the centaur for a ride, as the long walk would prolong him carrying out his sentence.
His sandals fell deep into the soft soil of the pixie trails, as he walked through the dark forest. While his mind was weary, he stopped to pick a lone, glowing flower. It unfolded in his hand and two small pixies were wrapped in each other’s arms in a mating embrace. Callan's heart began to race as his veins pumped anger throughout his being.
Hatred overcame him and he closed his palm. He squeezed the two pixies as they cried and attempted to fight their way free of his grip. He felt the life leave them as blood, as red as any human's dripped between his fingers. He panted hard but felt a sense of accomplishment as he rid The Hollow of yet another sinful creature.
Standing in his moment of triumph, he was startled by the sound of popping branches beneath someone's feet. He widened his gaze to see amidst the darkness but could not. The flapping of wings overhead and the soft caw of a bird caused his heart to cease momentarily. He swallowed, slowly taking a step towards the lightened path.
He quickened his pace but the flapping was close behind. The cloth of his robes became tied around his sandal and Callan found himself face down; still holding on to the squished pixies.
“Of all the seven deadly sins, envy is perhaps the worse to have,” a collective voice said hovering above him.
Callan closed his eyes and buried his head as the cold, chill of death covered him like a blanket.
“We always seem to hate the thing we most wish to be. A killer you are, but a lover you can never be. Oh dear Dactyl, how I pity your low and foolish self,” the voice continued to say. Callan peeked his head up and saw a hooded figure standing in front of him. He slowly rose to face it, but fear gripped the whole heart of him.
He bolted down the long, dark path to the Temple; feeling the ominous presence ever so closely. He reached door of the temple, pulling it open without asking for entry. As he entered the temple, the slam of the door caused an echo throughout, alerting the six Knights who were in the Grand Rotunda.
“What the fuck was that?” Adonis asked standing up with a burger in one hand, and a beer in the other. Cesare didn't move, but was also curious as the energy didn't feel like that of a Knight.
“Are you lost boy?” Adonis yelled down looking at Callan who was slowly approaching the Tree of Knowledge. “Guys you're not going to believe this,” Adonis said motioning for them to take a look.
The Knights looked down towards the lowest level and Callan had walked past the cherub, making his way to the Tree. Jin-Lu jumped the height of the tree landing before Callan. He glared, wondering how a Dactyl got in the temple without permission.
“Who are you?” he asked in his soft, low voice. Callan's fear quickly turned to disdain as he looked upon the Knight and snickered.
“Who am I? Who are you?” he asked in a snarky tone. Jin-Lu folded his arms as the other Knights joined him.
Cesare was already irritable and wanted quick answers.
“You heard him. Who the fuck are you?” he asked with an attitude.
“I am Callan. A Dactyl. Dante sent me here,” he said raising his hands.
“How did you enter the temple?” Jin-Lu pressed on.
“I simply opened the door and walked in.”
Callan looked around ignoring the fact that he had six curious Knights around him ready to kill. “So this is the temple? What makes you worthy of all this?”
Claudius bent his head and took off his glasses. “I can see why Dante sent you. You're worse than I imagined.”
Callan scoffed. “You have no right to judge me. Murderer!”
“We are all murderers, and you're five seconds from becoming my latest kill,” Lance said pulling out his switch blade.
“Where is my room? I'm tired. I've had a long journey,” he said.
The men stared at Cesare who was in command during Rufus's absence. “Just down the hall,” he said, leading him towards the dungeon. Cesare threw Callan in a cell and locked it.
The Knights laughed at him as Callan screamed and kicked.
“What the fuck does Dante want us to do with him again?” Adonis asked.
“I don't know, but why did Rex agree to it?” Caden added. Cesare shrugged and reached for his phone, still showing no messages from Mila.
“I guess your whore is too busy with another man to call you back,” Callan said laughing.
Cesare turned to him asking him to repeat himself.
“Oh shit,” Adonis said laughing.
Cesare opened the cell and picked him up by his collar.
“Shut your fucking mouth. What would you know about a woman? Fucking virgin asshole!” Cesare yelled throwing him into a wall. Callan laughed, taunting Cesare.
“I know that none of you have women. You have whores. And there is a stark difference,” Callan said with a smug look on his face.
Cesare grabbed him and began chaining him to the wall when his loose robes began to fall. As Callan's clothes fell to the floor, the Knights stood speechless at what they saw. Adonis laughed hysterically until his face was as red as a tomato. “You're the fucker Bibi was talking about!” he said in between his infectious laughter. Jin-Lu who typically had little or nothing to say, also found himself tickled.
“Well, that explains it. But I’m afraid there is no magic that neither the Black Knights nor the Blue Goddesses have that can fix that,” Claudius said shaking his head.
Callan's face was one of irrevocable embarrassment. There he stood, a eunuch, with not the balls to fight for his dignity. Caden noticed a brand-like symbol upon his chest, but the other Knights were too engrossed in the situation to take anything seriously at the moment.
The Knights laughed and taunted the bull headed Callan for the next several minutes. Eventually Claudius and Jin-Lu took their leave and the others followed. Adonis came up with ingenious plan to put non-stop porn on while he was hanging in the dungeon, while they finished their meal in the Grand Rotunda.
Lance was shaking his head. “You guys know we're fucked up for this right?” The others nodded, in
cluding Claudius.
“Well the little twit shouldn't have come in like he owned the place. I'm all for civil conversation, but god damn,” Claudius said folding up his newspaper.
“Ah, I'll go get him. Put him in one of the empty rooms,” Cesare said feeling slightly remorseful.
Adonis continued to laugh as it was the most ridiculous thing he had ever seen. Cesare opened the door to the cell and Adonis released his bonds. Callan didn't respond, and fell in a curled up position. Both Knights felt like shit as the man began to cry upon the cold, stone floor. Cesare grunted, handing him a fresh robe.
“Callan. Come stay in the room upstairs,” he said, sounding remorseful. Callan's body began to contort in a way that was too familiar to Cesare.
“What in the shit?!” Adonis shouted, stepping back from the Dactyl. He watched intensely as Callan returned to normal.
“Thank you,” Callan said calmly.
Cesare smiled at him, knowing there was more to the Dactyl that could meet the eye. He escorted him to a room close to the Grand Rotunda, where the Knights could keep a close eye on him.
Callan turned to Cesare and just stared. His eyes, dead and unemotional, gave Cesare an uneasy familiarity that cause him to take notice.
“Thank you. Cesare. For your kindness. We shall remember it,” Callan said. As they closed the door Adonis had every objection to his visit.
“Dude. What the fuck was that? Somethings wrong with him. Besides not having a dick and all,” he said.
“Yeah, well we can’t send him back to Dante. He'd probably kill everyone in their sleep,” Cesare said, as a loud knocking came from the other side of the door.
Adonis opened the door and Callan was on his knees, praying, but would jump and land in the same praying position. His knees would crunch with each fall, but continued the punishment as though he felt nothing.
He uttered a dialect which neither Knight was familiar with. “Who are you?” Cesare asked and Callan froze in place.
His bones began to crack and pop as his head contorted; his hands stretched out towards the opposite wall.
“Listen, it looks like you have found yourself hexed by a Warlock and now you’re trapped in a state of possession. Follow my voice so that I may help you.”
Knights of Enmity: The Barons Have Fallen (Descending Fires Book 1) Page 29
