Chapter 79 - Of Ancient Race by Birth
by TSB
Opening Voiceover (Grayson Hall): "On this night, when
it seems the world is
about to end and a long awaited birth signals not the
salvation, but the
destruction of the world as we have come to know it,
another being, seeking
power, reaches into a box and finds something more
malevolent and sinister
than the Cracker Jack prize."
Quentin's arrival, the amulet at his neck glowing red
and hot, coincided with
the contraction that spurred Vicki to expel the being
from her body. Pain
coiled around her abdomen, insinuated itself into her
brain as well as her
belly, and consumed her body as her shriek filled the
night, competing with
the cacophony of heaving cliffs and tidal swells.
White hair whipped about by
the wind, Vicki bore down and pushed the creature from
her body in less time
than it took for a lightening bolt to strike. It
slithered from between her
parted legs to rest on the ground, gathering strength
and form from its
mother's blood. Quentin stared, unable to see exactly
what had been born in
the tempest surrounding them. He took a step forward,
unaware the amulet he
wore was beginning to cool, leaving no mark on his
skin. He wanted to see the
child - the being - to which Vicki had given birth.
One step closer to Vicki and Quentin was forced back
by a wave of evil
surrounded by power. The blood red moon glowed
brighter, casting a hellish
light on the... thing... writhing at Vicki's feet,
seemingly feeding from the
primordial discharge that followed its birth. Quentin
blinked and in that
fraction of a second, he saw - or thought he saw -
unbelievably rapid growth.
In the span of a single breath, the creature at
Vicki's feet grew, changed
form, took on the appearance of a full grown man.
"No!" Quentin gasped and took a step
backward. He watched in disbelief as the
man-thing rose to his feet and faced him. He was tall,
well muscled, with blue
eyes and the same white mane as his mother's. His
penetrating gaze took in his
surroundings and he smiled. That smile contained such
evil satisfaction that
Quentin shivered and swallowed hard.
Raising his head, pleased with the potential of what
he saw, the newly born
Leviathan leader glared at the tall, dark haired man
who stood near by. "I am
Jebez Hawkes." He said no more, believing no more
need be said.
A moan from Vicki, who was barely conscious,
distracted Jebez. He took his
gaze from Quentin to look at the woman who had given
him life. "Mother..."
Reaching out, Jebez lovingly drew Vicki into his arms,
cradling her as one
would a newborn infant. He settled her head on his
thigh and tenderly stroked
her brow, easing the hair away from her face so he could
see what his mother
looked like. "Mother..."
Vicki's moan spurred Quentin to action. He didn't much
care who or what this
Jebez was at the moment, his concern was Vicki. He
took one, then two steps
toward her before Jebez looked up. "NO!"
Quentin felt as if he had been caught in the
aftershock of a bomb explosion. A
great burst of power emanated from Jebez, knocking him
back, away from Vicki,
and to the ground. Quentin landed hard and shook his
head to clear it.
Levering himself up on an elbow, he looked toward the
edge of the cliff in
time to see Jebez vanish from beside Vicki.
"Vicki..." Quentin struggled to his feet,
and was grateful for the assisting
hand of Barnabas as he, Julia and Eliot arrived. Julia
was already hurrying to
where Vicki lay, kneeling to check her over. Julia
gave Eliot a worried look
when Quentin stumbled to her side. "Julia, how is
she?"
Julia exchanged a quick glance with Barnabas, then
looked back to Quentin as
she held Vicki's wrist, checking her pulse. "She
needs to be in bed."
Quentin nodded, stepped in and lifted Vicki into his
arms. He started down the
path with her, Julia following. The physician paused
when she felt a hand on
her arm and looked into Barnabas' troubled gaze.
"Julia..."
Hoffman shook her head. "I don't know, Barnabas,
I won't know anything more
until I examine her, and I can't do it out here. She
has given birth, but
there were no signs of the... newborn anywhere near
her. After the
examination, I'll sedate her and when she
wakes..." Julia again shook her
head, allowing her thoughts to trail off. She knew no
more of what to expect
when Vicki woke than Barnabas did.
*******
Grinning widely, hand clasped with Maggie's, Nicholas
Blair reveled in the
dark energy that was surrounding the area and growing
this night. It
encompassed all of Collinsport and he knew this was his one opportunity,
his and Maggie's, to
make it work to his advantage. Everything was set, he
was prepared and all he
needed was for the energy to build to a level at which
it would be useful,
beneficial to him.
"Nicholas, I feel it, building, becoming more
powerful, surging toward us."
Maggie's eyes were wide and black. Between them, they
would be able to do
this, Maggie was certain of it.
"Nicholaaaaassss."
"Yes, Maggie, I feel it too. The power, the
energy, it is ours to command, to
use as we must." Blair closed his eyes, threw his
head back and began to
recite in an ancient language the ritual chants that
would conjure the
powerful Mask of Ba'al. He heard Maggie adding to the
chant, point and
counterpoint, priest and answering congregation in a
litany of power and evil.
"Reveal to us the Mask of Ba'al. Show us where it
may be found!" Blair's head
snapped forward as his eyes shot open. He stared into
Maggie's wide, black
eyes and began to chuckle with delighted satisfaction.
Close, it was so close.
The mask would be in his possession in a matter of
hours, minutes. "The Mask
of Ba'al is ours."
"I saw it, Nicholas, in your eyes, I saw where
the Mask is located," Maggie
whispered. Blair nodded as he took a deep breath.
"As I saw it in your eyes,
Maggie. We shall possess the Mask before this night is
over."
*******
"Jebez has arrived." Roger felt his heart
skip a beat with Amy's proclamation.
He looked up to meet the child's gaze, and followed
her from his study to the
one room in the vast mansion that had been sanctified
for his occupancy and
altered to meet his special and unique needs. Roger
swallowed hard as Amy
knocked on the door, then led him into the room.
Roger stepped into the room behind Amy and immediately
his hand snaked out to
cover the child's eyes. Paternal instinct kicked in
and he turned Amy around
and ushered her from the room, away from the unclothed
man who was inspecting
his surroundings with what seemed to be confusion and
bewilderment. Collins
closed the door then removed his hand from Amy's eyes.
"Why did you do that? I want to meet him
too," Amy demanded. Roger silently
sighed in relief. That meant Amy hadn't seen him
before a moment ago, hadn't
understood what little she had seen.
"You will, Amy, just as soon as I make certain he
is ready to meet you. Why
don't you go down to the kitchen and bring him
something to eat. I'm sure he
must be hungry." Roger mentally crossed his
fingers that Amy wouldn't notice
he hadn't explained his reasons for ushering her from
the room so quickly. She
might be a loyal Leviathan follower, but there were
some things a child her
age should just not see.
"All right." Amy turned and headed down
toward the kitchen. Roger glanced over
his shoulder, then hurried to his own room. He was
back in a matter of
minutes, well before Amy could return, carrying a pile
of clothing. He knocked
on the door and when he did not receive an answer, he
carefully opened the
door and stepped inside. Collins lowered his eyes as
he spoke. "I am here to
serve."
Jebez turned to face the tall blond man, a look of
terror in his eyes. Roger
dropped the clothing, all but a bathrobe, on the floor
and crossed to his
leader. "What is it? Tell me," he pleaded as
he helped Jebez into the robe and
tied the sash closed at the waist.
"It is all so... different, so changed, none of
it makes sense. This world has
no order. I remember... but no, I cannot recall, it is
too distant, too
faded... The pieces do not make a whole... No!
Nooo!" Jebez closed his eyes
and threw his arms up to cover his head, his face.
"Dark, it is so dark. I
remember, the dark... and then... No! Stay away from
me! You have no right,
you have no power against me. You... you will kneel
down before me and obey my
commands... Why do you laugh... No! No, you can't! I
will not allow it!"
Roger knelt, unsure if Jebez was speaking to him or
not but thinking it best
to do as he commanded. It made no difference. Jebez
was lost in vague,
disjointed memories, of another time, another life.
"No! Nooo! No, please, I
don't want to die! You cannot kill me... You will pay
for this, you will
regret... Death, it hurts, I cannot... No! No! Mother!
Where is she? Mother...
Mama... she will protect me, take care of me. I'm so
alone. Mama, where are
you? Mother.... I need you..."
A knock on the door drew Roger's attention away from
Jebez. "May I come in?"
Amy inquired. Roger glanced at the door, back to
Jebez, who seemed to be
calmer now, or at least more focused on something,
then back to the door. He
rose from his knees and crossed the room to open the
door. Amy stood on the
other side, carrying a tray, carefully balancing it so
as not to spill the
full glass of milk onto the sandwich and chips on the
plate. She looked up at
Roger, anticipation and excitement reflecting in her
eyes.
"I made him peanut butter and jelly. I hope he
likes it," Amy informed him as
she beamed with pride.
Roger smiled in spite of his worry. Children these
days seemed to live on
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. It would not have
occurred to Amy to make
Jebez anything but the combination she considered a
delicacy. He nodded as he
stepped aside to allow Amy into the room. "I'm
sure he will, Amy."
Roger closed the door as Amy tentatively approached
Jebez, whose eyes were
closed, his head bowed. He took a deep, sudden breath
as his head shot up and
his eyes widened. "Danger... something near,
something... working against me,
against all Leviathans. Dangerous, very
dangerous!"
Amy dropped the tray she was carrying as her eyes
widened in fright and she
raised her hands to her mouth to still a scream. Jebez
was staring straight at
her but was not seeing her; he was looking through
her. The terror she saw
reflected in his eyes was like nothing she could
understand.
*******
It had all been a dream, a nightmare.
The evil she'd felt earlier was a mistake.
Jebez, her son, was not here to destroy the world, but
to help her save it.
She looked into her son's blue eyes, grateful for his
love, for the care he
showed her. She reached out and took his hand.
They stood, mother and son, facing the evil that was
threatening to take over
the world.
Their white hair streamed in the whirlwinds created by
the clash of good and
evil, their bodies buffeted by forces more powerful,
more determined than
either alone could withstand, but together... together
they faced the evil,
they quelled the cataclysm that threatened to swallow
the world.
Together they brought peace to the world.
The whirlwind stilled, the apocalyptic signs and
warnings ceased.
The world became new and fresh again; peaceful as it
had not been for
millennia.
Jebez wrapped his arms around his mother and hugged
her.
His laughter was music to her ears.
The world was at peace...
Slowly Vicki became aware of the sound of voices in
hushed discussion. "We
must do something before this goes any further,
Julia," Barnabas insisted as
they stood just outside the door to Vicki's room. His
hand was on Julia's arm
but his gaze was locked on the woman in the bed as she
stirred, shaking off
the effects of Julia's sedative.
Julia closed here eyes and pressed the heel of her
hand against her eye
socket. She had seen patients with severe migraines
make the same gesture in a
futile attempt to ease the pain, to dispel the
pressure. Her effort was no
more successful at silencing the angry hissing in her
head than her patients'
efforts had been at lessening the agony of a migraine.
The Leviathans didn't
like this conversation.
Julia steeled herself against additional pain as she
answered Barnabas. "I
agree, Barnabas, but I don't know what," she
whispered.
Collins' grip on her arm tightened and Julia looked up
to meet his gaze. His
voice was deep with determined desperation. "We
must destroy him, Julia. We
must find his weaknesses and destroy him for all
time."
Vicki's eyes shot open and she looked at Barnabas.
Before she could speak,
could tell him that was not going to happen, she was
distracted by movement
next to her bed. "Vicki."
Quentin. He was beside her, he took her hand and held
it gently. He looked a
little shell shocked and Vicki reached out to touch
the amulet that still hung
from his neck. "How are you feeling?"
Vicki just shook her head against the pillow and
glared at Barnabas and Julia
as they, alerted by Quentin's voice, entered the room.
Julia crossed to the
bed and did a quick examination of her patient, then
smiled as she patted
Vicki's hand. "You're doing just fine, Vicki. A
little more rest and you'll be
back to..." Julia paused. She had been about to
say back to normal but wasn't
sure what that was for Vicki any more, wasn't sure
Vicki could even remember
it now. She smiled uneasily and continued, "Back
to your usual self."
Vicki nodded and gave Julia a cold smile, but did not
look at Barnabas for
fear of what she might be tempted to do to him. Julia
glanced uneasily over
her shoulder at Barnabas, then turned, laid her hand
on his arm and indicated
with a nod of her head they should leave. Vicki
watched, her eyes growing dark
for a brief instant, until the door closed behind them
and her attention was
drawn back to Quentin. She squeezed his hand.
"How is he, Quentin?"
Collins shook his head. "I don't know Vicki, I
only saw him for an instant,
but I do know he is powerful, very powerful."
For a brief instant, Vicki remembered her dream,
remembered the peace she and
her son had brought to the world, but knew it had been
nothing more than a
dream. She clearly recalled the malevolence and evil
she'd sensed from the
being during the short time she'd incubated it within
her body. She needed to
stop thinking of it - of Jebez - as her son. "How
powerful, Quentin?"
Quentin shook his head again, and swallowed down the
feelings of dread the
mere thought of Jebez created within him. "I
don't know, Vicki, more powerful
than anything I've ever experienced before," he
said quietly, not bothering to
try and disguise the quaver that came to his voice.
Vicki's eyes narrowed. "More powerful than I
am?"
"I don't know, maybe... maybe. Vicki, even though
I only saw him for a second,
I felt his power. There's something about him... some
feeling I can't define
or name... Vicki, I think Jebez is not just a
Leviathan, not just one of many.
I think he is the one and only, he is THE Leviathan. I
know you overheard what
Barnabas said, and I have to agree with my cousin on
this one. Jebez must be
destroyed."
Quentin swallowed hard, fear filling him when he saw
the look of utter
betrayal his words caused to flash in Vicki's eyes.
*******
"This ground was consecrated once,
Nicholas," Maggie whispered as they made
their way along the overgrown and neglected path that
lead to the Old Rectory
on the outskirts of Collinwood. She felt the
discomfort and glanced at
Nicholas to see that he too was finding it difficult
to tread on once holy
ground, but was doing his best to ignore it.
"I know, which makes this the perfect place. Only
those who are destined to
have the Mask of Ba'al, those with the power to
withstand the lingering
strength of the enemy's minions will be able to
traverse the ground and claim
the prize," Blair replied. He reached for
Maggie's hand as he pushed open the
door to the place clergy used to live. He could sense
the power of the Mask,
and idly wondered if it had helped to drive the
enemy's followers from this
place. He would not be at all surprised if it had.
Blair looked around the room, ignoring the discomfort
the few remaining holy
symbols caused him. In the corner, clothed in cobwebs
of long dis-use,
Nicholas saw what he sought. He laughed with ironic
delight. How appropriate.
"Oh, Nicholas, it is marvelous, isn't it?"
Maggie chuckled. Her gaze rested on
the long neglected altar, the candles and incense that
had once burned there
long extinguished. Together they crossed to the small
altar and moved it
aside. A trap door beneath where the altar had rested
was revealed, a recessed
ring in the wooden floorboards providing a point of
access.
Blair reached down, pulled up on the cast iron ring
and smiled when the long
rusted hinges gave way, screeching their protest at
revealing the secret
hidden within. Blair knelt and felt around in the
small space of the profaned
reliquary. His gloved fingers encountered a box.
Reaching in with the other
hand, he withdrew the box and examined it. Maggie
followed as Nicholas carried
the box to the table and dusted it off.
She took a deep breath as their gazes met,
anticipation and the desire for
ceaseless power reflected in their eyes. Maggie nodded
and Nicholas opened the
box. Resting inside was a cloth covered object. Blair
moved the cloth aside to
reveal the Mask of Ba'al; vaguely resembling a human's
face, it was gold,
encrusted with dark gems, deep in color and reflecting
the fires of Hell.
Blair lifted the Mask from its protective cushioning and
raised it to the
light of the blood red moon as it shown through the
stained glass windows of
the Old Rectory. A look of glee crossed Blair's face
as he raised the Mask
toward his face, ready to don his prize.
To Be Continued...
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