Tuesday, 9 April
She makes the most astonishing declarations. I fail to protect Mrs Cuthbert and Mr Ramsay, I knock a man we wished to take captive out of a high window, and then failed to catch him, yet she congratulates me.
I think that's the word. She declared her love and hugged me, which is always very gratifying--it is far better than being berated by one's wife, surely (not that I recall her ever berating me, but one overhears so many interesting things when standing in footman's livery at an Earl's party). As we were in the midst of some very confusing circumstances, and had just survived a magical assault, I was not certain what an appropriate response would be.
As we were in such straits, I didn't have long to ponder.
I have gotten ahead of myself. Mr Graves would be less than pleased.
We returned to Doverton Abbey, still looking into the death of Sir Robert Plank, as well as the death of Dr Kenyon and the near death of Colonel Dunbar. The League had been divided into several carriages, continuing the pretext that each group was calling upon the household to either offer further condolences, continue the inspector's inquiries, or offer the assistance that Mr William Plank requested. We were to continue to pretend that each group was not acting in concert with the others.
This fiction become unnecessary once the first carriage arrived. Mr George Plank, the older nephew (and heir) of the recently deceased Sir Robert, had fallen unconscious in much the same manner as Sir Robert's last illness. Mr William Plank and other members of the family were quite concerned that there was a connection. An urgent message had already been sent for both the Inspector and Mrs Cuthbert.
I was sent out to the road to summon the others immediately.
George Plank's body had been found in the study. He had been carried to a bedroom. Sir Cosmo, accompanied by Miss Wilhelmina, Mrs Wooster, Mrs Salmalin, and Mr Frazer hurried to the study. Inspector MacGreggor, Mrs MacGreggor, and Mrs Cuthbert hurried to George Plank's room. Lady Cowperthwaite, Mrs Frazer, Violet, and Daru took the children to a room provided by the family. As Mrs Wooster was watching over Miss Wilhelmina, George was sent with Lady Cowperthwaite's party. Sir Cosmo sent Sir Spencer, Lt Wooster, Mr Caine, Mr O'Flaherty, and myself to search the house and grounds for sign of any suspicious persons or beings.
Once the children were settled, Lady Cowperthwaite sent George to assist with some problem the Inspector encountered, as she and Mrs Frazer were to descend a single flight of stairs to join in the search of the study. Unfortunately, Lady Cowperthwaite's unique talent causes an ancient ceramic artifact (I later hear Mrs Frazer describe it as Babylonian) to fall from its perch on the stair, above the main entry hall.
I heard a loud crash and Lady Cowperthwaite calling out, "I'm sorry!" As she as as likely to say this when she spills the tea as when she accidently knocks an assassin down a well, I hurried to the location.
Sir Cosmo had reached them first. Somehow in the course of trying to assist Lady Cowperthwaite to her feet, Mrs Frazer and Sir Cosmo both lost their own footing and fell, and Her Ladyship was falling as well. I caught Lady Cowperthwaite. Lady Cowperthwaite caught Mrs Frazer. None of us was quite able to catch Sir Cosmo, who struck his head very sharply on a stone step.
It was clearly a serious head wound.
Lady Cowperthwaite sent me to find and retrieve Mrs Cuthbert. Other members of the Plank family were arriving at the scene as I left.
Mrs Cuthbert was in the library and study, having followed the thread of Mr George Plank's soul from his unconscious body to the an artifact in the study. The artifact was a glowing crystalline cross, which Miss Wilhelmina had discovered in a secret room behind the largest painting in the study. I told Mrs Cuthbert of Sir Cosmo's injury, and we hurried back.
Mrs Cuthbert healed Sir Cosmo, but said it might be hours before he regained consciousness.
Miss Eleanor Carringford, who is engaged to one of the Plank family, seems to have unofficially taken on the role of mistress of the house during the current crisis, and had the servants preparing a bedroom for Sir Cosmo. Lady Cowperthwaite tried to apologize more profusely for the statue, but Miss Carringford insisted that the fault lay entirely in the slippery stone stairway. Mr John Plank and Lt Carringford (also in attendance) agreed. The gentlemen insisted on helping the ladies on the return journey up the stairs.
I carried Sir Cosmo to the designated room (a bedroom just across the hall from the room where the children and nursemaids were settled). Nanny Chigwidgeon, who had mysteriously vanished when the carriages approached the house, just as mysteriously appeared in the bedroom with a basket of sandwiches. Following in her wake was a maid with a tea service. Lady Cowperthwaite set up vigil over Sir Cosmo. Mrs Frazer proceeded to the study. Once satisfied that Sir Cosmo was comfortable and on the mend, Mrs Cuthbert returned to Mr George Plank's sickbed.
The others continued to search different parts of the house. When we learned that Inspector MacGreggor had seen a man hanging outside one of the upper story windows, hanging from a rope, and had sent George and Sir Spencer to one end of said rope while he went to the other, Lady Cowperthwaite told me to assist in searching the grounds.
Sir Spencer had already tracked the man, who apparently had been dressed in dark clothing not unlike the clothes I myself once wore in service to the Hand of Kali, to one of the nearby roads. A wagon or carriage must have been awaiting him and carried him away. We found no clear proof that the man had actually been inside the house. Insp. MacGreggor did retrieve the quite lengthy silken rope. It is surprisingly strong for how thin it is.
I reported what we had discovered to Lady Cowperthwaite. She sent me to check on several of the others. Mrs Cuthbert, Mrs MacGreggor, and George were keeping vigil over Mr George Plank. Mr and Mrs Frazer, Mrs Salmalin, Miss Wilhelmina, and Mrs Wooster were examining the many artifacts and books in the study. Sir Spencer and Lt Wooster had settled into one of the parlours on the ground floor. Insp. MacGreggor was interviewing members of the kitchen staff. Mr O'Flaherty was searching rooms in the upper floors for anything suspicious. Shortly after I returned and reported this to Lady Cowperthwaite, both I and Nanny Chigwidgeon sensed the use of magic at the front door--and not a practicioner with which we were familiar. I also faintly heard Mr Smethurst, the butler, speaking with another man in the same location.
I was sent to investigate. Mrs Salmalin and Mrs Cuthbert had already sensed the magic and were also on their way. Mrs Frazer had heard something suspicious in the words exchanged between the newcomer and Mr Smethurst.
A minor enchantment had been worked on Mr Smethurst by the newcomer. Who identified himself as Major Alfred Powell, from the Lord High Warlock's Office. Sent to assist Mrs Salmalin and Insp. MacGreggor. The inspector had already been sent for. Mrs Salmalin and the inspector received Maj Powell's credentials, which apparently were in order, though his manner was suspicous. The inspector kept him company while Mrs Salmalin went to consult with Lady Cowperthwaite. It was clearly communicated to me by the expressions of both my wife and the inspector that they wished me to stay nearby and keep a close watch on the major.
Mrs Salmalin returned with news that Her Ladyship agreed to accept the major's assistance. The inspector escorted him to the study to assist with the investigations there. I was sent to stand guard over Sir Cosmo and Lady Cowperthwaite.
A bit later there was a commotion at the front door. Lady Cowperthwaite went out to the landing to see what it was, and asked me to remain where I could see both the nursery and Sir Cosmo's sickbed. Mrs MacGreggor had heard the noise as well, and joined Lady Cowperthwaite on the landing.
Mrs Salmalin had hurried to the door, arriving moments after Mr Smethurst. It was Mr Ramsey, arrived from London to warn us about Major Powell. He said that Powell's credentials were authentic, but the major was obsessed with Rambaldi artifacts and held the lives of others in low regard. This news quite infuriated Mrs Salmalin. Lady Cowperthwaite and Mrs MacGreggor joined Mrs Salmalin and Mr Ramsey in going to confront the major. I was told to remain at my post, guarding Sir Cosmo and the children.
The house grew rather disturbingly after everyone disappeared into the study.
I meditated on Namaste's Paradox, attempting to locate each member of the household. Nearly everyone seemed to be at a location outside the house, and below ground. Since there had been a narrow stairway at the back of the secret room, I presumed that all had followed the stairs down. I had great difficulty establishing contact with Miss Wilhelmina and Mrs Wooster. I could still sense a faint echo of their chakras, but could not determine their location.
Sir Cosmo regained consciousness. Nanny Chigwidgeon tried to answer his questions. I told him where most of the others were, and of my difficulting finding Wilhelmina and Emily. He insisted on being taken to the underground chamber immediately. I helped him stand and we hurried to the library. We found the painting to the secret door standing open, and no sign of the others. We went down.
At the bottom of the cramped staircase was a room with a door, which had been locked but now stood open. A cabinet in the room was equipped with candles. Nanny Chigwidgeon lit one and we proceeded down a tunnel which extended some distance from the house. We found ourselves in a large, octagonal chamber. The walls of the chamber were carved with images that I am told depicted the life of Eve, the First Woman in Biblical Lore. There was also a large crescent-shaped altar, and several odd pillars and a round platform.
Mr O'Flaherty was standing guard over one pillar which had a stray array of small, glowing gemstones on its surface. Lt. Wooster was hovering nearby, looking worriedly at the gems. Mr was inspecting an opening under the round platform. Our George and Owen were inspecting the platform in a manner that betrayed an almost frantic worry. Major Powell and Mrs Salmalin were arguing about the artifacts in the room. Everyone seemed to be examining something, and several disagreements seemed to be in motion.
Sir Cosmo spoke loudly enough to be heard over the noise, "What in Heaven's name is going on?"
It took many moments to sort it out. The important part seemed to be that the platform, and perhaps the entire chamber, was an ancient artifact similar to the Atlantean Swan boat we encountered last summer. Someone, presumabely Sir Robert, had disassembled part of the device and reassembled its components into another sort of device which the mystics believed had been draining and storing the life force of any creature that came within its influence. This chamber, for instance, was directly below the dead grassy area Wilhelmina and Mr O'Flaherty had investigated earlier in the day.
Wilhelmina had been examining the device (which she had deactivated), with Mrs Wooster standing over her, when Lt. Wooster decided that the pillar with the gemstones was some sort of oriental game. He moved some of the gemstones around, which activated the platform. Wilhelmina and Mrs Wooster had vanished in a flash of light. And so had the crystals and other components pulled from beneath the platform by Sir Robert.
This is why George, Owen, and the lieutenant were all, in their own ways, in a state. George blamed himself because he had been standing nearby, but not on the platform, holding a lantern to direct the light where Wilhelmina asked.
Everyone in the League wanted to determine how the platform worked at least well enough to bring Wilhelmina and Mrs Wooster back. Major Powell thought that the device had been "sufficiently damaged by amateurs" and wanted no more meddling with it. Which, of course, had everyone angry with him.
Sir Cosmo asked to see the Major's credentials. He presented his letter of introduction from the Home Office. Sir Cosmo pointed out that the letter clearly said the Major was to offer assistance to the Inspector. "So Insp. MacGreggor is in charge, not you." Sir then turned to the inspector and asked, "Shall I see if I can repair the platform, then?"
The inspector readily agreed.
Throughout all of this, Wooster would occasionally mutter something and start to move toward the gemstones. Mr O'Flaherty would warn him away, managing to place a rather great deal of menace into a simple "Ah! No!"
After taking a look under the platform and asking Mrs Frazer (who has a remarkable memory) to describe the crystals that had been arranged atop the platform, Sir Cosmo sent several people back upstairs to gather all the crystals they could find.
Major Powell suggested that Mr George Plank's soul should be returned to his body, as it was still residing in the green crystal cross, which Mrs Cuthbert currently had custody of. Mrs Cuthbert voiced her agreement with this suggestion. After much discussion, Mrs Cuthbert, Mr Ramsey, Major Powell, and I were sent to attempt this.
Powell claimed he knew a ritual which could safely return the soul. When he described the spell to Mr Ramsey and Mrs Cuthbert, they felt he was correct. Mr George Plank looked no better than I had last seen him. Mr William Plank was still sitting watch over his brother, and readily agreed to help with the "seance." Mrs Cuthbert and Major Powell drew two ritual circles, one around the bed, the other just next to it. Throughout the process the Major and Mr Ramsey had several pointed exchanges.
They began raising power. I could perceive that Mr Ramsey was raising his own power seperately. The power gathered very quickly. There are so many artifacts in the house, and the abbey itself is a focus of old power. I concentrated on the Mantra of Five Letters, to isolate myself from their magics in case I was needed to intervene.
The ritual seemed to be drawing the soul of Mr Plank out of the cross. As it did so, I felt quite suddenly the presence of another being. I was not certain whether it had been in the cross along with Mr Plank's soul, or if it had been drawn to the ritual from elsewhere, but the being was clearly a demon. I concentrated on the Seed of Energy, preparing to try to grapple with the Immaterial if need be.
Major Powell turned away from Mr Plank's bed and gestured. Mrs Cuthbert seemed to perceive it just as I did. The demonic force was Major Powell -- or it had taken control of him. His spell hit us all at once. For a moment I could perceive nothing. As I came to my senses again, I saw Mrs Cuthbert, Mr William Plank, and Mr Ramsey laying unconscious on the floor. I still felt disoriented, my ears ringing as if from an explosion. I could detect in the air the magic of both Mrs Salmalin and Mrs Chigwidgeon. Major Powell was at the window, trying to unlatch the casement. He held the silken rope and the crystal cross.
I leapt forward, intent on knocking him unconscious. I struck him perhaps harder than was strictly necessary, as I knocked him through the window. I started to turn to check Mrs Cuthbert and Mr Ramsey for serious injury when I realized that my wife and the others might wish to question Powell. So I jumped out the window and used the Mantra of Flying Through the Void to catch him. I waited until the last possible moment to switch to the Mantra of the Seed of Phaat, but still I did not catch him before he struck the ground. I had snatched the crystal and prevented it from breaking. I could not tell whether George Plank's soul was still held within.
Powell still lived. I was considering whether he would survive a leap back up to the window when I heard the voice of my wife calling me. I looked up at the window and saw Mrs Salmalin and Mr O'Flaherty there. I began to call an explanation when Mrs Salmalin called out for me to remain there. She vanished from the window.
A minute later they joined me, having taken the stairs. I explained what had happened and how I had nearly killed the Major. Which is when she made her declaration and hugged me. Mr O'Flaherty seemed to be blushing as he looked away.
At almost that moment I felt another powerful magic, seeming to blossom in the air nearby. A strange noise, like a large piston machine, or a musical device came from the same spot. A blue light appeared, faded, and appeared again. As the blue glow came and went, a carriage drawn by four matched horses seemed to materialize out of the air itself. As it become solid, I recognized the crest of the Comte des Brabants.
Mr O'Flaherty commented, "Them again!"
It was the Comte and Comtesse, come to assist. The Comtesse claimed to have sensed her sister's danger from far away. Mr O'Flaherty carried Major Powell inside while I followed Mrs Salmalin and the Comte and Comtesse into the Abbey. Once Mrs Cuthbert had been revived and apprised of the situation, she insited on healing Major Powell, as she was as uncertain as I about whether Powell had been under the control of another being. "Besides, if he wasn't, I expect him to answer for his actions!"
Mrs Cuthbert was not pleased to see her sister, and the two of them began arguing in the hallway.
Sir Spencer and Insp. MacGreggor had joined us by this point, since they had been roaming the house gathering anything even remotely crystalline for Sir Cosmo's attempt at repair. At one point the Comtess interrupted to tell Sir Spencer she forgave him for shooting her. This seemed to be her idea of how to apologize for her actions at the embassy ball. This seemed to anger Mrs Cuthbert even further. It certainly didn't please Mrs Salmalin.
Mr O'Flaherty, who had carried crystals down to the underground chamber along with a note from Mrs Salmalin concerning our new visitors and the situation here, returned with Lady Cowperthwaite, who invited the Comte to come assist with the platform. Thus we all returned to the underground chamber. Sir Cosmo and the Comte worked on the platform a bit longer, then were ready to test it.
A tea service, complete with biscuits and sandwiches, was placed on the platform. A note to Wilhelmina and Emily saying that they platform would be activatied again in exactly five minutes was included.
A bronze and crystal disc, which I am given to understand Insp. MacGreggor had discovered near Mr George Plank earlier in the evening, was used by Sir Cosmo to control the platform.
Strange metal rings, large enough to encirle several people, seemed to appear from nowhere and hover above the platform as a bright light exploded on the platform. The rings vanished into the ceiling. I could perceive no seam or recess to hold them. They were just gone.
As was the tea service.
Sir Cosmo kept his eyes on his watch until five minutes had passed, then activated the platform again. The rings reappeared along with the light. When they had retreated, we beheld Wilhelmina, Emily, and two other beings on the platform. One of the beings fell over almost immediately. It appeared to be a large bronze statue. Except it was hollow, vaguely man shaped, though it was constructed of spheres stacked one atop the other. The top sphere possess a definite face.
The other being is harder to describe. The first impression was of some sort of odd dark cloth draped over something. It was taller than an typical person. The form under the cloth might have been a severely hunch-backed person. Where such a person head should be was a strange helmet, boxlike, yet rounded, with a single glowing "eyehole" in the snout. To perceive even this much took great concentration, for the being had an aura as bright as the sun. The aura kept shifting shape, sometimes appearing as certain aspects of Kali as depicted in various pictures, and other times like a star. Mrs Cuthbert and Mrs Salmalin both later described the aura as being shaped like a winged Christian angel.
Wilhelmina introduced this creature as Simkett, and said it was from a boat or aeroship far above the ground. Emily was obviously upset at their experiences, and kept talking about sinking floors and moving walls and walls that turned into windows and something about falling toward Paris.
Simkett claimed to be a member of a tribe called the Khosh, which is charged with protecting and guiding mortals. He spoke in riddles not unlike those used by masters at temple. Other members of his tribe are in our world, searching for a piece of Simkett's spirit or essence which was left on our world long ago. This essence was left in the care of a monk or priest of healer from "the land of the Nile" some five centuries ago. It has since been lost, perhaps fallen into the hands of wicked men or demons.
The bronze machine (which, when Wilhelmina and Sir Cosmo opened it later proved to be a complicated clockwork device) was found in this place when the other members of Simkett's tribe arrived days earlier. It had been designed, Simkett claimed, to cage and control spirits, such as his.
Mrs Salmalin said that it appeared identical to a Rambaldi invention called "The Vessel" which Rambaldi's followers claimed to allow a spirit of walk, talk, and otherwise act physically within the mortal world.
When Simkett's clansmen found the device, it had been partially assembled. Wilhelmina has nearly finished repairing it, though it is missing one important part: the crystal cross. While Simkett was attempting to explain why his companions had taken the souls of Col. Dunbar, Dr. Kenyon, and Sir Robert, Sir Cosmo and Wilhelmina installed the crystal in the metal man and wound up its springs.
It talked, in a voice very similar to that of Rambaldi's Swan, which we had seen at the embassy. It spoke as if it were a person, claiming to be something called "Tick Tock" and saying that somehow it possessed some of the knowledge of every soul that had been imprisoned in the cross.
As no one was fully understanding everything that Simkett was trying to explain, someone asked if he could be more specific. Simkett said that the only way we could understand one another was for one of us to join the Khosh. This provoked another round of arguing among the League as it became clear this would involve some form of spiritual possession. Many members of the League attempted to volunteer, but in the end Simkett chose Mr O'Flaherty.
Simkett's aura flowed into Mr O'Flaherty's crown, brow, and throat chakra, while Mr O'Flaherty's aura flowed back toward Simkett in what seemed to be a painful process. When it was finished, Mr O'Flaherty talked to himself more than usual, and attempted to articulate Simkett's answers, though they did not immediately became more understandable.
This conversation did not proceed far before it was interrupted. Just as Simkett announced that a Shadow was approaching, I sensed a very unfamiliar magickal force seeming to awaken in the house above us. Mrs Cuthbert and Nanny Chigwidgeon both announced that it felt as if something demonic was nearby.
Simkett explained that the Shadows are another tribe, like the Khosh, of spiritual beings. The Shadows are intent upon destroying mortals, or at least ruling them. Which sounds like demons to me.
Tick Tock and Simkett urged us to flee, as the Shadow could kill us all. Both said they would remain behind to find (and delay) the demon. The usual argument that followed was briefer than usual. Since the Shadow seemed to be coming down the stairs, the only exit available was the platform. Or so we thought. Tick Tock was aware of another exit. A trap door into another tunnel. The entrance was too small for Tick Tock (it was almost too small for Mr O'Flaherty).
Tick Tock and Simkett were insistent we flee via this tunnel. Several of the League were still reluctant to abandon these two to the demon, but eventually all were persuaded.
The other tunnel was more cave-like than the chamber we had just left. It came to the surface some distance from the Abbey. We circled back to the house, since the children, Violet, Daru, and of course the remaining members of the Plank family and servants were all there. As we approached the house I could sense a mystical combat occuring in the underground chamber. We tried to hurry.
Convincing the staff to flee the house was easier than some had thought. Mr George Plank had awakened during our absence and was acting in a peculiar and frightening manner. We concluded that the Shadow has possessed him.
The Plank family and servants hurried down the road toward Brinkley Court. We lingered behind until all had fled ahead of us, before leaving ourselves.
Only a mile down the road we encountered a wagon. Mr Laurence Oliphant and his servants were blocking our way (apparently he let the Plank householders pass without incident). Mr Oliphant's aura was no longer human. Neither, it appeared, were his servants.
The servants drew swords and leaped toward the lead carriage.
Emily, Mr O'Flaherty, George, and I ran forward to meet them. The fight was intense. And confusing. While Mr Oliphant transformed into a large demon with many eyes, black stony skin, and many legs like a giant spider, another even large demon attacked from the sky. There was magic, fire, explosions, bullets, and swords everywhere.
The strange aura inside Mr O'Flaherty came out and took on the form of Kali-Durga, the goddess's warrior form. The larger demon in the sky I only caught glimpses of. It was black and had many claws or legs not unlike a crab. It was raining fire upon us even as we fought the demon on the ground.
There was an explosion and I felt my flesh begin to burn from my bones. And then it was not. I was still fighting the demon on the ground. The other demon in the sky seemed to be further away then it had been a moment before. Mrs Salmalin called out for everyone to run. Which made sense for several members of the League. Then she was chanting with the other wizards and witches.
The familiar tingle of Mrs Cuthbert's magic surrounded us. The glow of her personal spirit, whom she calls Saint Cuthbert, surrounded the demon we fought and seemed to paralyze him. We redoubled our efforts. Fire rained down, just as I had remembered a moment before, except the mystics stopped it. I could sense Mrs Salmalin's most powerful spell, her element shaping ritual, shielding us.
The demon on the ground collapsed and dissolved. The demon in the sky abruptly retreated.
As I looked around, I was shocked to see standing beside the Comte's carriage my wife and her twin. There appeared to be three Mrs Cuthberts, as well, until I realized that one was the Comtesse, of course. But there were definitely two Victorias and two Mrs Cuthberts, for just a moment. And then there was just one of each.
Sometime during the fight the Inspector had taken the reins of the carriage with Daru, Violet, and the three children, and gone off at breakneck speed across the meadow. Mr Frazer sent his father's ghost to fetch them back.
Mr Oliphant's body lay dead on the roadside. His two servants were also dead in the middle of the road. Everyone on our side was confused, it seems, except perhaps Mrs Cuthbert and the Comte, who both used the term "two places at once" several times during the discussion of our next move which followed.
The Simkett inside Mr O'Flaherty says that the Shadows are looking for him, or rather the peice of his essence that has been separated for so long. They can gain great power if the attain it. The other Khosh are trying to find it first, and may very well harm more people in the manner that Dr Kenyon, Col. Dunbar, and Sir Robert have been.
Magickal means of searching for this missing essence have not worked, and may draw the attention of the demons back upon us. Everyone seems to agree that the most likely location of the missing essence is the girl, Evie Botley, who grew up near the Abbey, was taken to London, and fled Dr Kenyon's house when the "angels" took Kenyon's soul. If we cannot find her by magic, we will have to find her another way.
Thus we must return to London, and try to pick up the child's trail.
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