The first thing which met her senses as she approached the kitchen was the strange chuckling coming from her husband. And his red face. His eyes strained in laughter, and the veins of his neck and face protruding as his shoulders rose and fell with each ominous cackle. Why was he laughing? Looking at me with them damn eyes. Is that blood on his hands? Is he pointing at something behind me?
Victoria turned, and the scene that met her eyes knocked all sense from her. She collapsed in an agonising scream of despair, and couldn't hear anything but her own wailing. She couldn't breathe, as her chest tightened at the familiar little body before her. So much blood. She wanted to rush over and hold his head, comforting him. But there was no head to hold. Her fingers hovered, shaking, over the fleshy, lumpy heap where her sons face should be. She delicately tapped and touched over the mess, as if trying to find all the pieces and put him back together again. Her mind could not register this unfamiliar mess, and sweet metallic smell of blood, with the familiar body and clothes of her little Leo. It’s all wrong. She felt like she wasn't really there and she was watching someone else's pain. That terrible wailing. Is that me?
Her frantic hands somehow found one of his, and she quietened for a moment as she focused on his little blood splattered fingers. His tiny nails. She kissed them, then buckled under the tidal wave of loss again and wailed into her cupped hands.
It felt like an eternity until her hearing identified something other than her own howling. His laugh. Lightheaded, she tried to make sense of the situation, when her eyes landed on the Anubis mask on the bench, where she had left it for Leo to see.
In her madness, its dark, judging, eye holes and pointed ears, somehow seemed to mirror everything she was feeling. In that moment, it seemed to call to her. It was the embodiment of the last time she was with her son.
Her crying ceased to a few sniffs, and an empty stillness washed over her. Her mind cleared completely, allowing the full sound of Deryk’s wild sniggering fill her ears. She rose to her feet and exhaled, before swinging around and landing both hands onto Deryks face, squeezing with her nails. Clawing at his eyes and cheeks and any flesh she could find. Red rage took over her. It was primal, and she snarled for his blood. Hissing, clawing, tearing.
He yelled in pain, and she furiously roared in his face, mocking him. She hung onto him as he fell backwards onto the tiled floor, and the both slid on the puddle of Leo’s blood.
She lifted a clenched fish and brought it straight down, ramming it at full force into Deryk's nose. She heard the satisfying crunch. She did it again on his eye, then again on his cheek. Painting a picture of her fury on his canvas face. Both of her fists drummed down into his face. She wanted his face erased from memory. She couldn't remember how many strikes it had been since he stopped making noise, or since he'd stopped moving. Her arms ached from the bone-shaking impact of each blow.
Suddenly a blinding white light filled the room, and warmth spread throughout her body, tingling all over his skin. Then almost as quickly as it had arrived, it was gone. At first Victoria thought it was an explosion, but no sound followed. Just silence and her own heavy breathing. Momentarily paralysed by the strange occurrence, an overwhelming feeling of tranquillity embraced her. The smell of blood was overpowered by the sudden strong aroma of petrichor.
She noticed the huge black powdery symbol on the floor. She was straddling Deryk at the centre of it, and she quickly clambered off of him in a daze. Realising the blood on her hands, she washed them in sombre silence, before opening a cupboard and taking out a tube of industrial grade glue.
Squeezing out a series of lines upon the inside of the Anubis mask, she then turned and gazed upon the mutilated corpse of her little boy. She continued staring at him as she lifted the mask up to her face and pressed it firmly onto her skin, screaming as the glue burned her flesh. The acrid smell of her chemically burned skin entered her nostrils.
In that moment, Victoria died, and Anubis was born, and she curled up beside her son. Laying in the sticky blood, she held his hand and sang his favourite song.
She sang, and cried, and relished the touch of him, before the police, called to the residence by concerned neighbours, dragged her from him. And she let go on his hand forever.
Chapter 7
Preparations
Lenore awoke to the usual routine of the brief 9am morning siren echoing throughout the chateau, and the welcoming wash of cold water she splashed onto her face. The thick and heavy winter bedding, although extremely comfortable, kept Lenore a little too warm throughout her slumber, and she always awoke thirsty and hot.
She swiftly swapped her lightweight night clothing for the snug, durable dark blue uniform. It had become almost like a second skin to her now. The IGS do make comfortable clothing, I'll give them that, she thought dryly.
Upon exiting her room, she was met with the expectant face of Cat, waiting patiently against the hallway wall opposite.
‘Come on slow poke, I'm starving,’ Cat pouted as she moved to Lenore's side.
‘Yeah, me too,’ agreed Lenore, as she pocketed her room keycard and began following the attractive breakfast aromas.
A single low whistle sounded from behind them, and they instinctively turned, identifying the peering face of Deryk from a stairway entrance. It’s like he waits for me to come out.
Cat and Lenore experienced the same heart clenching moment as they turned to one another, exchanging a look of both caution and confusion. Lenore looked back to Deryk with a stony expression, and was alarmed to find him on the move down the hall towards them. Shit. Time to go
Without another thought, Lenore hooked her hand under Cats tiny arm and pulled her out of the female chamber main hallway. She navigated her way to the dining hall at a brisk pace, with Cat frequently looking behind them as she stumbled along, dragged by Lenore. What does he want with me? Lenore puzzled, irritated.
She slowed her pace when she was among a number of residents also making their way to breakfast, and she came to a stop just outside of the bustling dining hall. Looking behind her, she saw a staff member hurrying towards them with a covered tray of an assortment of baked goods, and quickly passed by them, leaving a sweet aroma of fruity bread hanging in the air. He hasn't followed us.
‘Thanks Lenore,’ Cat squeaked, looking up at her ashamedly, ‘I was so scared. I-I, just couldn’t move.’
‘Just returning the favour,’ Lenore grinned, making Cat instantly relax with a giggle.
‘Why were you able to lead me away from him so confidently that first time?’ Lenore quizzed, ‘But this time, you were too afraid?’
Cat smiled softly, ‘Axel was close by that other time,’ she revealed. ‘He was just outside of the female quarters, waiting for me. You didn't notice him until he spoke to you. But this time...’ she paused and pursed her little lips into a delicate frown, ‘He has an early appointment with the shrink today. He’ll be ba-’
‘We going to eat or what?’ the familiar Swedish lilt interrupted her, and Axel gently pulled Cat into him, and she greeted him with a relieved grin and a playful stroke of hair.
So she was frightened because she knew Axel wasn't around to help her. She really does get her strength and confidence from him.
***
The entire chateau was transforming before Lenore’s eyes, while she ate breakfast at the usual fireside table with Cat and Axel. Her eyes followed the staff members as they clambered up and down ladders, and frivolously navigated between the breakfast tables, hanging glistening decorations from the high ornate ceiling above.
The hubbub of the dining hall had quickly taken on an excited tone as the residents gazed about at the ornaments appearing around them. And they all turned to one another in stimulated conversation and lit up faces. Cat did likewise and turned excitedly to Lenore patting her arm repeatedly with uncontrollable joy as she squealed out the word, ‘masquerade!’
The hallways and social rooms also took on a festive guise throughout the day, and the
trio walked its labyrinthine passageways, admiring the change of scenery. I had almost forgotten Christmas is soon, Lenore thought to herself, as a feeling of disappointment spread throughout her, I've been here for almost a month now, and I've still got nothing on the rogue Anuna. Even though Anubis does not speak, perhaps she will talk to me?
Cat stopped as they approached a line of five dark, exquisitely carved double doors. The ballroom? Lenore remembered getting a brief view of the room during her induction. Cat faced Lenore with a beaming grin as she flung the pair of doors behind her wide open, revealing an enchanting scene within.
What first hit Lenore was the light. Golden brilliance poured in from the full length windows, bouncing its hues around the room, reflecting from the finery adorning the walls and ceiling. Honeyed light pooled onto the polished marble floor.
Lenore entered the expansive room, and the overwhelming feeling of sheer size and space was mildly dizzying. As if the lofty height of the ceiling and walls were physically weighing down on her.
‘Beautiful,’ Lenore breathed in awe, gazing around her at the red velvet, gold ribbons, and dozens upon dozens of hanging ornaments. Stars and angels glistened above her like a dangling artificial aurora.
‘I know,’ Cat agreed, proudly smirking at Lenore’s amazement. ‘The Christmas Masquerade will be in here on Christmas Eve night. Everybody will be here. Music, masks, food, and… dancing!’ she trilled as she twirled across to Axel who caught her hand and swiftly pulled her into a spinning embrace. He kissed her head, before unwinding her back out at arm’s length again with a wolfish grin.
He looks like a different person when he smiles, Lenore noted. Axel’s sharp, brooding features softened as laugh lines appeared, framing his toothy smile and shaped his face with childlike glee.
‘You guys know how to dance?’ Lenore queried, in astonishment.
‘Oh yes! I had lessons growing up. And I try to teach Axel,’ Cat giggled, spinning away with her arms outstretched, ‘Can't you dance, Lenore?’
‘No, I never had the mind to learn,’ she admitted. Actually, I'm not really of the same lifestyle of most of you. I don't come from a long line of prestige and privilege.
‘There’s classes here,’ Axel revealed.
Oh yes! I had forgotten. Lenore had declined Mrs Cavere's offer of enrolling her in a variety of classes during her induction.
‘Of course. I guess now there is an actual need to participate in them, I guess' she chuckled.
Luckily I already knew of the Drakestoke annual masquerade during mission prep, and I had packed a formal gown in case I was still here during the time of the masquerade. Looks like I am.
‘Will Deryk be at the masquerade?’ Lenore asked uneasily.
‘Ha! No chance,’ Axel snorted, ‘He's never been allowed to attend,' he reassured triumphantly.
That's a relief then.
‘And what about Anubis?’ she inquired.
‘She should be. She’s been for the last two years,’ Cat replied breathlessly as she settled down cross-legged on the smooth marble floor. ‘Why? You want to see her in person?’ she pried, smirking.
Yes, I really, really do. I need to observe her properly. I need to finally get some information about the rogue Anuna.
‘Kind of, yeah,' Lenore admitted with a defensive shrug.
‘She might scare you,’ Cat persisted with a playful wink.
She might scare us all.
Chapter 8
The Gift
Marduk felt the new energy course within him. Aether extracted from electricity wasn’t as pure as universal aether, but it was aether nonetheless. And it saves her from suffering any pain or discomfort when I take it from that infernal machine.
He looked out of his chamber window at the Sun. The once familiar orb, seemed so far away. Too far away. The Ùruv was an Anunnaki spacestation, located in the far reaches of Earth’s local system. Strategically cloaked, and placed, to be beyond human detection, but in prime position to observe Earth and humankinds progression.
Thinking of her, he smiled. During his years aboard the Ùruv, eating the godly food had provided him with small amounts of aether. And by using only the smallest amounts, he had flung his consciousness through the void to sneak glimpses of her life. From the serendipity of her childhood, exploring the wilds and secrets of her beloved south western England, to her stormy adolescence and hasty marriage to a man of no worth.
Marduk’s thoughts drifted back, 19 years, to when he first arrived aboard the Ùruv. And when he met her. I will be with you, very soon.
- North Cornwall coast. Year: 2073 CE -
The emerald sea roared and hissed as it hurled itself onto the rocky shore outside, and then made its frothy retreat back out into its turbulent mass. It was a bright and clear day, but the wind was relentless, and even though the cave was a sheltered haven from its might, it persistently made its agitation known by howling and whistling past the entrance.
A different sound from the usual dancing gale was heard outside of the cave, and the bearded man’s attention was drawn from his melancholy stillness, towards his cave entrance. Gazing out of his rocky sanctuary, a silhouetted figure came into view within the blinding arch of sunlight. A very small figure. A child.
Only six years of age, but she had the adventurous spirit and incessant wonder of a child twice her age. He could sense her energy. Like cool morning dew, with the comfort of a fire in winter, and the tenacity of a storm.
He moved closer within the darkness, and the clarity of his uninvited visitor improved. She was unmoved by the gusts buffeting her soft brown curls, as she rooted amongst the sand, picking up and dropping shells and other ocean treasures. As if looking for something particularly special.
Her small voice hummed happily, but ceased when she brought a small shell up to her face. She examined it closely with her large blue eyes. Approving of it, she held the shell in a fist as she proceeded past the cave entrance and to a mass of rocks nearby.
She clambered onto the large wet rocks, assessing the barnacles and mussels. Holding the shell reduced her steadiness as she gripped with only one free hand, causing her to slip with a tiny gasp. She fell backwards into a pair of large arms, which lowered back down onto the soft golden sand.
Both pairs of blue eyes met. The young shell hunter, and her mysterious hero. She stared at him in both confusion of where he had come from, and also bashful nervousness. She was naturally shy of strangers.
Studying the strange man, her young mind could not decide whether to thank him, or try to escape, screaming as loud as she could for her father.
His eyes seemed sad to her, and he was very dirty, but not very old. Younger than her father, because his hair was devoid of grey. Instead it was black, but also gold.
He could feel her scrutiny and stepped back, sitting himself down onto a large rock opposite her.
She immediately felt more comfortable, and her childish curiosity came bounding out as an innocent question.
‘What's your name?’ she requested, rotating side to side, making the pleats on her yellow dress flare out. She loved doing that.
‘Marduk,’ he replied, with a steady gaze.
‘That's a funny name,’ she exclaimed with a smile.
‘It’s a very old name,’ he explained.
‘But you’re not old,’ she giggled.
‘I am. Very old,’ he insisted.
She blew a raspberry of disbelief, and the tiniest trace of a smile momentarily escaped the corners of his mouth.
‘Well, what’s your name?’ he quizzed.
‘Guess.’
Marduk frowned, ‘that’s a stranger name than mine.’
She burst out laughing, ‘No!’ she squealed, ‘My name isn’t Guess. It’s Victoria… oh.’
‘Ah-ha!’ Marduk mused, pointing at her in jest.
She crossed her arms and stamped the sand, ‘Well you don’t know my middle name!’
‘You don’t have one,’ he stated wi
th a shrug.
‘Yes I do! It’s Vesper!’
Marduk raised a victorious eyebrow at her.
‘No!’ she pouted, ‘Well what’s yours then?’
‘I don’t have one.’
Victoria was taken aback, ‘Why?’
‘I have many names. But no middle names,’ he explained.
‘Well I’ll give you one,’ she suggested, ‘Your middle name is going to be… The hero.’
It pleased Victoria to see the sadness leave his eyes as he smiled at her words, and she smiled in return.
‘My daddy owns all of this land, but I won't tell him you're here. Do you live in there?' she motioned to the cave entrance.
‘Yes, I do,’ he nodded slowly, looking at his cavernous retreat. I have for many years now, and perhaps forever. I no longer know anymore.
Noticing the sadness consume her saviour's eyes once more, Victoria walked to Marduk and grasped his large heavy hand with both of hers. She lifted and turn it over exposing his large palm.
Marduk was initially startled by her touch, and of what she intended with his hand, but he obliged by allowing her to place a small cockle shell into his palm. Then she curled his fingers over into a fist, entombing her tiny gift within.
‘I'm going now,’ she announced, joyfully bringing the strange encounter to an abrupt end, ‘Bye, Marduk the hero,’ she giggled as she skipped away over the sandy shore, then ascended up a footpath which snaked its way up to the mighty cliffs above.
Marduk stayed still for a while, pondering. The tiny hand that had put the shell in his, had emanated such curiosity and passion for life, and he felt an essence of guilt at his current ennui and repose. He had lost his will long ago. After his Fall. He had since squandered his Earth-bound years living in solitude. Fatigued from world-weariness, and attempting to forget his disassociation from the universe. I'm not worthy of such a gift.
As he unfurled his fingers and gazed upon the small shell, a feeling of existential loss took over him. The shell’s ridged lines of soft peaches and purples spoke to his forgotten self, deep within his core. I was great once. So long ago.
Dark Rain: Book 1 of The Aetherium Saga Page 5
