Ceremony

Alex remains in the darkness of the false Apostle

Zach's preparations complete... he now wanders in the darkness

Silus and Cassandra are set to start the Ceremony and

Jonah and Maggie have arrived...  can they stop Eckmalach?

Transcript

Setting The Stakes

SPEAKER_00 1:05

Really the same thing. The story needs to end for a new story to begin. And hopefully the writer ends it well. One never knows with our tentacle to rock on whether the tale will find happiness or bitter disappointment. We can only guarantee that each story may contain images of graphic violence, doubt endangerment, adult situations, and naughty, salty language. Now Cassandra and Silas look to the hour. Look to our doom as we begin chapter 14. Ceremony. There are dates on the calendar we all look forward to. The first day of spring, summer, and fall, and even some strange people look forward to winter. Myself included. Then of course we have holidays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and then there's Halloween. Or more importantly, it is also known as All Hollows Eve. And it's the night where the veil between the worlds becomes the thinnest. You never know what can happen. Children are busy dressing up as cowboys, cops, nurses, or the darker side. Witches, zombies, vampires, and yes, even some as demons. They never give thought to anything more than having fun. And the haul of candy they're gonna bring home later that day, which is the way it should be for children. But we live in a broken world, and in that reality, when the bale thins, things slip through, and if you're unlucky, they may notice you, perhaps even attach themselves to you. They hope to damage and twist children because a tainted child tastes so good. But even more importantly, the innocent ones are beyond delicious. Be careful when you go out and what you wear, and what you might invite home with you. It is upon this backdrop this story began. Alex, Alex Kuchma, attending a birthday party at the Thomas residence, never suspecting the evil intent behind their invitation, never suspecting how it would transform her life and now. On All Hollows Eve, Halloween if you prefer, she once again finds herself in dire straits, wrapped in darkness, trapped inside the false apostle. Yet it wasn't complete darkness. The blade, her birthday present, glowed softly, warmly, a little flicker of light illuminating her and whispering to her as she waited. The world was waiting too, as the blade would talk to her and show her visions of things. Beautiful, warm things, as if the blade was trying to comfort her in this dark place. Not that it was trying to take away from the reality of the world around her. That type of comfort leads to apathy and self-destruction. No, this was a message, one of love, asking for trust. It made Alex ponder who or what is this blade, as she continued to hold it against herself, becoming encased in a warm, gentle glow. Outside her little bubble, evil continued to finalize its plans. Cassandra repositioned Zack so that his body was now upright against a cold hard slab, the anointing oils fully absorbed and appearing more like tattoos. Markings, letters, symbols, forming a demonic prayer. It read by Nor Kohesh Bakorarax Laune de mun Le uni Bene Nivakumi Itonibarem Itorihalemta Itoni Balonka Ekum de Fa Toran Utan Uekmelak U Dasha Akna Akno te vakuni Or if you so desire darkness come. Overshadow us, empty us, devour us, show us your eternal pain, show us your wondrous suffering, blot us out. Our existence, a mistake and blot on all of creation. Take this body and use it, fulfill its true purpose, O sweet demonic blight, O Ekmaloch, O fallen one, come here, come now, come and make us. On Zack's chest, they painted a set of doors, doors that matched the ancient gate at the back of the tomb. And tonight, at midnight, they would open both. Zack himself now found himself wandering in darkness, a spinning vortex of clouds and purplish light. He could hear voices calling to him, begging for help, for comfort.

SPEAKER_01 6:25

Zack, what have you done? Zack! Zack!

SPEAKER_00 6:32

The voice of his mother, now the voice of one of his accusers. I didn't know. He called back to the vortex, and all that came back to him was empty laughter.

SPEAKER_01 6:43

I didn't know, it mocked. More like you didn't care, it accused. I did care! I do care! Liar!

SPEAKER_00 6:53

The voice of his mother echoed out, refracting, repeating the word pounding in his head, into his heart. Liar! Over and over and over again. Liar, he said to himself as he curled up in the darkness, and yet even here there were shadows. Shadows darker than the shroud that surrounded him, moving towards him. Almost a way mud can wrap a body, these began to wrap him, blot out any semblance of life. Then from a distance, another voice. One he had heard before. It broke the darkness and a flame appeared before him.

SPEAKER_01 7:34

Don't despair, Zack. I am with you.

SPEAKER_00 7:38

Zack looked despairingly at the tiny flicker. Oh, no, I deserve this. I'm a selfish liar. Let me be. I cannot.

SPEAKER_01 7:49

But I will still allow you to make that choice. But if you follow me, I can lead you out of this darkness.

SPEAKER_00 7:58

Who are you? Why do you even care? He asked. Someone who loves you. Can someone love me? It was a question he asked himself, and I'm sure it's something we have all pondered when the darkness overshadows our souls, trying desperately to devalue you. The flicker took shape to resemble a girl.

Mr. Alistair Extends A Hand

SPEAKER_01 8:20

Zack, it's never a question if you're loved. It is always a question of can you forgive yourself and love yourself again? But maybe I'm not the one who needs to tell you this.

Blood Keys For The Ancient Gate

Maggie Scouts The Rising Vortex

Jonah’s Terrible Choice

SPEAKER_00 8:33

The light faded, and Zack nearly broke at its loss. It had such a tremendous warmth and love. Then a storm of fury seemed to erupt in the darkness as if it were fighting itself, rejecting something as a new figure formed in the darkness and in its midst. It was a tall man. No, something else. He had the form and features of a man, but these guards won almost an X shape directly across the arc. He appeared strong, fierce, almost wild in nature. He knelt down onto one knee so he could be closer to the fallen down. This darkness you are twice. It's not just mental clean. Anyone you care for. Anyone you love. I was afraid to that darkness. And it's alive. I was still back. An offered chance that we defended. If I melanthorn to destroyer, can be transformed by three. The figure stood back up, almost with a fearful expression. You mean we know? I don't know if you understand that technology. You can still hear her, still full of joy as the words came forth from her mouth. I will call you, Mr. Alistair. I took her hand that day. I accepted my failure. I accepted my new name. Stop there. Something to prefer to keep quiet about. But it was too hard to offer someone a new hand. Into the darkness to call someone young and foolish arm. Mr. Alistair stretched forth his arm, his magnificent wing spreading across the maddening darkness. Will mean you accept your death. Zach looked up into the eyes of this mysterious figure. Like memories. He stretched forth his own arm and grasped the hand of Mr. Alistair, who gave him a craggy smile. But before I complete what happens next, I think it's best to take you back inside the mausoleum. While Alex waited in silence and prayed, and Zack looked into the eyes of a stranger, Silas approached the back of the tomb and sliced open his hand. Black blood poured out, and like with Zack, he began to paint the ancient gate with symbols. Each one, once placed, glowed red. Vromp! Silas could hear the wheels and tumblers begin to turn. Vromp! The tomb began to shake as with each one the lock turned, changed shape, and the sounds of mournful souls began to grow around him. Cassander stood back in gleam. This is what she had been made for. The anti-woman, the anti-life, the end of all things. The time is almost upon us, Silas. Leave the last symbol and go fetch us the false apostle. Silas turned and bowed. Less than an hour to go, he thought. And now he was nearing the fun part. He entered the side chamber and walked over to the pedestal where he had placed the black orb. No longer silver, it was black, and a dark cloud swirled around it. Are you enjoying the company, Master Malus? Silas mused as he grabbed some heavy gloves, a pair of tons, and a thick bag to hold it. Grasping the false apostle, with the tongs, he carefully lifted it and swung it over the bag where he placed it. It sparked and hissed as he moved it. No complaining. It finally set, he lifts the bag and grabbing it with the heavy gloves and carries it back to the ancient gate. Cassandra and the prepared zap. Take it and place it directly in front of the ancient gate, Cassandra commands, and Silas begins to repeat the process when she snaps. Grab the pedestal as well. The false apostle needs to be level with the center of the gate and the boy's heart. Silas forgets himself briefly and lets his shoulders slump and immediately feels Castander's cold gaze upon him. I'm going, I'm going. Grabbing the pedestal, he returns and sets it in place and now lifts the apostle into place. All is ready now, Cassandra. Not quite, she growls. She's growing tired of Silas's assumptions. Mistress, we need to prepare the girl. For whatever reason, Silas hadn't thought of this. If the gate was to be open, they would need to use this girl's blood to break the seal of the gate. An evil smile crossed his face. He was finally going to have his chance to play with Alex. Maggie circled over the cemetery, eyeing things that you and I couldn't see, and trust me, she wouldn't want to. A vortex was forming along the back of the hillside, attaching itself to where the people had cut out mausoleums for their loved ones, unknowing that at the back of that hillside sat the ancient gate. Black, purple, and red light swirled, reaching from the depths of the very waste itself. Evil, banished spirits pressing up and against the gateways, sensing their impending freedom, a world in which they could soon swarm. Moving up its center, something huge, an immense shadow, creeping and pressing those who wanted to be free behind it. Its presence made Maggie shudder. Darting back to Jonah, she lands on his shoulder and informs him of the situation. Oh fun, he replies. Where's the kid? Maggie makes contact with his eyes so she can look into them and see. That mausoleum is the focus point, huh? Max, I'm not winning this one. At least, not a win I can walk away from. My goal is simple. Interrupt the ceremony. Prevent Ekmalak from manifesting. If that means that boy dies. Kaw! Alex! Alex Kuchma is here! Kaw! Jonah frowns. Shit! He hadn't even thought about Alex and her location. It means saving humanity. Yes, I will kill her too. Maggie said nothing. Jonah looked cold, hard, but she understood why. Letting emotion in here now?

unknown 15:10

But Alex!

A Risky Rescue Plan

Pieces Align At Midnight

SPEAKER_00 15:11

She flew in front of him, blocking his path. Mags? Call! Another way! Is there one? Call! Okay, Mags. Let's try to rescue our friend. I'll make a way for you to get inside, and I'll trust you to rescue her. Call! The boy? He thinks about his own mother. He thinks about Karen and her family and how they took him in. Okay, his shoulders slumped. We'll try to rescue him too. And so the hour has come, and all the pieces are in place as the clock nears midnight, as Cassandra goes to fulfill her dark mission, and Jonah goes to fulfill his own. We're chapter 15 attempted distraction.