Red Twilight the Weaver chapter 15

Chapter 15:

the Book of Saint Dove

Cold moonlight spills across Jessica's face stirring her from her slumber; she rubs her eyes fiercely to clear her vision as sparks of blue and green light still flutter across her eyes from the trauma of being struck in the back. The ground feels dank, and the air smells of mold. There is a window in the upper left corner of the room far too small for even a child to squeeze through dressed with moss. There is a cage door to her right and either side a matching cell block, there is a chamber pot on a bed near the center of the room and a chain bracing her to the foundation allowing her the run of only half the place.

In the cage to one side of her sits hidden in the darkness a fellow prisoner. A middle-aged woman with flashing white fur and black hair with bright purple eyes, she sits with her legs tucked into her chest to hide her features, the cooing of birds echoes throughout the silences of the dungeon orchestrated by the tiny birds that have crawled in through windows and prances about the cages. Jessica's cellmate is apparently amused by the animals.

Jessica finally gains her wit and jumps to her feet, "the children!" she calls forgetting her feet are bound she runs to the door to see if it is locket and falls onto all fours when she comes to find that the bed is fussed to the ground.

The women across from Jessica speaks up in a strangely manly voice "Jessica Brispbane, have no fear, Mother Corn's children are in no danger." The voice is low and monasteries, slow and commanding.

Jessica bites her hand thinking "Brispbane? I haven't been called Brispbane since." she freezes thinking. As the words sink in, she crawls away from the door sliding on her back as far from the stranger as she can "Kari!" only the princess of fire knew Jessica as Brispbane, which can only mean that this is Princess Darklair's other half.

"I far prefer Crow, but yes Kari is what your people call me today. But what is a name anyway? I have been called so many, yet they always have the same meaning. So, is it the name that identifies you or you that identify the name?" Kari rolls her neck stretching "I think we are each subject to the actions of ourselves. Therefore, we don't need names. You more them most can feel that; your eyes and your nose can see past such formality." She leans in slightly "take a deep breath, taste my blood in the air and know in your mind what your heart has already told you. It is I, your god, in the flesh."

"I have tasted your flesh once before; I need not do so again."

"I see why Meyu liked you so. You are courageous and cowardice at once, Such the symbol of the age from which you came." Kari goes on.

"why are you here?"

"you are speaking with the creator of your world, and that is really what you want to ask?" Kari stops a moment, "but after so many profits I should have guessed. That it is always the way, the most obvious and least worth of questions get asked first. As always my motivations are selfish." She waits a moment. "one of my sister's children are running amuck on my playground, and I want them to leave."

"You're asking me to fight a goddess?"

"are you kidding, you're hapless, no match for a god despite all the blessings that have been rained down on you, beauty, immortality, command over water and fire and ever so sensitive to even the most simple of movement, but no you are no match for a Tamriel-child. What you are to do is simple by comparison. I want this land empty; you can go back underground or off to the wilderness somewhere but wherever there is it is away from here. Anyone still within the walls of this place in a weeks' time becomes food for us."

"Why give me this job. My mate would be so much more…"

Kari stops Jessica "You are a spawn of Ceto, mother of monsters, and she belongs to me."

"And if I don't?"

"think hard about what I am telling you. I am giving you the opportunity to save the lives of oh so many of your own. You, a child of Ceto, mother of your race being give the changes to remind the world of who you are. And I can give you all that you need to make this moment last forever."

"I'm not like that. I'm no mother to a race," Jessica tries to say "I only had a hand full of kids…"

"And how many children did they each have!?" Kari points out.

There is a long silence before Jessica speaks again "why would one with all your might be bound to a body so, uninspiring."

"How would you like me to appear?" Kari turns to sand and fades between the walls. Shinning like gold the phantom snakes around Jessica lifting her into the air and rolling her about haplessly. "or is this more of what you were imagining?" the room fills half with water instantly then burst into flames, wind wipes the room around and the walls quake. Jessica screams being thrown around in the chaos. "I can be as kind or a cruel as you would like me to be. But why should the master of creation be anything shy of desirable? I look as I do because I want to be loved and therefore must be something worthy of a dream, whatever the dream of the day happens to be."

Kari turns next to a flock of flowers and feather floating about the room, the flowers flutter around Jessica rolling her around on the ground. Jessica pulls her arms and legs into her chest definitively; the room becomes warmer. Jessica shacks herself as if to shoo away the change. "your next question of me would be 'and what function does the creator serve to the created?' to that one must ask themselves what one would wish of their betters? When we look at ourselves, do we find that it is more desirable to serve a malevolent king or a neglectful one? For a cruel king is a predictable one, anger lures hate, hate lure judgment, love inspires mercy, but to be neglected leads only to empty promises with or without prayer. But even uncaring is worthwhile over absences. A vengeful king may still reword one that brings him plusher, and that is just what I am. I find you amusing."

Jessica sweats and pants overtaken by the unadulterated spiritual power filling the room, her body falls limp as she allows herself to be controlled "what is it that motivates you Brispbane? Be it the past? Or that which is yet to come? If I were to rain my will onto you would you bring the dead back to life? Would you summon a monsoon of good tithings on your brethren? Or fill yourself with gluttony saving yourself from hardship for lifetimes to come? Do not answer in hast. Time is one thing you and I have little to fear of." Jessica rolls around on the ground squalling until at last she is drained of her strength and collapses from the overwhelming energy in the air.

Jessica rolls onto her side and curls herself tightly into a ball. Kari retakes her Kobolt shape back in the corner from which she came. "Fourteen-day, that is what I can offer you. Lead your people away from Graywall Keep before then, or I cannot offer them protection any longer, you will be my harbinger, you will offer a sermon every other day from now 'till the calling, and after each sermon, I will reveal a taste of my power to them. Those who heed the words of my harbinger will be blessed, those whose hearts are unmoved will be cursed. So, let my will be done."

Jessica finds the energy to whisper with Kari "and if they refuse to hear my words?"

"Then you and Corn's family will rebuild Graywall Keep atop the bones of the unwise."

"Are you greater than the advisory to who you will fight?"

"There are no gods grater left in heaven."

"Then you have no equal?" Kari refused to respond allowing Jessica to contemplate for herself what has already been told. She recalls the gospel of saint Dove

** *

After you have been in the field for a year or two, you start just to know when someone has something to say. So, you do what anyone would do, follow them; see what they have to say. I'm on the streets of New York; it's three in the morning and it cold as hell. I spot my prey, a middle-aged man, dark hair, dressed in black. He has the look of a man with something on his mind. The streets are crowded as always, and I like it. The streets of 'the big apple' make for an excellent place to tail someone without being seen.

As I walk behind my tail, I feel as if I know this guy, someone I tracked once before. He steps into a rickety looking building with a demolition tag on it. He goes to slam the door; I slide my cane into the door to hold it. The dark man swerves between some drifters clogging the condemned building's halls. He walks up the steps; I keep my distance. He gets ahead of me for a time; I catch up with enough time to see his coattails slip into a room with an emergences generator set outside. Must be the only room with lights. I stand against the door and pull my notebook out of my pocket. The first words I hear are "Mister Dove, would you please come in?"

The whole scenario sounds like an early sixties bomb shelter; it seems like a good idea until you come to notice you're sitting in a hole in the ground with your head between your legs. I walk through the door; things start to look clear; I know who I've been following. I've been following him for years, its damn near my life's work.

It's the demon called Crow, it's an empty room aside from a table and two chairs, you would think he was expecting me. I except, "It's been a long time Mr. Dove"

"I don't seem to recall having ever met you face to face."

"You? No. the men you represent on the other hand I know very well. Every decade or two we have a heart to heart like this."

"How charming" I do not attempt to hide my life of sarcasm

"I don't mean that literally, of course, it would be a waste of both of our times if I were to rip your heart from your chest and eat it."

"that's reassuring."

"I trust you know who I am."

"Adam Crow, Vampire, Warlock, and demonic prince. Am I close?"

"Some time I am also called Fillios-Mammon king of Tamriel. One of three at least."

"How lucky for them."

"Can the jokes old man before you become a late-night snack."

"Look who's calling who old. Well it looks to me that you planned for me to be here so what are you looking for"

"I want you to place your holiest of holy book on the table before you and do what you Watcher do. I'm going to speak, and you are going to write. Or is that too hard for you?"

"Maybe I should call for backup, do you mind waiting for about half an hour" Crow growls making an unearthly sound and throws me into the chair before me. "Should I take that as a yes?"

"Now start writing." Crow takes a seat in the opposing chair. His head drapes back, and his long dark hair falls away from his face. "Would you believe me if I told you only a hand full of centers ago this world was a united being? All races, human and animal alike spoke a singular tongue?"

"is that a rhetorical question?" I know it is, but I ask anyway.

"Mister Dove?"

"Yes"

"Be quiet."

"Do you want me to record that as well?" I'm already writing

"Mister Dove, we are not friends, in fact, I deeply hate everything you stand for, and after this speech, I was going to tell you how I laid a hex on you and that your son is going to murder you."

"I don't have any kids."

"ah, how silly of me."

"Do you know what Narcissism is?"

"what you're full of"

"A witty demon, we are going to get along great."

"What did I do to deserve this?" Crow rubs his eyes momentarily. I don't waste an instant; forty years ago, I swore to do everything in my power to rid the world of monsters like Crow. Now I have a chance to assassinate the king himself. I'm going to take it. I twist the handle of my cane and withdraw my Iai-do blade without a word or a sound my blade strike home digging deep into Crow's chest and into the seat beneath him. Crows eyes roll downward "that was uncalled for. Do you mind if I continue now, or shall we proceed with this foolishness? you see mister Dove many hunters mistake me for a night stalker that simply is not the case. Mister Dove, I am God, your pitiful assault is nothing if not meaningless" the humor melts from my face as I slowly sit back down.

Crow slowly slides the blade out of his body and takes a moment to admires the art of the oriental edge "this is a finely crafted blade, where about did you happen across it?" Crow asks as he courteously hands the blade back to me.

"A friend."

"anyone, I might know?"

"who knows? The world not that big after all." Strange, or maybe not so strange, Crow doesn't seem to bleed. He didn't even seem to care that I attacked him. I tap my pen on the table "please go on."

Crow places his feet on the table as he rests back in his chair "Mister Dove, this world is not your world. It is, in fact, my world. You had stolen it from me several thousand years ago. I lived on this world, and you worshipped me as well as my two brothers and my sister. We were your beloved. But, one day someone became greedy and asked 'why must my life be one of bowing and graveling' naturally the faithless would be willed out of reality. But somehow this one gained power. Enough so that he had the power to harm the immortal overseers'. You found weapons that could cut our flesh, armor that could deflect our magic. You even had stolen a fraction of the power of creation. Not enough so to really do anything, but enough that one day you might. That on top of the fire and fertility you already had pillaged from us made you a worthy enemy. "

I feel the need to cut in "you're immortal, how can we have harmed you?"

"Move world to world for a time, and you'll find that you become susceptible to some of their rules "

"Traveling makes you weaker?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss that at this time."

"I'm deeply sorry."

"the point is, you have something that belongs to me, and I plan to take it back. I'm not unsportsmanlike; I understand you are somewhat attached to this world, and I will give you the opportunity to keep it. The world as you know it is coming to an end. Trees will walk, animals will talk, and humanity will take its rightful places back as messengers to the ancient gods. The transformation will begin with the burring of a mighty church then four\fifths of all men will die. Beast will override your cites, rives will run black like oil, and the oceans will swell. Yea, they that love me will be spared my wraith. On the last day of the purging, the sun will set and shall not rise again until man and monster sleep together in acceptance of the coming of the lord."

"…And when will this last day be, how long will the transmutation take?"

"Nine years"

"Nine, why not ten? Some astronomical event accruing that we should be aware of? Some aligning of planets?"

"No, I simply think nine sounds right." Crow throws his arms out to the sides in a playful motion.

"I think your full IT. I don't think you have the power to do everything."

"No?"

"and even if you could, someone would stop you."

"like who?"

"Sal-la-day-namO,"

Crow finds his feet leaning forward he manifests a bottle of wine and two goblets made of gold with gemstones. He pours the glasses and passes one to me as he thinks about the statement made "Sal-la-day-namO, my brother? It's true he might still have the power to stop me, if he were still a god, or reobtained his divinity. Good luck with that though, no one has heard from Sal-la-day-namO in over fifty years I would wager."

Uncharacteristically Crow sights after taking a drink "I think it is deplorable what became of him (Sal-la-day-namO). I love retribution as much as anyone, but justice should be fast and passionate I feel, not what Laus-day-O subscribed. This is not the first world Laus-day-O created, and humans were not its first inhabitants. The Greeks were more or less right there were many gods at one point. We have been somewhat wasting away with the passage of millennia. We have a set of conducts we follow amongst them is a law stating that once a race is strong enough to survive without our direct interventions, we let them grow on their own, 'till they can pass-over into our reality. Sal-la-day-namO could not comply. He loved one of you, mortals I mean, more than our elder brother. So, he was condemned to live on this Rokk, stripped of everything but his timelessness, until the end of history."

Crow sits in deep thought, what can he be thinking about? Is it anything I could even be comprehended? "I'm sorry mister Dove, but I grow weary. I wish to retire for the evening, can I call you back to finish this another time?"

Gods get tired? "Yeah, no problem. You have my number," hastily I collect my notebook and cane. As I walk out the door, I hear Crow speak one more time.

"Joe, my brother traded his soul for a lifetime of pleasure. Did he get a good deal?"

Standing in the doorway I recall my own tortured past, "I've known people to settle for less. Whether or not that's a good deal, I'm in no position to make wagers…"

***

Sometime later Joe looks around to find himself right back at the abandoned building where he had met Crow for the first time. The lights are on, and there is Crow, looking down on him from the window seven floors above. Joe breaths hard a moment then walks in. again, a nearly empty room awaits, the two min stair each-other down a moment before Crow wave Joe down. "please, be seated."

"I don't think it has been a lifetime already." Joe jokes.

"Joe," Crow sits down putting his feet up as he places one hand on the side of his head resting. "Where is Sal-la-day-name-O?" Crow rolls his eyes slightly "where is my brother?"

"you mean you don't know?"

"That's what I thought you would say." Crow sits up looking at Dove. "So, let's get to the point. The world is going to end, and I want someone to stop me."

"Why me?"

"You?!" Crow throws his head back in laughter "not you; you are going to bring me, someone, to fight. In this is a game, I need an enemy. There are let's say twelve people on this plant that can fight me. You will find them, and you will bring them to me. If you find them first I leave you alone for let's say for two-hundred years. You don't in nine years everything ends."

"Find them first" Joe whispers "what do you mean END?" Joe asks

"IT has already begun. In two years' time, there will be more of my slaves on this world them men. People will die at an unprecedented rate; the dead will feed on the living. In the last hour before I rise, the moon will fall from the sky, the sun will set never to be seen again. and as is told you before trees will walk, fish will talk, and your home will burn. As for you, you will see none of this." Crow monologs

Joe jumps to his feet "Dammit Crow! This doesn't need to be this way! I know everything! For god sake Crow you were one of us! You might have been the original Watcher! Do it again! Fight alongside me! End this war without it ever needing to find the streets!"

Crow roars demonically punching the table before him standing nose to nose with Dove. "this man is nothing but a body, I am God, I am the Cravixs. I will rise with the dawn; I will consume your tiny sun. You will see my majesty for I am the cosmic horror, larger them this solar-system, I will devourer everything; you will be nothing but my dreams in the end. Fall to your knees and worship me cowered magi."

"make me." Joe demands

Crow holds up one hand levitating dove, with a nudge of his head Crow thrust Joe into a wall then drags him up it, and across the ceiling "you doubt me, you doubt what I am? I am power. Absolute Power. I have seen the beginning of time. I walked the great tree from moon to moon, I flow through the 'Never' with Chaos at my back. I have seen thing you can never understand. This world of yours, your small ideas, they are meaningless. I blink my eyes and a thousand years passed." Crow drops his head smashing Joe though the table, dominatingly he places one foot on Joe's chest as he gasps for air. "make no mistake, I will do as I wish, and you are powerless! Your fate is sealed! It is not your life you struggle for; It is your soul!" Crow looks up becoming momentarily calmed "there are twenty-six keys that seal the door to this world. For every one of them, I find the end of the world grows closer. I have one. And already it makes me stronger. Find the others Joseph Dove von Richton. That is your only changes to survive."

Joe gags and struggles to get out from underfoot "help me Crow! For the love of your bloodline come back, be one of us. A protector of this world!"

the evil voice echoes from deep within Crow's body. "I admit I did find a good host didn't I. Strong enough to withstand 'Worldwalking' and the passage of five hundred of your lifetimes. I want my ring back by the way." Crow holds his hand over Dove's chest floating the chain out of his pocket and back into his chest. "The original of this world's gatekeepers gave this to me as a gift. It unlocks more than just that book you know, it is also the key to the mana stream. However, week it is here."

"He gave the Key to Adam Crow, not Cravixs."

"We are one in the same." Crow melts into the shadows leaving Joe alone and beaten on the floor. Joe struggling reaches into his coat and calls for backup. One last sound comes from the darkness, the echoing of Cravixs voice whispering in Joe's ear "my brother traded his immortality for a lifetime of pleasure. Did he get a good deal?"

***

As Joe lying on the ground, he whispers to himself "maybe he did."

What did Dove know of the gods? Did he know a secret that could have saved Crow back then? If only he told the rest of this tale. Perhaps this old whaler could have had his catch. All this talk of kings and key, what does it all mean?