The Serpent and the Light

by Bo Luellen

  He pulled out his cell phone and took a few pictures as he hugged an old maple tree. Putting the photos into a text message, he typed out their location and position. With a feeling of accomplishment, he pushed SEND to the lead Special Agent of the FBI in charge of the Crimson Brotherhood investigation.

  He let out a sigh of frustration as he realized the drugs were starting to wear off, and he scrambled around his coat pocket for his pills. A feeling of relief came over his body when his fingers touched the smooth bottle. He yanked out another Oxy and took them with two long drinks from his flask.

  His phone vibrated, and read, "Message Undeliverable. Resend?"

  He quickly hit resend as panic took over. Several minutes went by before the message was delivered, but had a red warning button next to it. John cursed to himself as he had no way of knowing if his text got through.

  The detective steadied himself on his crutch and thought, I could try to make it back to the road and possibly get lost along the way, or I could stay and try to find the group.

  The pain pills surged through his mind as they took effect, and he whispered to himself, “No running. I’ll find my team, lead them out of here, and call the Calvary. Okay, John. Time to go to work.”

  Taking one step forward caused his equilibrium to go into a tailspin, and he stopped dead in his tracks. He staggered slightly to the left and reached out to steady himself on the tree but missed the trunk with his hand entirely. He fell face-first onto the cold ground and snored softly.

  Chapter 15: Richard IV

  Tahlequah, OK - Thursday, October 18th, 2018 – 6:07 p.m. CST

  The Preserve was loaded with more Brotherhood members than Richard had seen in one place in all his years with the cult. Stepping out of his car, he was greeted by Daniel Harris, who had his robes ready for him to wear. As he donned the garb of an Elder of the Crimson Brotherhood, he saw the ghost of Samuel appear beside him.

  Amy Howard rounded the back of the car with a chipper, “Hi, Dad.”

  Richard froze and asked, “You can see him?”

  The ghost smirked and replied, “It takes more than a robe and a spellbook to see the undead, but my only child has many gifts, both earned and bestowed. In the case of my death, I prepared her long ago to have the ability to see my spectral form.”

  She gave Richard a hate-filled glare and then told her father, “The Pearce Brothers are in their sniper positions. Daniel knows his part. I’ll be close by in case our esteemed Elder manages to screw this up.”

  Richard stepped towards her and gave a stern, “You’d better do more than be close by. If something goes wrong, and Hyde isn’t delivered to the Master, your dear father will be sent back to Cthulhu and continue his eternity in agony. Whatever feelings you have for me, that better be a factor. I am your Elder! Go mingle in the crowd and check out what the other Elders are doing. I’m tired of hearing your mouth.”

  She looked like she was deciding on whether to deck him again when she scoffed and walked away. The moment was broken up by drums and droning of the Mages, as they began an opening blessing to Cthulhu. The cultists stopped what they were doing and quickly moved over to participate in the ritual.

  The High Mage, Benjamin Walsh, stood on the platform in his white robe and announced, “Tonight, we give to Cthulhu the instrument of the Hebrew God’s undoing.”

  The fat man was sweating from under his toupee, as he lifted the Athame Dagger and boasted, “The Mages will bind the Fallen Angel into the sacred dagger, and give it to the Master. The spirit of Hyde will be placed into a powerful new Vessel, one subservient to the Crimson Brotherhood, to prove useful in the closing days of this Aeon. As the prophecy of the great magician, Djedi of Djed-Sneferu, has foretold, the season for Cthulhu’s re-awakening is to arrive at the beginning of 2020. Hyde will become a Knight in the divine game to awaken The Old One from his slumber and see him once again place the Earth under his sway!”

  The crowd cheered, as members of the white-robed Mages dragged the body of Henry Jekyll towards the platform to the sound of beating drums. His skin was anointed with oils blessed by the Enochian magic the Master had taught the Mages of the Tulsa Sect. Three armed guards positioned around Henry aimed tranquilizer darts at The Vessel of Hyde. The High Mage invited everyone to pass by and observe the miraculous healing abilities granted Jekyll by the being within. As Richard passed by, he saw the knife wound he had delivered the day before was completely gone and had no hint of a scar.

  High Mage Walsh sang out, “Our dear Brother Bill Robertson lost his life and soul in an attempt to gain vengeance for the loss of Aaron Holland. He dashed The Vessel with Acid, drawing the Demon out. That endeavor did not turn out as well as Bill had hoped, and he now languishes in Cthulhu’s punishment.”

  Laughter came from the audience, as the fat Mage adjusted his wig and continued, “As you can see, the burns are all but gone. The Crimson Brotherhood will make this Demon an unstoppable servant of Cthulhu.”

  Samuel’s voice hovered behind Richard as the ghost remarked, “He meant to say the Howard resources. Oh! My apologies. That would now be your resources and your responsibility.”

  Richard looked back at the spirit, What is he talking about? What am I expected to provide?

  The ethereal Howard floated beside him, answering, “My family has used its time and money to cultivate relationships with some rare talents over the past few hundred years. The reason I was selected to harvest Hyde’s spirit in the first place was because of my association with a descendant of history’s most accomplished alchemists, Dr. Victor Frankenstein. Once Hyde’s essence is cultivated, we will reach out to her and make arrangements for the creation of a very special golem. Her services do not come cheap, and she has a bit of a temper, so I’ll suggest a certain degree of charm when you make your introductions.”

  Richard turned back to the platform, What’s her name?

  The ghost gave a smirk and replied, “Shoshannah Feinstein. A rare beauty and a brilliant mind.”

  Forgetting himself, Richard thought, Right now I need to focus on the task at hand. Everything will come down to a single moment of courage. I hope I can trust Samuel’s people to now serve me and not sabotage my efforts.

  His dead Mentor scoffed, “You don’t have to worry about that. You’ve inherited a well-trained unit, and you hold an ace. They know if you fail, so do I. They’ll do their part.”

  Richard had learned that his mind seemed open to Samuel on every level. As taxing as it was to have every private thought on display for someone else to see, it had its advantages. Because of the psychic connection, Samuel could respond to situations Richard found himself in almost immediately. Likewise, it gave him a covert method of communication with Samuel, who had become the perfect spy and capable of accessing nearly any location to gather intelligence.

  Samuel crossed his arms and assessed, “This plan has a dozen ways it can go wrong.”

  He looked at his former mentor and thought, Yes, but if this works, the rewards will justify the risk.

  As the opening ceremony came to a close, Richard worked his way around the perimeter and watched as the homeless were prepared for sacrifice. They were forced into a kneeling position pumped full of a fresh dose of heroin. The future sacrifices were soon lost in a haze of euphoria, and most of them lost the willpower even to want an escape.

  Richard walked around the corner of the first cabin where the hounds were kept. He saw the Kennel Master holding the leash of a three-legged German Shepherd and fighting to gain control of the mutt. Blood was coming out of the animal’s snout, and it was attempting to sink its teeth into the Elder’s leg. Richard stopped and watched the struggle, as the Kennel Master was finally able to secure the dog to the side of the building.

  The man saw Richard and greeted him with “Vulgtmah Cthulhu, Elder Enfield.”

  Richard shook his hand and replied, “Vulgtmah Cthulhu, Elder Grant. I thought the Preserve kennels only brought in the best specimens to train for th
e Hunt.”

  Elder Joe Grant took off his leather gloves and replied, “This one jumped in the van when our Hunters were gathering sacrifices for tonight. It was protecting its owner, and wouldn’t give up. One of my Apprentices was on the Hunt and drugged the dog. Tomorrow, I’ll to feed it to the Hounds.”

  He considered it for a moment and then mused, “Elder, a beast that loyal would make an excellent guard. Can you have it reconditioned and send it to my Estate? I could use dedication like that.”

  The Kennel Master took a long leather leash out of his back pocket and replied, “If it can’t be broken?”

  Richard sighed and then replied, “Then feed it to the Hounds. Either way, you will have my gratitude and favor.”

  As he walked away, he could hear the first whip being delivered by Elder Grant onto the three-legged German Shepherd. The dog let out a yelp, followed by a savage growl. Richard smiled at the defiant sounds coming from the dog as he wandered back towards the line of cars.

  A few minutes later, he found what he was looking for behind some of the vehicles. The Master’s elite personal guard, The Leviathans, stood in a small circle as the deep voice of Marcus Holmes gave the newest members instruction on their responsibilities. With the loss of Aaron Holland and Bill Robertson, two new recruits were hastily ushered into their spots. Each of them was wearing their full purple robes and a matching face covering. The sheer fabric allowed the Elders to see out but covered their heads as a symbol of them releasing attachment in favor of total loyalty to the Sect Leader.

  Maxwell Gardner lifted his head covering and they nodded at one another, as Richard thought, Yes, there are many ways this plan could go bad.

  Richard stepped into their midst, and boldly asked, "Who is in charge of the Athame Dagger?"

  One of the new members of the Leviathans spoke up, "I have that responsibility, Elder Enfield."

  He motioned with his hand for the member to follow him, "The Mages have summoned you then. They need to perform some last-minute rites."

  Marcus held up a hand and asked, “Why wasn’t I informed of this?”

  Before Richard could answer, Maxwell interrupted, “These are stressful moments in the path of our charge. Perhaps we should remind ourselves that our focus is on the Master’s safety and not his machinations. He isn’t obligated to share his plans with us. Please, go with Elder Enfield and come back when you’re done. Llll h' nafl'fhtagn!”

  The new Leviathan returned the R'lyehian as Marcus begrudgingly stepped aside and let them both leave. Richard hurried the purple-robed cultist along and glanced at the Athame Dagger on the man’s hip. He guided them out into the woods until the clearing could no longer be seen.

  Richard turned and commanded, “High Mage Walsh wants you cleansed before they see you. He instructed that you kneel in prayer to Cthulhu for five minutes.”

  There was a suspension in the voice that came from the hooded Leviathan as he asked, “Why out here in the woods?”

  Richard’s tone changed as he replied, “I don’t question the Master, and he directs the Mages. Are you refusing an order on your first day as a Leviathan?”

  Wordlessly, the man turned and knelt in prayer. The practiced R'lyehian rites were chanted by the guard, as Richard strolled behind him and pulled out a length of piano wire from under the folds of his robe. Wrapping it several times around each hand, he crept up, while Samuel appeared in front of him.

  The ghost gave a solemn, “None of the snipers can see us. Now is the time. Make no noise and do it quick. Remember, this man is…”

  Before Samuel could finish, Richard quickly pulled the makeshift garrote over the man's face and missed the throat as he tightened the cord. The wire had gone across the lower portion of the Leviathan’s face and was wedged in the guard's mouth. It was sloppy, and Samuel cursed at him, while Richard pulled the garrote hard. The struggle began, and immediately, the guard showed his skill. With a smooth motion, the man turned into Richard and elbowed him hard in the face. He buckled to his knees and staggered backward.

  The Leviathan pulled off the wire from his face and spat, "Traitor to Cthulhu! I'm going to bring your head to The Master!"

  Richard charged the man recklessly and attempted to pull off a hip throw. The Leviathan shifted his weight and stood there unphased by the sloppily executed technique. Richard felt the masked guard grab him with his left hand by the hair, force his head around to face him, and rained down repeated jabs into his face. With each punch delivered, he heard a sharp crack in his head as pieces of his face cracked under the assault. He found himself on his hands and knees, hearing a high pitched sound in his ears and having no idea how he got there. Richard felt the cold of the piano wire find its true mark around his neck, and the new owner pulled the cord tight. The pain was intense as he frantically searched for a way to get his fingers under it. If no blood or oxygen made its way past the device soon, Richard would drift off in seconds.

  A sharp snapping sound came from behind him, immediately accompanied by the instant release of the wire by his opponent. Richard gasped for air as the Leviathan fell on the ground beside him. Richard looked over at the dead guard and saw that the body was face down, yet the face was turned 180 towards the sky. He lifted himself to his knees, and the wire fell free from his neck to the ground. Turning, he saw a angry Amy Howard standing next to her ghostly father.

  Her red face contrasted her blond hair as she whispered, "You fool! How'd you ever get the better of my Father? Who trained you to fight? You could have gotten us all killed!"

  He stood up slowly and got his air back in his lungs. The scene looked surreal, and it made him wonder just how much strength Amy was endowed with.

  He slowly stood up and staggered over next to the short woman. After gulping some air, he delivered a stinging backhand to her face that felt like he had just struck a cement block. She took the shot and stepped into him with fire and rage in her eyes. Richard looked at her defiantly and went nose to nose with his new Apprentice.

  Richard stood his ground and remarked, "I should take your life for that disrespect! Instead, I'm going to do Samuel a kindness and remind you that I’m your Father’s only hope of salvation from an eternity of damnation. Now, get back to the camp and get in position!"

  With a look of hate, she walked off and said something in Greek that he didn’t understand. Richard looked around at the Leviathan and inspected the body. The neck bone of the guard was sticking out of the flesh and parts of the skull had been caved in.

  Samuel paced around in front of him and remarked, "You're lucky she didn't rip your arms off your body. I’ve seen her do that once."

  Richard lifted the Athame Dagger from the corpse and proclaimed, "She loves you more than she hates me. What exactly is she, anyway?”

  Howard clasped his hands behind his back and answered carefully, “Unique and my treasure.”

  As he took the purple robes off the guard, he found the face of a white man in his twenties. He was one of the Hound Handlers that was on hand the day Samuel first took him on his first Hunt in the Preserve. He looked up at the ghost who gave the situation a dismissive nod. He took time to conceal the body of the guard with dried leaves. The job didn't need to be perfect, just good enough to fool a casual glance or passerby. Richard put on the purple robes of the guard over his own clothes, secured the head covering and withdrew the Dagger from his waistband. Carefully he pulled out the tiny potion bottle the Wood Sprite had left behind back at the Howard Estate. Uncorking it, he poured the strawberry smelling remnants of the potion onto the blade and rubbed it in with his fingers. It had a sticky consistency and coated the blade like syrup.

  Richard noticed that Samuel kept his distance just in case some of the fumes reached him. The magic of the Fey would have full effect on him, as Howard was a being that resided with one foot in and out of this world. If the ghost wasn’t careful, he would find himself napping through the next 20 minutes. Richard tossed the beautifully decorated fairy bottle i
nto a tree, and shattered the crystal container. Confidently, he sheathed the Dagger and made his way back to the campsite.

  As he broke back into the open field, he looked up and saw nightfall was almost upon them, and he heard the Mages’ rams horn blasting out. The trumpeting sounded like low moans that raised into a chorus of hums. He knew he had cut it close, as this signaled the arrival of the Master to the Preserve and the beginning of the sacrifice of Henry Jekyll.

  Hurrying to his mark, Samuel floated next to him saying, "Okay my boy, it is time for me to leave you."

  As he approached the other Leviathans, Marcus scolded, “Where the hell have you been? The Master is almost here. Get in your place!”

  Maxwell pointed a finger on the ground next to him, and Richard jogged over in place, thankful to see his friend was dedicated to the plan. He was calmer than he thought he would be, as they marched up to the black Lexus that was nicknamed the Chariot. Marcus opened the back door and the Master stepped out of the car, with his octopus headdress adorned in arcane runes. As the leader of the Tulsa Sect stood up on the cold grassy ground, Richard marveled at the leader’s height of 6-foot 7-inches. The black robes of The Master were smoothed out by Marcus and Maxwell, as those in attendance chanted, “Vulgtmah Cthulhu.”

  Richard and the Leviathans made seven circles around the cult leader and then escorted him to the sacrificial podium. Richard was behind and to the left, with one hand on the Athame Dagger and his eyes on the back of the Masters head. Maxwell and Marcus unsheathed a pair of vicious looking scythes and held them at the ready while they walked.

  He passed by Amy in the crowd, who was shrouded in her own black robe and muttering silently to herself. Her hands were positioned in an ancient way that signified she was maintaining a protection spell. Richard breathed a sigh of relief, now assured that she was doing her part and hiding Richard’s and Samuel’s presence and motivations from the Master and his Seers.

  He marched in time with the other purple clad guardians and thought, With any luck, that ex-con is disabling the vehicles right now.