Phillips Harbour
Monday, October 26, 1868. Evening.
While the two women search for the unicorn, Mr. Mikkelsen, Mr. Shaft and Caliban play cards in the boathouse while they await their return. Mikkelsen has not yet become jaded enough to hide his surprise that caliban keeps winning, no matter what game they play. "How iss it the monkey alvays hass the gut cards?"
Shortly after Caliban's prepared dinner -- with the foresight to make two extra portions -- the clatter of Slate's hoofbeats announces the women's return. All three are touseled and dirty, the women with mussed hair and tear-stained cheeks. Rae's expression is wild and enrapt, ice-blue eyes burning with passion and determination.
The monkey looks up with great surprise at the newcomers, putting his cards back down. "Ook?" Good trip?
From the appearance of the women (particularly Rae), Herbert says, "I take it you've met with success?"
"Ve found her." Miss Mikkelsen smiles, but there's something serious beneath her smile, joy mixed with some other emotion. "Gustav -- " she says something else in Norwegian.
Her brother leaps to his feet, incredulous. He clasps her shoulders in his hands and they have a rapid-fire conversation in Norwegian, full of emotion on both sides. Gustav looks by turns amazed, delighted, and concerned.
The chimpanzee cheers! "Ook! Ook ook eek!" Oh great! I made an apple pie earlier for when you'd get back. Let me get it out! He goes to get the dessert.
The doctor is more sober, but intense in her own way, heedless of her unravelling braid, eyes a wild green to Rae's brilliant blue. "We found more than the unicorn," she says. "We found the Game's beginning. Everything. We must get everyone together, the Pastor, the coyote, Miss Pau, everyone. We all need to talk about this right away."
"That.. could be difficult," Shaft notes. "Last I heard, Hale's associates had gone to 'interview' Mr. Waite, but someone should still be with Miss Pau."
Bernice shakes her head, wisps of tousled hair straying into her face, making her seem to realize the state she's in. She begins trying to put some semblance of order to it, if just to settle herself a little, brimming with nervous energy. "Difficult or no, it has to be done. There are no Openers or Closers anymore. We have to come to a consensus. We know why the Game is played now."
"I can go see to Hale then," Herbert says, standing up. "If you'd like to freshen up, there's a hot-water shower aboard the Babbage that you can use. Do you have a suggested meeting place? Perhaps the good doctor's, since moving Pau could be problematical?"
Grateful for a chance to clean up, Bernice begins making her way toward the houseboat. "I'll find some way of bringing Pau out, either saying I'll take her for a constitutional, or... dash it all, whatever it takes. I'll be along shortly, and I'll leave some hot water for you, Rae. Hopefully I'll have some time to groom Slate while we sort this all out."
After Caliban serves the pie, Herbert says to him, "We should get the calculation program running before we meet with the others. We'll head out as soon as a meeting place is chosen."
The ape serves up apple pie for the prodigal gals, with scoops of what appears to be hand-whipped cream, frothed by the monkey's diligent wrist. He sets out slices with utmost gravity, just as if he were a proper English butler. "Ook," he says agreeably.
Phillips Harbour
Monday, October 26. Night.
To arrange for the meeting, the Closers first turn to Miss Pau -- easily found as patient/prisoner at Dr. Greene's house. She arranges for Lei contact Yotee and his Player. After some negotiation back and forth, conducted carefully while Rev. Locke is distracted by one or another of the Closers, a time and location are set.
The Moon is not yet full, but hangs gibbous over the top of the Hill. The dark stones of doubled-triangle pattern that mark the top loom shadowy and ominous in the tall meadow grass. The participants of this conference arrive, some afoot and some on horse, and some riding on their Players.
Herbert Shaft does not have an animal's sense of smell, but nonetheless the scents of blood and gunpowder linger in his memory once he and Caliban arrive at the standing stones. "I never thought we'd be returning here, old friend," he says to his companion.
The chimpanzee nods soberly. His eyes are wide as he looks around for threats.
The doctor dismounts, and stands at her Morgan's head, occupying herself as she waits by stroking the horse's nose. Though she hasn't left her rifle behind, she makes a point of leaving it slung in Slate's saddle harness, securely strapped down so that she's left essentially unarmed. While she regards the Hill with a certain wariness, it's not quite with the same dread... more of an attitude of caution than her previous fear of a complete unknown.
The Hilltop is fringed by trees with a large grassy meadow at the center. The stones are arranged in the meadow, boulders that have been here centuries. Although the moon illuminates the meadow well enough to see the little white flowers dotting it, shadows hang thick in the trees. There're plenty of places to hide here.
Well, maybe not a threat, but a small canine silhouette becomes visible as a darker blot against night sky. The moon's empty light is reflected in his eyes. He's on a boulder, not very close and near the downslope in a place that offers many escape routes. He barks once, not very loud, but loud enough. Hey.
Miss Pau enters on foot along with Herbert and Caliban. She is wide-eyed, curious, and unrestrained. Lei is on her shoulder, and chirps a greeting to the coyote. She circles the clearing overhead as the others gather.
Two more people follow behind Bernice Townes, unexpectedly: the blonde Nordic siblings, Rae and Gustav Mikkelsen.
Caliban's normal work jacket is gray in the moonlight, with obvious lighter patches at the shoulders, and the sleeves appear to have been repaired several times. Beneath that is a plain shirt, and straps of what appear to be suspenders, or perhaps a tool-bearing harness. Startled, he reaches inside his jacket at the bark, then slowly takes his hand out empty, giving the coyote a terse nod.
"Be wary of magic here, Miss Pau," Herbert notes to the woman, just in case she isn't fully aware of the Hill's nature.
Moonlight glints off the rifle Randall holds at his side, as he steps out from the trees' shadows. After a moment's pause, he silently nods to Miss Pau, and then walks back into the shadows.
A biased part of Bernice regards the coyote with more trepidation than she gave the Hill, but she seems to be trying to get that under control, raising an open hand in greeting. "Hello. I'm glad for everyone that's come. I wish I could have brought Mssr. Girard as well, but it's such short notice... I still hope to contact him at any rate. This is very important for all of us."
In response to Herbert, Miss Pau nods. She says softly, "This is a dangerous place, now. It would not be a good place for any of us to fight, I think."
The coyote returns all gazes, though it's hard to read a reaction on a normal day, and at night from at least 20 paces his intentions are inscruitable. He turns three times and lies on the boulder top, watching comfortably.
Bernice rubs her wrist, casting a glance about for Rev. Hale, and seeing no sign. "I hope the Reverend is alright. I'd like his input on this as well, but I don't want to keep everyone waiting either, particularly here of all places. Honestly, this wouldn't be my choice of meeting spot, but I was willing to do whatever it takes to have you all hear me out."
"Go ahead, Bernice," Shaft says. "Don't worry about Hale right now."
The doctor nods, suddenly looking very self-conscious. She shifts uneasily, but pushes on to keep momentum. "This concerns all of us as Players. Miss. Mikkelsen and I went in search of the Unicorn... Miss Pau, Trouble, I don't know what you two know of her, but we understood she was familiar with spirits, and we'd hoped to find some answers about what might wait behind the Banefire."
I've talked with spirits that met her, but couldn't find her. Yotee informs.
"Good, I'm glad you've had some notion of her, then," says Bernice, reaching a hand over her shoulder to stroke Slate's nose, still trying to reassure herself. "I should think the spirits would give you some impression of the Unicorn's connection with them, with everything, and well she should. It is she, along with the Hart, that brought them to our world. They began the Game."
"What?" Herbert blurts out.
The chimpanzee stays close to his master, one hand on his master's hand. Mr. Shaft feels his hand witch at this revelation, but Caliban doesn't say anything, just listens intently.
Bernice regards Herbert gravely. "They began the Game," she repeats. "They are of the Other, they and all spirits. Everything we've known as a spirit, the Still Wood, the Hill, the spirit of the Yangtze that Miss Pau communed with, the piece inside me that lets me talk to animals, the pieces in Caliban and Slate that make them so remarkable... all began on the other side. None are of this world."
The stag was rescuing the spirits, from the darkness. With mother. Yotee says slowly, hesitant.
Miss Mikkelsen holds her brother's hand as Bernice speaks; both siblings look intent. Rae is full of a passionate determination; Gustav, by contrast is clearly worried and attempting to hide his fear. Slate stands behind her mistress, muzzle dipped to touch Bernice's shoulder in support. Miss Pau nods her head at Bernice's words, looking interested as she considers it, neither accepting nor rejecting the story yet.
Herbert looks to Caliban, and wonders at the words. He also thinks of Caliban's nightmare.
But why? asks the chimpanzee.
The doctor nods. "Or so he thought, he and the Unicorn. Hale believes the other side to be Hell, but while it may not be exactly as he thinks, it is a place of torment. Powerful spirits lord over the masses, manipulating them at a whim, like unto masters and slaves would that you could command your slave to die, or change completely to suit whimsy. Control as utterly complete as God's over clay." She turns to Caliban. "The Hart and the Unicorn were two such of these greater spirits, and they were of the few that thought their subjects should have a better existance. They learned of this world, and came through, securing their freedom... and dooming them."
A darkness came, blacker than night, spreading and swallowing all the spirits, like the darkness in this hill. Yotee stands up, shaking his head. The rescued the spirits they could, taking them back to a safe place. Mother... she wanted to go back to get the rest. The stag... I forget what he said, if he would stay with them. But Mother went through to stay on the side with the darkness. I went with her.
"Something about the other side sustains spirits," says Bernice. "Something they need. They fled the other side and came here thousands of years ago, before the rise of man, and at that time the Unicorn and Hart could shape the land, and even lesser spirits like the spark that lives in me could march whole forests about. Over time, they've diminished as Pau described to me, weakened, gradually faded and forgotten themselves. Over time, they will cease to be. Only the Unicorn and Hart remember now."
It was a dream. Yotee admits, hanging his head, but it was true. Except mother is much smaller now and I can't remember anything. I woke up before I found if we rescued more and went back or were trapped on the wrong side.
"So... both Openers and Closers are correct?" Herbert asks. "The consequences are bad no matter which path we choose?"
Miss Pau looks sober. "What did the Unicorn say would happen if the portal were Opened now?"
Wait, wait, I missed a step here, the chimpanzee objects. So, like, the other side's Coventry an' the spirits're tryin' to escape, an' the Unicorn an' the Hart are two of these big spirits that made it out? Except they need somethin' on the other side, so they get weaker an' weaker?
An' if we open the Portal, they can get strong again, but we also open the way to all these spirits that want to control the li'l spirits?
Bernice nods gravely at both Yotee and Herbert. "Your mother has faded just as all of us have, I would presume. Unicorn, Hart, Hill, Forest, myself... all spirits are but shadows of what they once were. Opening the way could revitalize them. However." The woman folds her hands and turns to address Pau and Caliban. "You should know that although the Game began with the Unicorn and Hart, the Other continue it. It is they who have tried to open the portal ever Game, they who seek to come through and reclaim all spirits. Their power is absolute, and in doing so they would make this world as their world is now."
"Are the Others the ones who create the Banefire?" Herbert asks.
But there are many spirits, a lot of really small, weak ones, and a few powerful ones, and ones like the Hill or Mother, they are very, very, very rare. The coyote adds, They're not suffering. They were once more powerful. There's a sense of fading and diminishing, as Mankind rises we fall, but maybe it's gone on longer than that.
Caliban scratches behind an ear, taking this in. That don't sound so good. So if we keep the Portal closed, the spirits in this world die, if we open it, the spirits in the other world move in an' take over. He ponders. I don't suppose we could, like, cut a li'l cat door in the Portal or somethin'?
"Or find out what the spirits of this world need from the other side, and recreate it on this end," Herbert muses.
Miss Pau laughs at Caliban's image, then sobers as she translates it and Yotee's for the benefit of the others. "I do not think a 'cat door' will work, my friend. Or at least, I can see no way to do it." She looks to Mr. Shaft for advice, and to the shadows where Randall disappeared earlier.
Bernice gives a helpless little shrug. "I couldn't begin to understand how the mechanics of it work, Mr. Shaft. But one thing is clear... this division between Opener and Closer is pointless now. We must come to a consensus." She nods at Yotee. "They may not be suffering, but yes, they're fading. Some, like the Hill, consume others to sustain themselves." A haunted look crosses the woman's face.
"There's another, in town," Shaft notes. "The old Shelley place seems to have one of these devouring spirits like the Hill."
No! She's friendly, and lonely. Yotee barks. And you did something bad to her.
"I'm not talking about Marseilles," Herbert notes after the translation. "The house itself. It's been trying to devour her."
Well, she did try to kill me when we first met, but a lot of people have that reaction. The coyote adds sagely. Oh. Oh the house!
"We're keeping her trapped for now," Shaft explains. "If we let her go, she'll be drawn back there."
When Yotee's comment gets translated, Gustav looks somewhat sheepish and guilty. "I thought he might be rabid," he mumbles to Rae.
Bernice listens with interest. "That makes sense. Many of the spirits inhabitted inanimate objects. All the artifacts? They are greater spirits themselves, if I recall correctly. The staff Trouble took from me, the Stone, all of them. That is why they are able to manipulate the opening and closing, and why they have 'preferences'."
"Our Spirit Lamp must simulate the opening of the portal as well, or at least the effect of the banefire on spirits," Herbert notes. "I don't understand exactly how, though, or if it provides them with what they need."
Yes, the house devouring things makes sense. There's a man in town with no soul and he goes to the house. Yotee sits on the boulder in a 'bad dog' pose. I'm going to go back there. Your lamp, it promises what we need, but doesn't deliver. A good trick, but not a nice one.
The boss didn't make it to feed spirits what they need, the ape points out crossly. We didn't even know spirits needed anything! Anyway, that doesn't -- man with no soul?
Herbert muses silently for a moment. "The artifacts are spirits.. that explains why the amplifier would enhance them, at least."
Bernice holds her hands up. "Come now, the point is moot. We're faced with a dilemma here. I as much as anyone would like to see the spirits of our world restored, or at least protected. But I also recognize that we... yes, I consider it 'we' now, have no right to bring what may well be certain enslavement down on the original beings of this world. The Unicorn herself insisted on Closing, saying that the spirits still had many years left. That's why I asked you all here. We must explore our options, and decide what is to be done together, whether it's to find a new way of sustaining spirits, Closing the portal forever, or trying to fight the Other, if that's even possible."
"And Miss Pau guessed correctly," the doctor adds, frowning a little. "This is the last Game."
"Spirits can be drained of power," Shaft says. "Perhaps even these greater overlords. We can... possibly... restore the Unicorn to full strength as well at the banefire."
The Other? The, uh, Royal High Poobah of the other side? asks Caliban.
Bernice rubs her head, setting her newly re-tied braid wagging. "I use the term Other to describe everything on the other side. I would assume the masters would be using their lessers against us as well. Bear in mind, the entire might of another realm would be falling on us, I should think."
Something has gotten the coyote's attention. He stands on his rock, hops down and for a moment is a shadow within a shadow, then he's much closer to the others but stays outside of an easy grab. Almost all humans have a kind of spirit-within; if I squint hard I can see it. Some have big ones, like Randall and Bernice and Pau. Others have just a little one, like Hale and Rae and... Yotee looks at Gustav, and his gun. ... and there was the caretaker. He didn't have one that I could see. That's uncommon. He stops by Shaft, You don't have one either, that I can see.
"Interesting, it ties in well with what I know is to come." Randall pitches his voice to carry across the hill. "But, ultimately, it changes nothing for me. If the gate remains closed, then humanity suffers the same fading away that your spirits face now. That is the Fate I am here to derail. The Game remains, I play to Open."
The chimpanzee points out. That's what I want to know, can we just take out their top guy, or do we have a whole army to fight? He looks at the coyote oddly. Hey! My boss is the nicest guy I know!
"It stands to reason," Shaft says to the coyote. "The spirits are outnumbered now. There are more humans than they can possibly inhabit."
Maybe he lost it or put it somewhere. Yotee suggests, Animals rarely have one. ALL of the companions have significant ones.
It could have gotten stuck in your machine the first time you turned it on. He adds as an afterthought.
"What do you foresee happening to Mankind if the Portal Closes, Mr. Waite?" Miss Pau asks. "I have long believed that our fate was bound to that of the spirit world ... but I am not sure of what would happen. And it sounds as though you are."
Caliban looks bemused at Yotee's suggestion.
Bernice folds her arms, looking over at where Randall's voice is coming from and seeming in agreement with Pau. "Well sir, I invite you to explain your reasoning. As I said, we must all come to a consensus, whether it's Opening, Closing, or whatnot, for the simple fact that it's not just about Opening and Closing anymore. It's about living and dying, and determining how we're going to live. We ALL want that."
I don't want to see the spirits die, but I don't want to see our world taken over, the ape opines. I say steal what the spirits need if we can, but keep it Closed except when we have to steal it.
I LIKE that plan! Yotee opines.
Caliban eyes Trouble suspiciously, reconsidering his plan. If the coyote likes it...
The doctor smiles a little wryly, pushing a lock of hair out of her face. She catches Caliban's expression, and speaks up. "I like it too, but if it comes down to trying to steal the sky, it may not be possible. What we have to do is work together now and learn more, find out what our options are. We don't have to make a decision right this minute, we can base it on what we find out, but the imperitive is we must work together!" The woman drops her fist into her hand. "No more room for distrust or silly games. This isn't a Game anymore. It's life or death."
"A world where a man has no meaning, and Mankind has little. A world where a life has no meaning, just a cog in a great machine, from which there is no escape, no other course, all that try are crushed, without hope of change or succor. No soul. No God. Without end." Randall's voice tapers off for a moment, after he finishes answering Miss Pau, before he coldly replies to Bernice "Ma'am, I'm afraid you are a fool. Its always been about living and dying and determining how."
Bernice looks taken aback at Randall's words, stunned into silence.
"We'll need to experiment in the time we have left. Try to reverse the charging process, from the battery to a spirit, and see if it works," Herbert tells Caliban. "We can try to recharge Marseilles' strength."
Rae Mikkelsen steps forward after Randall speaks, the blonde braid wrapped like a crown around her head gleaming in the moonlight. She speaks steadily: "These spirits are from another vorld, yes. They are immigrants to this von, yes. But they haf been vit us for tens of thousands of years. They are part of us. This spark uv vich Miss Townes speaks, the spirit vithin -- that iss ME. It iss a PART of ME. Its fate iss my fate. It iss the part of me that lives on ven my flesh iss gone. I vill not let it fade and die to save my flesh. I vill not let the unicorn pass into oblivion because I am afraid! I did not know your Game ven I cam to this town, but I know it now. I vill fight. I vill Play. I vill OPEN."
"The only matter I care to discuss is how we are to deal with Hale, who "stands listening" to us now." Randall steps back into the moonlight for a moment, to point toward the silent man on the other side of the clearing. "His bully boys came tramping up to my doorstep today, full of rightous fury and noise."
The coyote seems genuinely happy with the thought of stealing stuff, as much as can be read about a canine in the moonlight. He twitches a bit at Randall's speech, more at Shaft's comment. Then he bounds over to Rae. He always liked her.
Letting Rae speak gives Bernice a moment to recover, and a rare flash of anger appears in her eyes for a moment, before she pushes it down and forces herself to keep her composure. "Call me a fool if you must, sir, but there's no call for it. I'm trying to work with you." She brightens slightly at the sight of Hale. "Reverend, you're here finally! Good!"
Rae smiles as Yotee bounds over. She bends to offer him a hand. "You Open to, do you not?" she asks him.
Townes is starting to look a little put upon. "Let's decide whether we're Opening and Closing once we've used our collective resources to learn more. It may not be as simple as that, or even if it is, we have to decide what to DO afterward. Open if we must, fine, but then how do we deal with the masters?"
Hale steps out of the shadows of the trees. Like Randall, he carries a rifle. It's slung back on his shoulder, not ready to be fired. "This may be for naught. In 1847, there should have been a Game. I know. I was there. So was st. John. We went to the calculated spot and lit the Banefire, but the Portal never even started to form. There was no Closing that night, and no Opening. Whatever your Unicorn fears will stop the Game may have already ended it."
Yotee sniffs her hand for food, or food it might have had, then he licks her palm. Yes. I'm an Opener, I just don't say it as well as you.
"St. John killed another Player before the Death of the Moon that time, didn't she, Reverend?" Shaft asks.
First thing first, the ape points out practically. This stuff spirits need. Do we know what they need? What makes it? Will it fit in a bag or do we need a wagon?
Rev. Hale nods. "Yes, she did. But if it were as simple as killing before the Death of the Moon to stop the Portal, every Game would be a bloodbath."
The doctor gives Caliban a helpless look. "I don't know if it's as straightforward as food is for a human. It could well be some connection to their world." Looking up from the ape, she turns to Hale. "As I'm not sure how much bearing the old rules have. They might just be in place simply to regulate the Game somewhat. Ultimately, it was a process of arbitration between the spirits that wanted to try going back, and the spirits that feared what would happen letting the Other through."
"The Openers and Closers might have been opposed, but ultimately they were still like siblings, and I'm sure the Unicorn didn't want them fighting to the death," continues Bernice.
"We might be able to force the banefire if needed," Herbert says. "The portal must manifest at a weakened spot between the worlds. I think the banefire draws in spirits until the spiritual pressure is great enough to force an opening.. with a little help from the Players. As Trouble has pointed out, my 'cruel trick' can draw in the needed spirits. Maybe."
The ape reaches into his jacket and pulls out a twist of jerky. He chews on it thoughtfully. Can we, I don't know... Poke around on the other side, have a look around, case the joint? If we could look through where the portal's to be somehow...
The coyote leans against Rae's legs, staying on the side opposite Gustav. He peers at Bernice, The flower spirit I rescued to the Shelly house was fine, last I saw it. Are you sure it devours? I'm still not convinced this is the refuge.
Bernice points at Randall in a rare show of bravado. "There, see? The Game's broken. We'd need to pry the portal open, if that's what we're going to do. If you play to Open, you need us anyway! All of us!" Take that, you old sourpuss.
"We can show you the face of the house spirit, Trouble," Shaft says. "We took it's photograph."
Rae pats the coyote's side gently, having said her piece. The talk of the others about how to save the spirits and fight the Masters at the same time gives her some hope, but she doesn't have much else to contribute so for now she only listens.
Caliban rummages around in his jacket. Several maps, a handkerchief, another twist of jerky and a few glassy marbles later, the promised photograph emerges.
Caliban offers this to his master gravely.
"Thank you, Caliban," Herbert says, and holds out the photo for the others to inspect - starting with Pau, who's already seen the other Darklight photo and is closest anyway.
Dutifully, Yotee trots over towards the Thing of Interest! Well, that would be the jerky, but everyone's expecting him to look at the photograph so he looks at that.
The Darklight photo proves to be one of the most disturbing Shaft's taken. By spirit light, the Shelley manor doesn't look like a house, but like some grisly tomb: the framing looks like bones, the windows eyes, broken slats teeth, a dark, hungry, animated thing devouring what's inside of it. Red flames flicker in the eyes.
The white flower blazes like a beacon of light inside this chilling frame, as if it were forcing the darkness of the house at bay. The small figure of Marseilles huddles beside it. Half of her is bathed in the flower's light, the other half swallowed by the darkness of the looming manor. The coyote is in the picture too. He stands outside the house, and like the flower he glows with inner light. He seems to be beckoning to the girl, as if urging her to escape the house, but she's hesitating.
Bernice looks on as well, and she is also clearly discomfitted at the sight of the house. "What is this... flower spirit?"
I rescued it. A darkness came and it was falling away. It tried to take me. I was faster. The coyote is still, less playful in pose. I had to carry it carefully and I brought it to Marseilles because she was lonely and needed a friend to stay with her.
"Where was this darkness?" Shaft asks.
It was by the river. It was dark and scary there! I could find it again maybe. Yotee paws at an ear.
"We'd like to examine the spot, if possible," Shaft says to the coyote.
The doctor touches her lips with a fingertip thoughtfully. "So then, is there some distinction between dark spirits and normal ones? Are the dark ones those that feed on others, or are they perhaps Other that somehow got here?"
"As the time of the full moon approaches, the fabric between the worlds should be growing weaker," Shaft supposes. "There could very well be places where the other side is able to squeeze through a bit. Which means we could possibly use the same routes to spy on them."
Rae shakes her head. "I do not understand how this iss connected vit the Game. Vat makes someone a Player in this Game. These spirits, do they Play? Or are they only vatchers? Or not involved at all, like the people in the town who do not understand vat you do here or vy you come?"
Bernice turns to the Mikkelsen sister. "Not all Play, from what I understand," she says. "Like Kari said, there's a formality to it. You must begin before the month, and you must have a Companion."
She's been seeking the Unicorn for that long. Does that count? The coyote asks.
"I wouldn't know... but I suppose it might make some sense, if it counts her brother as her Companion," admits Bernice.
"You can certainly help, in any case, Miss Mikkelsen," Herbert says. "But the conditions of the banefire may exclude you, unless you have a game artifact. And, given what we've learned about the other artifacts tonight, I'd say the Unicorn can count as both a Companion and an Artifact."
"I do not know. I have never heard of someone joining the Game after the 15th," Miss Pau says. "I do not see how you can Play now, Miss Mikkelsen, much as I would be pleased to have you on our side."
Hale looks as if he's considering speaking, but he doesn't.
"There are still things she can help us with," Shaft repeats. "And even the visiting demon-hunters may be able to play a part, if they really have fought demons and won."
Trouble is still staring at the Darklight photo. "Can you trap the Dark spirits with your machine also?"
Bernice seems to catch the expression, and reaches out a little in a gesture towards Hale. "Is something on your mind, Reverend? Please, speak up. We need to consider every angle, every bit of information we can muster."
"They would need to be weakened first," Herbert tells Trouble. "A self-aware spirit is not easy to trap, and these genius loci sort are beyond my experience. It may be possible to distract them into lowering their defenses though."
He shakes his head at Bernice. "I'm a Closer, Miss Townes. I have been a Closer for over twenty years. This is not my first Game. I need to meditate on this information, and pray for guidance. Your revelations are disturbing, but I ... do not think they change anything. I will consider it further."
The chimpanzee puts the unpocketed miscellany away, but saves the beef jerky for last, noticing Trouble's interest in it. Rev, I don't want the Other side comin' through an' bustin' up our world, but the spirits we've got on this side... What would the world be like without 'em?
Shaft nods to Hale. "He has a point. Even I admit that it would safer to Close, and then work on a solution to help the spirits in the time they have left. Unless we can develop a plan to deal with the malicious Others at the time of Opening, I can't put my full backing into it."
Show me a door, I'll sneak through. The coyote noses towards the beef jerky, giving Caliban time to jerk it away or grab him again.
The doctor nods in understanding. "It's a lot for any of us to take in. I only ask that people consider this on terms greater than clinging to their original Opening and Closing reasons, or even help gather more information on what we should do. We haven't much time left. In fact..." She pauses, then looks at the weathered boulders resting on the Hill. "In fact, maybe we should ask Alorn as well."
Caliban holds the jerky up. Maybe this'd help refresh your memory of where you found that darkness? he suggests, grinning at Trouble.
"We might be able to buy some time for the spirits on this side, and thus ensure the Game will continue, at the very least," Shaft says. Turning to Pau, he notes, "Caliban and I don't know magic, but we do know about the energy of spirits and how to manipulate it. Working together we might be able to discover what it is they need to sustain themselves, if you'd be interested?"
Bernice shakes her head, auburn braid wagging. "This is the last Game no matter what, Mr. Shaft. Whatever's happened has ensured that the portal only has this one last chance to open, if it will even open at all."
"I might be able to get the information needed for that, Mr. Shaft." Randall says consideringly, leaning against a tree. "At least, I'm pretty sure I could, but I'm afraid I'll be tied up dealing with smaller matters. Staving off the witch hunters that parties unnamed have stirred into action, for example."
The coyote sits, and stares up at the withheld food. Unlikely. I wasn't paying attention when I found it, I'd have to go looking till I found it again.
Miss Pau nods to Mr. Shaft. "I would be happy to investigate this with you. But I will tell you now: I will not give up Opening if we cannot find a working alternative in the next five days. And, of course ... I too have had certain difficulties with those witchhunters." She offers a nod to Rev. Hale.
The chimpanzee considers. Honest answer, but help us out if you can, knowing the truth can only help us all, he tells the coyote, tossing him the jerky.
Townes puts her hands on her hips. "If you can do that, Mr. Waites, we'll do whatever it takes to get them off you and Miss Pau. If anyone could turn up something that'll let us keep both the spirits and our world, I'd happily let them burn me at the stake. This is bigger than our petty differences."
"The hunters need to be given something bigger to sink their teeth into," Shaft agrees, and looks back to the photograph. "Do you think they'd be willing to take on a haunted house, Reverend?"
Rev. Hale raises his eyebrows, and takes the photograph. "That, Mr. Shaft," he says, "would be entirely within their realm of expertise. And interest."
The coyote happily starts chewing.
"Marseilles is safely locked away, so wouldn't be at risk from them prodding around the Manor," Shaft says. "And should they actually succeed in exorcising it, well that would be convenient as well."
"The townspeople have mentioned stories of the Shelley's and their 'curse' ... this photograph might be enough to focus their attention on the manor and away from the Game," Hale admits.
And the flower? Trouble asks.
Caliban chews on his own piece of jerky some more. Uh hey, Doc? You talked about... He thumbs up toward the boulders that Miss Townes had referred to.
As his shrug passes unseen in the shadows, Randall muses for a moment, then explains. "I'd have to find a weak spot in the barrier between the realms, to look through. Then find something useful, and figure out how to explain it in a manner that will be of use to those that will be carrying the fight after we are gone. It won't be quick, and I make no promises."
"I'm sure the caretaker will prove to be of interest to them as well," the Englishman adds. "The photo does show Trouble though. And they want me to start taking photos of.. who knows what. Best wait until morning to decide, however. I'm running the location calculations still, and once they are finished and we know the Manor will not be near the banefire, we can point them towards it."
Bernice nods somberly at Caliban. "The Hart is called Alorn."
Herbert looks into the area surrounded by the stones at the mention of the Hart.
The chimpanzee looks bemused. He's uh... Still there?
"Bound, according to the Unicorn," affirms Bernice.
Oh gee. By the Hill? What about, you know... Miss Fangs Are Better? asks Caliban.
The coyote finishes chewing on the jerky and looks at the boulders. Feels different here, now. It's turned inward, and some kind of struggle is going on within the Hill.
The doctor squirms a bit. "That I don't know, Mr. Caliban. I'm not advocating turning them loose, but then again, we have to remember they're there, and might be needed."
"A struggle?" Herbert asks. "And as for needed: did the Unicorn say the spirits of this world would be willing to fight the Others if it came down to it?"
At Yotee's revelation, Bernice puts a hand to her mouth. "Alorn was one of the master spirits. It could be he's a match for the Hill."
The chimpanzee points out, I'm not sure it's 'might be needed' as 'might show up unexpectedly.' He nods at Yotee.
Yotee trots over towards the boulders, Something is going on. Yeah.
Bernice looks a little frustrated with herself for not having a good answer again. "I don't think anyone can say, Mr. Shaft," she says. "The spirits don't remember their past lives on the other side. Even if they did, in their weakened state they'd be no match... they never were when they were at their strongest."
"Willing, perhaps, Mr. Shaft," Rae says. "Capable ... she did not think so. But they escaped the Masters once."
Okay, so whose great idea was it to meet here? gripes Caliban. Wait. Why don't they remember their past lives? If their masters came through, maybe they'd forget too.
"We might be able to help with the capable part," Shaft notes. "We also need to know if the Closing Artifacts can be turned against the Other masters to any affect, instead of being turned towards Closing the portal itself."
Bernice shakes her head. "It was a gradual process, Mr. Caliban. Of weakening and fragmenting. They only escaped because Kari, Alorn, and the masters that are now artifacts shepherded them away."
Mine. It was the worst place I could think of. Yotee hunts around. Memory is over-valued.
Trouble crouches, pushing his head against the ground. It's difficult to see exactly what he's doing beyond that, but there is no reflection from his eyes. They're closed.
The monkey paces around the group, hands behind his back. Okay, so we have Alorn strugglin' with the Hill, an' probably Miss I Have Bigger Fangs Than You All waitin' to get out if he wins. I dunno about you Openers, but I'm pretty sure she wants all humanity dead an' she'd get her wish if the Portal were opened.
"St. John may very well be working for the Other Masters," Herbert notes. "Her actions have not exactly been noble."
"And I have reason to be sure humanity is dead if the gate doesn't open. I don't think there will be time to change anyone's mind in the few days we have left." Randall patiently explains, while watching the coyote.
No. Yotee growls, She's fighting alongside him. I see the Stag and The Beast. Alorn, St. John. Wrestling with this roiling monster thing with lots of eyes and mouths and paws, hooves and hands. It's... I can't tell if they're winning. It is one of those long spirit battles, that take 20 days and 20 nights and neither side slows or rests. The sort Bear might get into. Too bad he isn't here. I leave those to him.
"I've had a taste of what it's like to be controlled by a powerful spirit, Mr. Waite," Shaft notes. "Better dead than enslaved like that."
"That's the question, I suppose," considers Bernice. "What she'd do after the portal opened. Whether she'd help us resist the Other's masters, or simple let this world be crushed." She tilts her head toward Randall. "Mr. Waites, could you expand on your theory? This world was developing before the spirits arrived. Is it your thought that spirits have become so irrevocably intertwined that this world can no longer survive without them?"
Yotee watches a while longer, then pulls his head up and shakes it. That won't finish till after the game has.
Assuming nothing changes the balance. Yotee may not have Bear handy, but he's a smart coyote. He could change the outcome ... one way or another ... if he put his mind to it.
Look, what I'm sayin' here is, St. John is part of the problem, Caliban opines. Say we decide to fight the Other. We'll need all the friendly spirits we can get. So we let Alorn out - an' we get Miss Wolfus Biggus in the bargain. Or we help the Hill an' lose them.
Bernice lets out a sigh of relief that she immediately feels guilty for afterward. "Well... from what Trouble has observed, they'll be a non-factor unless we intervene."
Mr. Waite's laugh is short, strong and cold. "No, no 'theory', no thought, no conjecture. I don't 'think' the gate needs to be open, I know what I've Seen, and stand confident I'm right. As for the spirits survival, that's not my concern. Humanity's future is enough to keep me straining past all limits, I can't add more to the load."
Yotee lies down this time, stretching out on the ground. Head pressed firmly down.
"So then," Herbert says, rubbing his hands together for warmth. "Shall we form up teams? One to gather intelligence on the Others, one to plan a means of defeating them, and one to work on aiding the spirits on this side if we can't defeat them?"
I'm not much on plannin', I'll help look around if we can get through, Caliban volunteers.
The doctor folds her arms again, staring at Randall now. "FINE then. Perhaps you'd care to expound on these cold hard facts, it doesn't matter to me what you want to call them. I just want to know why you're reasoning the way you are, so perhaps I can fit my view to it. I'm trying to work WITH you. FOR you, if necessary."
I'd need a really good trick. The coyote breathes.
"Are you sure it's advisable to divert so much effort from our purpose here, Mr. Shaft? You are a Closer, are you not?" Rev. Hale asks.
Arms still folded, Bernice leans forward a little to regard Hale. "With all due respect, Reverend, I think it's critical we divert this effort. We still have several days, we can shoot each other on the last one if it comes down to that."
"Closing is easy, Rev. Hale, and my preparations for that are done," Shaft notes. "However, if we can Open and garner the benefits of doing so without the risks, then that would clearly be the better option."
"We'll talk again in a few days, when your actions give me reason to believe you. Pardon my lack of a trusting nature, but as Hale points out, you ARE Closers. And I rather doubt that my quiet seclusion was the cause for the witch hunters. Deal with them, as you claimed you would, then we'll talk more." Randall straightens up from leaning against the tree, and adds "And I'd suggest extending some trust if you want some returned, don't drag Miss Pau back to the doctor's house. Unless she sees a need for it, of course."
"And Mr. Waite is correct in his beliefs," Shaft adds. "Imagine this world with the spirits faded: no more Calibans, or Slates. None of the sparks that give us insight into God's creation. They are our last links to Eden, and what are we without them?"
The frustrated woman throws her hands in the air. "I'm not an Opener or Closer! We have to look beyond that! And Miss Pau wasn't dragged out here, we certainly didn't bind her, and she's free to do as she pleases. I would agree that the witch hunters were a mistake, but most of us didn't even know of them, and I should think they appeared when a rampaging killer was on the loose. I doubt the Reverend has any greater control over them now than you do."
"Indeed, the Reverend should not try to obviously dissuade them," Shaft notes. "From my first encounter with them, I received the impression that they were merely tolerating him: that he was on their list as well."
Uh, Doc... You're gonna need a cover story for how Miss Pau got away, the chimpanzee points out.
Miss Pau says, rather subdued, "For tonight, it's as well if I go back to the doctor's house. Disappearing will just stir up trouble. But I should prefer if Rev. Locke and the rest lost interest in me entirely."
Bernice, a little red in the face, puts her fingertips to her temples and lets her breath out slowly. "I... ugh. At any rate, I at the very least will endeavor to do something about them, and see to Miss Pau's ability to move about unimpeded. But there isn't time to waste on petty backbiting now."
"The Manor spirit would certainly require all of their attention, I should think," Shaft replies. "They won't be able to leave one of their own behind to watch over a woman that clearly isn't a witch once faced with something truly monstrous."
The chimpanzee considers Yotee. So, how is this sneakin' around lookin' at the other side gonna work?
The coyote stops breathing. He goes limp. Unconscious. Dead? No. A moment later he starts breathing again. He doesn't move. He doesn't respond.
"Umm, that's normal for him, is it?" Herbert asks Randall, watching the coyote.
I think he's messin' with somethin' spirit-like, Caliban opines. And since we're sittin' on top of an epic spirit-battle...
"Normal isn't in his dictionary, or if it was, he ripped the page out and ate it, a long time ago." Randall answers absently, watching the coyote.
Townes seems to come back down from her aggravation somewhat, realizing that something is going on with Trouble. She quickly steps over and kneels at his side, then glowers at Randall. "Well, have you ever seen this happen before?" She touches the coyote, trying to open an eye to check the pupil and measure other vital signs.
I've got a bad feelin' about this, the ape says, warning his boss, Miss Townes, and Rev. Hale. I think we should, easy-like, move away before things explode. He gets up to start doing just that.
"You think he's trying to get them to stop fighting?" Herbert asks Caliban, as he starts to move back as well.
There is a heartbeat, and breathing, but the coyote's eyes have rolled up, and nothing seems to wake him.
The coyote's body is unnaturally limp, as if he'd been drugged into a stupor.
No, I think he's tryin' to help Alorn, the chimpanzee opines, speeding up his pace.
Caliban signals to Slate, Better make with the moseyin' an' grab the Doc!
"Goodness, is that what I looked like when I accidentally zapped myself with the Spirit Stunner that one time?" Shaft asks Caliban.
Bernice reports this. "Alive and healthy as far as I can tell. Just unconscious. You may be right, Mr. Caliban." She looks down worriedly, then glances at Caliban. "No, I'm not going anywhere."
" I think you shouldn't move him, unless you are certain you understand what he's doing. And if you are certain, then I'll have another reason to laugh coldly." Randall splits watching the coyote with measured scans around the hill. "I also think the ape's advice is sound, and now might be the time for you all to leave. With some haste."
Yeah... Little like that, less fur of course, Caliban judges.
"Well, I think we've done what we can for the night then," Herbert says. "Care for an escort back to town, Miss Pau?"
"Laugh at me all you like, Mr. Waites. As a woman that schooled in medicine, I am accustomed to it." Bernice rolls her eyes, and remains kneeling by Yotee, though she doesn't touch him any further.
Boss... I don't think Miss Townes is comin', the chimpanzee says, pausing. He points back to indicate the obviously immobile Bernice.
The doctor looks up. "You all go ahead. I need to know what comes of this, it may be crucial to how we proceed. No need for you all to be in danger as well, if such there is."
Randall doesn't laugh, but the snort makes up for the lack. "Well, herr doktor, I'm sure that spirit seizures were covered in depth, probably in year 3, or maybe 4. All the best schools do. But feel free to wait here. Just be sure you keep your horse in easy reach, you may end up needing to flee in considerable haste."
"And do you think I could get her to move?" Herbert asks in astonishment. "She has a point about staying, and Trouble is good at getting out of trouble, isn't he?"
Caliban wrinkles his nose. Waste of a good piece of beef jerky, he opines, and keeps going.
Slate hurries to her mistress's side, nosing her back. Don't you think we should go?
"At some point, we do need to examine one of the greater spirits on this side though," Herbert tells Caliban and Pau. "We need to find out how they differ from the common ones. Then we will have an advantage over the Other masters."
"I do not know if that will be an advantage," Miss Pau says. "I suspect they already know the difference. But it will be a help, surely."
Bernice is nudged forward a little by the horse's touch, and she reaches back to pat Slate. "Not yet, dear. At the least, I have to be sure of the outcome here, and ready to help Trouble if he needs it." She ignores Randall's comments now.
The Mikkelsens and Rev. Hale are following Caliban's suggestion, and leaving the way they came.
Boss, what we need to figure out is what the spirits need, an' if we can steal it, the chimpanzee opines as they jog down the trail. Everyone here who wants the Opening is doin' it 'cause it will help the Spirits here, am I right?
"If we can defeat, capture or neutralize the Other masters, then both worlds win," Shaft points out. "And if we can erect a fence to keep them at bay long enough to take what is needed, that would help as well."
Bernice crouches down by Yotee now, putting her head close to him as if listening to the ground for a herd. Her brow knits, her already worried expression becoming moreso. "He did leave his body on purpose," she says, talking to herself more than anyone else. "But... I'm not sure the reason he did it for is going well. It is going to be dangerous here, though... that much I'm certain." The doctor looks torn.
If he did it on purpose, he can un-do it on purpose, Slate suggests. So we don't need to stay. Right?
"I don't know," waffles Bernice, biting her lip. She eyes Randall. "I'm assuming Mr. Waites is remaining to help him. But I should also like to know sooner rather than later if St. John is to bubble out of the ground. We'll wait and watch... I can mount quickly should we need to run."
"For what it's worth, Mr. Shaft," Miss Pau says, "I think your plan of teams to explore each idea was a good one. But we don't seem to have enough in agreement to form proper teams. Which one will you pursue?"
"If St.John is about to stage her own version of the Easter miracle, waiting and watching would be the last thing you'd want to do. And from all reports, the last thing you'd do." Randall stays standing back on the edge of the clearing, rifle held ready. "I might be able to talk her down, if she accepts my credentials as valid, but she may well know yours."
"Defense," Shaft says. "My goal is to discover what essence is required by spirits, and then, with your help, develop a means to allow only that element to pass through the portal. Could you weave a spell of protection or warding that would allow such a filtering effect?"
The woman nods grimly. "By now she might, seeing as I shot Alorn." She pats Slate, getting to her feet and putting her foot in a stirrup. "We'll wait nearby, watching. Slate is the finest of Morgans. We've outrun plenty, and I have complete faith in her."
Miss Pau considers this, and shakes her head. "I ... do not know, Mr. Shaft. My magic is not so specific as your science. I ask the spirits with help on general things, like safety and protection and luck. But I am asking spirits for this help -- the very things we are trying to save and that are, we are told, too weak to save themselves. I think that such a filter is beyond them. But we can see. If we can tell why they are dying here, perhaps that will help us understand what they need to do to live."
Yeah, let's figure out what they need, then maybe we can figure out how to steal it, the chimpanzee opines.
"We need to find out if our power sources can increase a spirit's strength then as well," Shaft says. "And how do we know how much to steal? As I understand it, if we Open the portal, it will stay open."
Caliban swallows the last of the beef jerky and absently reaches into his pocket before remembering he gave that piece away. Darn coyote...
"That is what I thought, too," Miss Pau says. "But when the spirits fled to Earth, they Closed it afterwards, somehow, did they not? So it must be possible to Close it again, even after Opening."
"We'll need to see if we can transfer spirit energy to Trouble as well," Herbert suggests. "After all, we know how to drain spirits. Draining the enemy to strengthen our allies." After a pause, Shaft notes, "We may need to stick a doorjamb into it then as well.."
The chimpanzee opines. What the door really needs is a gatekeeper. He pauses long enough to draw a stiff pose. Excuse me, spirit, what's your business here? Travelling for business or pleasure?
From the saddle, Bernice watches the hill warily and the still form of the coyote worriedly. She nudges her steed to a safer distance, but doesn't leave just yet. "I'm sorry to put both our necks out here, Slate," she murmurs. "But better to know what may be at our throats now than later. And I could sense something went wrong for Trouble. I have to be sure he'll be alright." How she'll manage that, she doesn't venture to guess.
Having done his bit to reduce the body count, Randall leans back against the tree again, waiting for trouble to follow the coyote.