by J. M. Bannon
My agent in Scotland Yard has confirmed that the police are looking for saboteurs and do not believe the bombing was instigated by home grown revolutionaries. That being said, they suspect the subversives to be French not Prussian,” offered Gorber.
“What of the designs, Duke Gorber? I blew up my plant for your charade, was it worth it?”
“Operation Braunbär was a success because of the sacrifice you made for the unification of Germany, Guild Baron. First there is now a plausible reason for you to delay the supply of LQ to the British. Next the explosion allowed us to destroy the drafting and records building to cover for the documents our agent stole. We have detailed plans of the Victoria to design counter measures to the warship. In addition, we have uncovered hundreds of innovations we can begin to include in the design of current and future airships and artillery,” gloated Gorber.
“Minister President, it would mean a great deal to the Guild if any of these innovations could be incorporated into our processes.” added the Guild Baron.
“Minister President I will need to conduct further operations on British soil to obtain additional industrial secrets. Some of what we have learned from the documents indicate other novel approaches in metallurgy and precision machining, are needed to master and build at the level of Queen Victoria’s Mechanists.” the Duke advised.
“We cannot rely on royal bonds of matrimony to secure alliances nor depend on those affiliations for our security. For decades, our borders have been subject to the whims of the French, the Russians and a pack of squabbling Germanic Dukes. No offense meant to the present company,” articulated von Bismarck.
“None taken,” replied Gorber.
“Prussia will lead the Germanic people to a unified German Empire that will rival the French Russian and British Monarchies. This Empire will be fueled by alchemies of our most prestigious Guild and finally bring peace to our people. No longer will our lands be trodden on by foreign invaders,” von Bismarck declared.
Duke Gorber had no reason to doubt the Minsters mettle to make his vision a reality.
TUESDAY THE 28TH OF JUNE
11:00 AM Necronist Guild House, Ile de la Cité Paris, France
Guild Master Saint-Yves reached the shores of France with Moreau by his side and Thomas in a coffin in the hold of the ship. He made his way to the headquarters of the Necronists and had been resting there now for several days. He remained within the walls of the compound until he was certain that the French and English had settled any issues connected to Angelica’s death. Of those that passed on Saturday he still grieved the fall of Angelica the most, Thomas was devoted but he was impetuous in stabbing Angelica and the Necronist Guild had its stock of rash zealots, then there was Oswald who Gerrard knew for only a few hours and there again he did not follow Gerrard’s aim to subdue Angelica and for that he surrendered his life. There would be no further talk of the mission today for soon the Emperor would visit the Guild Hall. The Necronist Guild House ironically sat next to the Cathedral of Notre Dame on the Ile de la Cité, the site of a medieval Hospital. The land stretched from Notre Dame all the way to the Seine. More than a house it was a compound, multiple interconnected buildings and deep sub-levels that many of the Guild did not rank high enough to enter. The site was a donation to the Necronist Guild from the Emperor himself on the day of his coronation.
The Necronist viewed themselves as savants of metaphysics seeking to define the science of the spirit. The Church saw his brother's exploration into the afterworld as heretical and counter to the beliefs and teachings of the Church. If it were not for the events that took place on Napoleon Bonaparte’s expedition to Egypt and the work of one young Necronist in particular, the Guild may have become a footnote in occult history.
The accepted reason for Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt and Syria fifty-nine years earlier was to establish France’s leadership in Egyptology, it was more to exhert influence in the failing Ottoman empire. General Napoleon sought to offset the expanding influences of England, and the Russian Empire by leading a French scientific expedition with a military contingent for protection; the mission would show his ability to project a force into the Middle East. The research detachment included a Metaphysicist and Guild member, Sebastian Crocus to lead the group that found the Rosetta Stone. The tablets provided the key to deciphering hieroglyphics and allowed for the origin of Egyptology through the translation of the symbols to ancient Greek and eventually to all other languages.
Another discovery was made in the royal tombs, the Oraculum, stones scriptures that allowed for decoding messages from the ancient oracle. The Necronist Seer translated the tablets and instructed the General on the uses of the Oraculum. Napoleon consulted his translated version for every significant political decision, finding it to be indispensable, it was the secret behind what the world perceived as military genius.
While the expedition devoted most of its resources to collecting antiquities and detailing the history of the ancient Egyptians; it was the Necronist Crocus who used the Rosetta stone to unravel the mysteries of the Egyptian priests and the experiments they were conducting to open and close gateways into the afterlife. These discoveries became the basis for the two areas of study in the Necronist Guild: divination and rejuvenation.
Ultimately, the Guild became competent in prophecy through its research of the Oraculum and other works of antiquity. It was during a séance the Guild Seers traced a thread of the future where Napoleon took Moscow but lost his army, not through conflict with the Russian Empire but by the savagery of the weather and desolate land conditions. The Grand Army never left Poland; held back by Bonaparte’s obeying the warning of his spiritual advisor and confirmation by his own divination from the Oraculum. From that point, the fates of the Necronists, France, and Napoleon Bonaparte were inextricably linked.
Gerrard was snapped out of his daydreaming by the appearance of Emperor Napoleon’s entourage arriving at the Necronist Guild House. He was still depleted from Angelica’s assault but his presence was required when the Dictator came to visit. The special detail of imperial guardsman rode on horseback, entering the courtyard then taking position to protect the area. The rest of the guard deployed around the perimeter of the Necronist campus. Two steam carriages entered the gates of the campus, the first carried Dr. Phila, Gold Seer, Napoleon’s personal surgeon.
The second car, an imperial carriage, pulled up in front of the large double doored entrance to the Guild House. An imperial guard stood waiting at the ready and opened the door for the Emperor of France, who in the next year would celebrate his ninetieth birthday.
Dr. Phila made haste to reach the entrance before the Emperor exited his car to speak to his brethren. “Master Crocus, why wasn’t I given more notice, I appear a fool to his majesty as I have no reason to insist he receives another treatment so soon.”
High Guild Master Crocus was in the courtyard along with his assistants to meet the Emperor.
“Saint-Yves has made an impressive acquisition, and we decided it would please his Highness to receive this new medium directly,” Crocus instructed under his breath.
Napoleon stepped up to the Wyrding of Necronists.
“How well you look, your Majesty,” crooned Crocus.
“Sebastian,” acknowledged the Emperor. The two men looked at each other with genuine affection and exchanged a handshake that was almost a hug. No one else had this relationship with the Sovereign of France. A cursory observer would guess that Sebastian was twenty years the senior to the Emperor yet he was ten years younger, Crocus was prudent in his use of revitalization, he did not fear death like his Monarch did.
The assembly made their way through the verdant garden, the blossoms were in full bloom. A placid summer day, it was a serene yet contrasting scene: the pleasant trickling of the fountain maintained by Necronist novices dressed in black cloaks appeared to be in mourning of a loved one, not gardening. The inner forum served as a transition from the outside to the interior of the administra
tion building among remnants from the medieval hospital built by the Church. Savants and followers of the most powerful guild in France lingered at the entrance. The huge doors were open letting the warm summer air mix with the cool interior atmosphere of the stone building. The large cast iron doors were covered in vignettes of the cult’s history. The party’s pace was deliberate traveling through the solemn gothic hallways to the verticulator that lead to the sub-levels.
Few were admitted beyond the entrance to the Cenaculum Mortale Rejuvination, the chamber of mortal rejuvenation. The crowning achievement of the Necronists, where life could be extended and living tissue regenerated. The elite savants of Necronist arts, known as the white wyrding under the leadership of Guild Master Hume conducted research into the world of metaphysics and improved techniques to tap into and control spiritual energy.
Gerrard was toward the rear of the retinue as they entered the ante-chamber the Guild had gone to considerable effort to represent the space as Egyptian to remind the Emperor of the expedition to Egypt that cemented the alliance between Napoleon and Crocus. Gerrard new better than anyone it was what Hume and he had studied in Haiti that had provided the significant breakthroughs in divine energy transmission not Egyptian tablets. What his dead paramour could manage with sticks and her incantations the Guild had industrialized to make the process reproducible by those that had limited spiritual talent, like Crocus and others.
Here the King’s personal bodyguards took a position as sentries either side of the double metal doors within the ante-chamber. They followed every movement of their liege with exception to his study and sleeping quarters and beyond this point at the guild house.
Inscribed above a small narrow archway that was the entrance to the most sacred space of the Necronist Guild was:
Through Death, I am Humiliated
Through Death I am Exalted
The enclave moved through a narrow passage that compelled the company to move through in single file. Great effort had been made to leave an entrant with the claustrophobic quality of delving into an ancient mausoleum. This was another place where French Imperial protocols were ignored, Crocus led the group into the chamber rather than all walking behind the Emperor. The inner chamber was simply constructed, a large pyramid shaped vault of stone, with walls covered with carved inscriptions. The permanent objects in the chamber; centered in the room on a raised dais were the Conoptic vessel, the tub where a subject was treated and an ornate cantilevered armature that upheld the lid of the tub. Both the tub and its cap were sculpted out of alabaster.
Purposely hidden beneath the vessel were the piping, tubes, and conduits that connected the tub to the complex process that drove the of the chamber one level below. The necronist’s brought a scientific and industrial approach to the manipulation of supernatural forces but went to great lengths to hide the appliances to create mystery and to leave the Emperor with the illusion it was the Guild Masters themselves that imbued him with life-force.
Saint-Yves and the other Guild Masters took their positions around the tub. Only these few Masters and Dr. Philas understood the extent of the treatments and how dependent the Emperor had become on this secret process to his lively state at such an advanced age.
No one spoke until the Emperor started conversation. It was important to leave the King with an impression that the Guild Masters were subordinate and humbled in his presence.
“What happened to you Guild Master, an experiment gone awry?” questioned Napoleon, grinning at Gerrard.
“My Emperor, this scourge was inflicted upon me while in service to you my liege and to the Guild. It is a small price to pay to secure the medium we will use for today’s therapy,” replied Saint-Yves.
Crocus interceded, “My Emperor and dear friend, Guild Master Saint-Yves has made extensive sacrifices and was in mortal danger to secure this special spiritual medium to infuse into the healing bath, and your interceding on our behalf with the British government helped to secure his safety and assure we have the full complement of Masters to conduct the infusion.” Crocus was more carnival huckster now that a metaphysical savant prepared to say just about anything to build illusion in the monarch’s mind.
“Your service to the Empire has always been exemplary Guild Master and I hope that your brethren will provide you a similar treatment to reverse your unfortunate state, as to the English you can be assured that your personal protection is a priority of the Empire.” Stated Bonaparte as he removed his sash and sword.
“Thank you, your Majesty for my safe passage back from London and soon I too will have this mortal damage repaired,” replied Gerrard, wondering if the Corsican even could remember Gerrard’s name. Crocus and the other Masters had gone to great extent to leave Napoleon with the impression that his treatments required a full complement of Guild Masters, he might just think of us as important tools to extend his life.
“Excellent. All will be right for you and I soon enough,” said Napoleon “I was wondering why you called for a treatment outside of the usual schedule.” The Emperor’s traditional treatments took place every three months.
Dr. Philas helped Napoleon out of his uniform, placing the items on a portable suit valet. The Physician, a high-level Necronist was reduced to the duties of valet as he unbuttoned the Emperor’s shirt.
“Saint-Yves, I appreciate all you have done for the Empire you sure you shouldn’t take some time in the chamber first?” recommended Napoleon. Gerard was pleasantly surprised that the King remembered his name and offered to wait.
He had a different plan for his treatment as he touched the ampule in his coat, “Thank you, your Grace, but the rejuvenation of a Guild master is a different process and takes preparation” replied Gerrard. Crocus shot Gerrard a sly smile of approval for his comment. I too can be a huckster, and the ringmaster approves.
The self-coronated Emperor of France used the wooden steps near the conoptic tub to reach the edge of the huge stone vessel and lowering himself into the ichor. “Can one of you discover a less foul and cold substance to be immersed in?” The King made a face of disgust as he limped into the viscous pool.
“We are constantly researching improvements, your Majesty,” replied Dr. Philas.
The High Guild Master used the cantilevered arm to lower the massive lid of the tub into place. The other Guild Masters secured the seal of the tub, “All is in place” relayed Guild Master Hume, the Chamber Master. The entourage left the interior chamber once they were sure Napoleon was sequestered. Dr. Philas rolled out the Emperor’s clothes, Hume removed the steps, leaving the chamber empty but for the diminutive man in the tub. All the Master’s exited through a secret passage that led to stairs to the mechanical level. At the end of the treatment, the Guild masters would approach the chamber through the antechamber leaving the bodyguards wondering how the Seers exited.
Hume signaled for the treatment to begin as the other Guild Masters left to fulfill other duties, in the case of Gerrard he had an interest in seeing how Hume had adapted the process to transfer the contents of Angelica’s Orb.
He followed Hume through the walkways that passed between the large pieces of equipment and had a seat by the main control station. He was easily tired in his current state.
The mechanical level was a hive of activity, looking more like the boiler room of a steamship than a spiritual sanctum. Lower order necronists of the White Wyrding monitored the equipment worked the valves, adjusted the gas levels, read gauges and scurried to double check the various subsystems that made up the rejuvenation process.
“So, Hume how did you deal with the material not coming in an ampule?” asked Gerrard.
“I must agree with the man in the tub you should get treated immediately,” said Hume.
“After him, you can treat me”
“How bad is it?” asked Hume.
“Do you remember when Lafayette had poisoned us all with the soul worm and how bad you felt just before Huey returned and we were given the antidote?”
“Oh yes, all my bones hurt and I was filled with such a fear because I felt my spirit waste away…”
“Well, it’s like that again but worse because I’m older with less constitution. I never thought I would live this long to feel this bad again,” Gerrard laughed at himself.
“Why didn’t you have me go? I didn’t have the same emotional connection the two of you had. It had to be horrible to see” said Gerrard’s friend.
“It was a complete, fucking failure Arno, tragic. Just as I thought I was getting through to her or at least felt we could keep talking that nitwit Englishman comes through a wall like he is Merlin the Magnificent. Oh, the look on his face when she cast this illusion and he realized he had lost concentration I will never forget it. You should have seen her Arno, she was ten times the Hougan Lafayette was, no entourage to augment her power just her. Hell, she even summoned the old witch doctor to scourged my life force. I have spent my whole life with a hole in my heart because we were apart but always had the hope of seeing her again to offset it now that is gone.
Hume looked at Gerrard for a few moments as if he was going to say something then he patted Gerrard on his shoulder. “I can’t fix that broken heart of yours but I will prepare a nice bath for you later, guaranteed to take five years off your life or in your case twenty.
“Look here this is our traditional transfer chamber,” he pointed and a metal chamber with a glass door It looked sturdy and industrial. Gerrard was familiar with the design. “Our ampules have metal contactors to allow a current to pass through the ampule and conduct the spiritual essence into the machine. The contacts slip into the four electrodes you see there. Of course, the orb does not have contacts so we need to crack it open then conduct current through it, without allowing the spirit to escape. Now look over here,” said Hume as he pointed at a heavy bronze sphere with a large glass portal, it looked like a deep-sea diver’s helmet. “I crafted a special chamber with a holder for the orb, see how it holds the orb.”
