He sat alone in the dark, his face half hidden by his clammy, clasped hands. The gold wedding band on his ring finger gleaming in the flickering light of the candle beside him. The clouds below him roiled with rage, as the storm dragged ever on. They passed quickly as the thunder rolled, the mountains cutting through them like so many jagged knives. Were he not flying above them, he would have been even more on edge then he already was at this ungodly time of night. With his eyes closed against the terror in his heart, he did not see the stars as they twinkled merrily over the endless clouds. It would be quite a few hours before they landed in London. His task was a heavy one, and quite frankly, he didn't want to be burdened with it. But never the less it was his task, he made the mistake, and now he had to live with the choices he had made.
The candle beside him offered little comfort in the still all encompassing darkness of the room. The light seemed to flicker in time with the frantic beating of his heart against his chest. He was drenched in cold sweat again, but he could not remove the night shirt that threatened to choke him just yet, he was waiting for something. Something that every second it did not happen, he got more and more paranoid. the shadows of the room, almost seemed to move, even though, he was not looking, he knew.
There was something there. There always would be. This was his mistake.
Just when he could stand the ringing silence anymore, his heart gave a leap into his throat, as the door creaked open. The man there was his servant, He was not a very handsome man, Daniel mused. With his large bulbous nose and the numerous scars on his face, he was rather imposing to those who did not know him. But Daniel knew he was loyal, for even at this time of night, he was fully dressed and up to do his master's bidding. The young man felt quite privileged to have him, what with everything that had happened to him in the last two months. He came into the room silently, closing the door with a slight snap using only one foot, and walked to the small table not feet from where Daniel sat.
The servant set down the silver tea tray and as quick as he was efficient, poured out a generous amount of the steaming drink into the matching floral print cup. He added two small silver spoonfuls of sugar, stirred it three times clockwise, and put the whole thing, spoon and all, on a patterned saucer. The young aristocrat watched from the shadows as Barry brought the cup towards him, the thunder below roared more fiercely then it had all night, causing even the very candle beside the young man to shake with fear.
"Master?" Came The servants refined accent. It was low and comforting in a way, and almost always sounded like a growl, or a deep purr, depending on his moods. Daniel raised his head to see him standing there, bowing slightly, the cup of tea in his outstretched hands like an offering to some archaic pagan deity. "Please, do not put any undue stress on yourself..." He smiled in what was a normally empathetic way, though the way the shadows played across his face, where Daniel in the throws of a nightly terror, would have seemed almost demonic. "...You have been through so very much already..."
Daniel sighed as he looked at his servant, the man's ever tidy ginger hair was tucked behind his very large, pierced ears. The young aristocrat searched for any sign of sarcasm in the man's reddish gold eyes. he saw none, and nodded but one, reaching slowly for the tea offered to him. His hands shook as he removed the cup from the saucer and brought it to his parched lips. He blew on the scalding liquid and took a small sip, the first taste of which made his deathly icy outsides burn as if he was on fire. It was a comforting flame, and he sagged against the back of his high back padded chair. His mind may have been spinning with his current nightmare still, but his body was relaxing at least.
"Ah... Earl gray." He sighed again, his body wanting to sink into the chair and never move. "You really do know me well, don't you Thatcher?"
Barry smiled. It was not the man's first name, but the surname in which his master called him. This was proper he thought to himself. He looked thoughtfully over his shoulder as he returned to the tea tray for a small slice of the cake he had prepared as well. "Oh course Master."
Barry Thatcher had served the Valentines for more then 60 years. Daniel's grandfather Gregory Valentine III was the first to have taken pity on the poor orphan boy, seeing something special in him that no one else had. The aristocratic solderer had taken the scrubby ginger haired child under his wing, and taught him. Barry remembered fondly how his first master, had saved him from a ghastly beast of a weir. A creature caught in the war between heaven and hell. Weirs, as every child knew, were humans in beast form, changing every time the moon shone full in the night sky. Barry, had received the first of his facial scars from that beast. He had lost his first master to that deadly curse, he never quite forgave himself for that really. But now he served this master, Gregory's grandson, and he was lucky to have him back after all that time away in Africa. He had been searching for his master, and had found him face down in the dunes that night, barely alive, with hardly any recollection of what had happened before that.
Daniel did not even remember his devoted servant Barry. Ever since that trip, the young man's memory had been sketchy at best. Barry was determined to do all he could for his master. That was his duty. among other things.
Because of this fact, Daniel had often in the last two months since his his trip, asked Barry for stories of his past. The servant was only too happy to oblige. For if it meant having his master back, it was worth anything, even a few 'bed-time stories' when the nightmares that plagued him grew darker then normal.
Daniel's grandfather, as Barry would often relate, had been a solderer in the royal army. He was a gentleman however as well, and showed it in kind acts, he believed would counter his own brutal nature. As an aristocrat himself in those days, Lord Gregory's taste for debauchery and Lust was matched only by his skill with a pistol. Those who dared to ever cross his path were usually found face down in a gutter, picked off from hundreds of yard away, most likely from Gregory's very window. On the battlefield he was only known as the reaper. And with good reason. Many men fell to his superior aim and eye.
Barry brought the small cake to his master, who in turn took it, having set aside the now half drained cup of tea.Daniel could already feel the special herbs for relaxation beginning to work. He was starting to become drowsy again, even against his will. He waved the servant off, so that he could try and get some much needed rest, and Barry Obliged. Bowing out of the room and closing the door again.
Daniel sat again in the darkness. He had a very long day ahead of him.
The morning came quickly. Too soon, for the young auburn haired man, by far, for soon they were landing in London, the airship with it's hundreds of passengers doing so smoothly, it's many winged oars halting when it landed safely in the still waters at port. The sun Burned Daniel's eyes as he disembarked and waited for Barry to flag down a carriage to take them to where he needed to be, and the very reason he had come so very far from home in the first place.
No one noticed in the heat of the summer day, the shadows grow thickly around the young man's feet as he got into the cab in front of his servant. The very blackness seeming to reach up from the cobblestones and snatching at his high-healed buckled boots.
That was alright, it could wait. It always had time…
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Daniel stared out the window of Professor H. Grant’s office, on the fourth floor. The man who’s love of cigars permeated the very Oder of the room in which he was taking up residence, was leafing through the trove of documents that had been presented to him. He rifled through them as a prospector would sift through sand for precious nuggets of gold or silver. After a moment, he tossed them aside to come to rest near the strange glass casing that held a most magnificent and pleasing to the eyes stone. A rare Archeological jewel. But Grant simply scoffed. He was the head geologist in all of London, and at present he felt his time was being wasted on this trivial piece of seemingly worthless azure rock.
“ …Let me get this right…” he stated after a few drags of the cigar in his hand, his voice skeptical and mocking “You are honestly telling me that everyone you have known thus far who is close to you in anyway, has died, and the blame falls squarely on this stone?” His mustache bristled incredulously and his lips turned upward in a small smile. “…is this not a tad far-fetched? Even for you Daniel my boy?”
Daniel, resplendent in his red brown traveling jacket, and matching red brown leather trousers, was not smiling. In fact, he seemed to be getting more and more upset by the second. His old friend, and mentor was not taking this seriously at all, how dare he mock everything he’d been through! The young aristocrat leaned on his silver and cherry wood cane and frowned down at his teacher, who’s grin in turn, faltered.
“I assure you professor grant…” he put an emphasis on the second to last word, to show his displeasure. “There is absolutely nothing far-fetched about this tale.” Daniel leaned on his cane a bit more, his turned ankle starting to ache with this standing. It had not quite fully healed from his time in Africa, and it was paining him badly today.
He ignored it.
“I would wish that this was nothing more then some fever dream of mine, but sadly, I am awake.”
Grant looked at Daniel sadly, his eyes tracing over the young man’s face, and seeing worry lines and dark patches under his handsome sky blue eyes. “Daniel… when did you last sleep?” He ignored the question, and continued on speaking as if he had never been interrupted.
“I found this particular stone, on a recreational trip to Sierra Leone some weeks ago. This is a trip I now do not fully remember.” The Images that Daniel called up with his words made him cringe, the carnage that ravaged his camp, and the terrible shadows that even today plagued his dreams and hounded his footsteps. He knew they were there, even when others could not see them. They were all around him, Even now, in this sun-lit office.
“The locals all have wild tales about that place, why on earth would you go there? Those men are all barbarians Daniel…”
Daniel glared; he truly hated to be interrupted. Perspiring slightly in the hot august air of this room, he began again, determined to finish his tale and put this whole thing to rest once and for all. “The local Arabs have tales yes, that are based in fact Professor. The local legends speak of ‘lizard-men’ who brought these very stones to earth on the back of a great dragon…”
Grant scoffed but Daniel ignored him and continued. “The dragon I believe is a metaphor. Peoples of that age would not know what a comet was, but never the less; these stones do not truly exist…” Professor grant looked from Daniel to the stone and back, then began to laugh
“Poppycock Daniel, I can see quite plainly that this stone you have is quite real…”
“Please professor…” Daniel was growing hot under the color now, his temperature rising with his rage. “If you will, these stones have been examined by all the greatest geologists I have been able to locate. It is they who told me that this stone cannot be real, but man made.”
The shadows grew darker under Daniel, and he felt them. His grip on the cane grew tighter, he must contain his fury, for that was when the curse laid on him was it’s strongest. He tried to calm himself down, but found that very difficult to do with Grant’s next words.
“well those quacks down south would not know a rock from a hole in the ground!” He guffawed at his own joke. He cleared his throat and picked up one of the documents presented to him, he then began to read aloud from it. Daniel’s spine went ridged as a prickle of fear went down his back from the top of his head. “ ’should even one stone of heaven leaves the land which ‘they’ have chosen, a great darkness, like unto that of a shadow which follows behind and below, shall be unfettered, unbound, and set free, to do as it sees fit. It will take control of the one in which it decides is most fit, and drag that man into the de4pths of hell, to reclaim what is it’s own flesh and blood.’ ” He threw the paper aside with a laugh “really Daniel… are you alright?”
Daniel stood stock still; he did not turn, for he already knew what he would find behind him. His heart skipped wildly about in his chest as his breath came hard and fast in his breast. He could not stand this ringing silence anymore; he’d not even heard the professor’s last words. His eyes were wide, his grip on the cane tight.
He mustered the last dregs of his courage and whirled suddenly; he saw nothing. As always, there was never anything there, only his shadow on the wall cast by the light of the setting sun outside the window.
He had sensed it. It was there!
The older man looked around Daniel his chair creaking slightly as he craned his neck to get a better view, expecting to see a bird at the very least. And he too saw nothing. “A bit jumpy are we Daniel?” He chuckled.
Daniel’s back stiffened as it always did when he was mocked. He turned, and picked up the small glass case and the papers off the old man’s desk. “With all due respect professor, but if you; who I have known as my friend, for many years, will not help me… “He turned his back to the golden haired man, and started for the door “then I shall have to find less then savory alternatives to my predicament.”
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Daniel fidgeted in the stiflingly hot perfumed air of this macabre dressed room. While his chair was comfortable enough, the young aristocrat could not relax. This was forbidden territory he treaded now, seeing as he was quite a devout believer in the Lord of Hosts, He was committing quite the grievous sin here today. No doubt, he would need to spend a fare few hours in the confessional come Sunday morning.
After leaving Professor Grant’s Office on the second floor of the Museum of Economic Geology on Charing Cross road, Daniel had done quite a bit of research. Locating any book at all that would have helped him solve the mystery of this unusual stone. After a solid week staying at the Inn near Berkeley-square not willing to settle for –anything- less than the best; his servant Barry, while fetching the post, had spotted an article in the back of a likely looking solution.
The article had been topped with a very peculiar icon, that of the archaic ‘all seeing eye’ the title, as Daniel soon discovered rightly was the name of this off-beat place, was ‘The inner sanctum’. An interesting look into this for the use of subtle references to one’s inner most mind, and soul.
The Advertisement it’s self was followed by a slogan.
‘We have your answers.’
At first Daniel was skeptical, and simply tossed the daily post aside in despair, however after a rather grievous nightmare, in which he woke up screaming so loudly that he woke nearly all the residents of Mivart’s. He decided then, after he’d let go of Barry’s nightshirt to which he’d been clutching for dear life; to go to this place, and see whoever it was that did whatever spells were done.
Perhaps, the good lord would strike him down, for his sin before he ever reached there and be freed of his nightly tortures.
But he was not.
So here he sat, in the heat of summer, in a room that spelled of roses and strong drink, waiting to be seen by the proprietor of this establishment. In his anxious state, even the ornately carved pedestal in the center of the floor looked demonic. Behind him he knew, was a large red velvet curtain that rustled menacingly every few minutes and a satanic looking alter with many candles and tincture vials around its sides. The walls were lined with many taxidermy animals and feathers of all kinds. Beads and draperies hung abound from the ceiling and waved with sickening motions in the still moist air.
Daniel pulled at his collar. He was beginning to get –very- upset. It was unclear just how much longer he had to wait here, but he was getting the uneasy sensation of being watched from the darkness as he sat there with his back exposed to the shadows; which all seemed to dance and writhe in this room. So thick were the shadows of this room in which he waited that he could nearly taste them. Like a thick cough medicine, or a bottle of extremely cheap wine.
“How much longer must I wait here?” Daniel said exasperated that this host was not showing the slightest bit of interest in appearing any time soon. He was starting to feel the darkness of the stone, now resting in his breast pocket, grow inside him, as if it was a living thing, ready to lash out at anyone who came within reach. The feeling blurred his vision and made it hard to concentrate on nearly anything he tried to set his mind to. He rubbed at his eyes; burning in the perfumed air.
Brook-street was not known for its ‘royalty’ In a word; for many of the downtrodden were there, even in Mayfair, which was one of the most luscious parts of London. Needless to say, Daniel was apprehensive enough as it was, he did not need this added stress as well on top of everything else; including the fact that Barry was forced to stay outside with the coach he had rented for his Master.
Madam Justine; As she had introduced herself, was the proprietors daughter, and she was as beautiful as the blinding sun above. Locks of golden hair swung past her hips, her attire well more provocative then any lady should rightly have it. She flitted around the room as if she was an exotic bird, wild and free in the morning after the rains had come and gone.
“You must be patient’ came her dulcet tones of mock seduction “my father is a very busy man monsieur.” Justine’s voice was just as fetching as the golden eyes which peered over the tops of bottles of unknown substances at him.
‘Busier than a man running for his life? I think not.’ Daniel thought bitterly and got to his feet stiffly “this waiting is torture on my already over taxed nerves… If I must wait much longer…” He said through gritted teeth, the all-encompassing darkness of this room was starting to suffocate him. He would need to step outside this building if it lasted much longer.
“you must have a…” The woman’s eyes reflected a candle now as she stared over at him with catlike wonder and poise. “…Deep and –troubled- past Monsieur Valentine.” Daniel felt his face grow hot as a bright pink flush formed on his cheeks. He was not a chaste man, but he’d not had contact with a woman for many months… This one was very trying.
“Enough.” Came a deep and powerful voice from behind Daniel. “Your wiles are not needed with this one.” She pouted her lips and went back to her shelving of herbs.
Daniel’s heart left into his throat. The voice that rang out like breaking glass cut through the haze of perfume and incense smoke like a knife. He whirled to face the old man, and nearly gasped rudely.
So wrinkled was the hand that moved aside the curtain, that Daniel was sure this was an elderly man of small stature, but when the red velvet was flung aside roughly, what stood before him was nothing short of some dark god.
The man’s hair, silver as moonlight did nothing to deaden his nearly glowing amber eyes, nor make it any less difficult to believe this man to be something akin to that of Dracula. He was so old that he seemed to be ageing right before Daniel’s very eyes. Those Catlike amber eyes were half lidded and seemed to scream of immense power beyond mortal understanding.
He moved past Daniel to the pedestal in the middle of the floor, stepping carefully over the alchemist’s circle etched into the floor itself, and placed a large crystal ball, big enough to fill both his hands, before he turned; suddenly in his hands he held a long Kris dagger engraved with many runes.
Daniel’s breath caught in his chest again as the man turned, his blood red robes sweeping the dustless ground.
“Welcome Daniel…” He said in husky tones of obvious German decent “I have been expecting you for two moons now…”
Daniel gulped. What had he gotten himself into?


















